In recognition of the contribution of Marlies Teichmuller to archaeology, this paper highlights some of the work carried out by Marlies and others in this field during the past half century using the methods of organic petrology and palynology. The account is preceded by a brief historical review of the methods of investigation. The value of this work for archaeology lies in the ability to identify the true nature of the artefacts sculpted from coaly material by the Bronze Age craftsmen and their descendants. The provenance of coals used for jewellery and as fuel by the Romans and in medieval and recent times from a variety of archaeological contexts provides evidence of patterns of usage and trading routes. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.