Anthracology is concerned with the study, analysis and identification of charcoal found both in archaeological contexts and in natural deposits. It is part of the broader field of archaeobotany, which includes such scientific disciplines as:
- dendrochronology, the study of the annual growth rings of trees for dating purposes;
- palynology, the study of ancient pollens and spores;
- carpology, the study of ancient fruits and seeds;
- phytolithic analysis, the study of hydrated silica particles deposited within the cell and intercellular spaces of plant tissue.
Each of these studies is useful for much historical and archaeological research concerning settlement, architecture, and particularly the historical reconstruction of palaeoenvironments and resource exploitation.
The vegetal communities present in a particular area during a given chronological period provide valuable insights concerning human existence because they also reflect pedological and climatic conditions.

Wood also provides ethnographic information regarding its use as a fuel in various domestic and artisanal activities, a subject that has often been overlooked in written sources.