How will archaeology contribute to agricultural sustainability? To address that question, this overview reflects on the diverse and complementary ways that archaeology has advanced our understanding of sustainable agriculture. Here, I assess recent archaeological research through the lens of the five principles of sustainable agriculture used by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These principles—efficiency, conservation, rural livelihoods, resilience, and governance—highlight the social and environmental dimensions of agricultural sustainability. By drawing on case studies from around the world, I show how archaeology is uniquely situated to examine the interactions of these social and environmental dimensions over long periods of time. Archaeology’s strongest conceptual contributions to sustainable agriculture are (1) its capacity to demonstrate that sustainability is historically contingent and (2) its attention to outcomes. If transformed into meaningful action, these contributions have the potential to advance modern agricultural sustainability and environmental justice initiatives. This overview is an invitation to clarify a plan for future research and outreach. It is an invitation to imagine what an archaeology for sustainable agriculture will look like and what it will accomplish.

中文翻译：

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可持续农业考古

考古学将如何促进农业可持续发展？为了解决这个问题，本概述反映了考古学增进了我们对可持续农业的理解的多种补充方式。在这里，我通过联合国粮食及农业组织使用的可持续农业五项原则来评估最近的考古研究。这些原则-效率，保护，农村生计，适应力和治理-突出了农业可持续性的社会和环境方面。通过借鉴来自世界各地的案例研究，我展示了考古学如何独特地定位于长期检查这些社会和环境维度之间的相互作用。考古学对可持续农业的最强概念贡献是：（1）证明可持续性在历史上是偶然的能力；（2）注重成果。如果将其转化为有意义的行动，这些贡献就有可能推动现代农业可持续性和环境正义倡议的发展。此概述是邀请您阐明未来研究和推广计划。可以想象一下可持续农业的考古学将是什么样子，以及它将完成什么。此概述是邀请您阐明未来研究和推广计划。可以想象一下可持续农业的考古学将是什么样子，以及它将完成什么。此概述是邀请您阐明未来研究和推广计划。可以想象一下可持续农业的考古学将是什么样子，以及它将完成什么。