Abstract Microfossils are found associated with building materials, ceramics, tools, works of art and human remains. Despite problems associated with the destructive preparation techniques required to examine microfossils, their size renders them important analytical tools as they can be recovered from small samples such as potsherds, tesserae and even chips of paint. Biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental analysis provides data that can be used to determine the provenance of raw materials and their transportation along trade routes, the migrations of agricultural practices, diet and culture. A more profound archaeological analysis can therefore be achieved by taking an integrated approach as outlined here.