A5030294165- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Language and cultural evolution
- Mineralogy and Gemology Studies
- Fire dynamics and safety research
- Race, Genetics, and Society
- History of Emotions Research
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Historical Gender and Feminism Studies
- European history and politics
University of Bergen
2020-2024
The University of Western Australia
2017-2020
University of Tübingen
2017-2020
Though many European Upper Palaeolithic sites document early examples of symbolic material expressions (e.g., cave art, personal ornaments, figurines), there exist few reports on the use earth pigments outside art-and occasionally Neanderthal-contexts. Here, we present first in-depth study diachronic changes in ochre throughout an entire sequence at Hohle Fels cave, Germany, spanning from ca. 44,000-14,500 cal. yr. BP. A reassessment assemblage has yielded 869 individual artefacts, which 27...
Abstract While the earliest evidence for ochre use is very sparse, habitual of by hominins appeared about 140,000 years ago and accompanied them ever since. Here, we present an overview archaeological sites in southwestern Germany, which yielded remains ochre. We focus on artifacts belonging exclusively to anatomically modern humans who were inhabitants cave Swabian Jura during Upper Paleolithic. The painted limestones from Magdalenian layers Hohle Fels Cave are a particular focus. these...
The emergence of symbolic behavior is often considered a hallmark development in hominin evolution, ultimately giving rise to the complex communicative practices, abstract reasoning patterns, aesthetic discourses and religious institutions surrounding us today. In recent years, archaeologists have provided substantial evidence for remarkable time-depth artifact utilization made groundbreaking methodological advances (e.g, with respect dating techniques, microscopy 3d modeling). However,...
The Aurignacian (ca. 43-35 ka) of southwestern Germany is well known for yielding some the oldest artifacts related to symbolic behaviors, including examples figurative art, musical instruments, and personal ornaments. Another aspect these behaviors presence numerous pieces iron oxide (ocher); however, are comparatively understudied, likely owing lack painted from this region time period. Several Aurignacian-aged carved ivory ornaments sites Hohle Fels Vogelherd contain traces what appear be...
The use of red iron‐based earth pigments, or ochre, is a key component early symbolic behaviours for anatomically modern humans and possibly Neanderthals. We present the first ochre provenance study in Central Europe showing long‐term selection strategies by inhabitants cave sites south‐western Germany during Upper Palaeolithic (43–14.5 ka). Ochre artefacts from Hohle Fels, Geißenklösterle Vogelherd, local extra‐local sources, were investigated using neutron activation analysis (NAA), X‐ray...
Our species and other hominins have used earth mineral pigments since at least ~500,000 years ago, if not earlier. Its preservation ubiquity within archaeological records across sub-Saharan Africa are well documented, but regional-scale networks of selection, mining, transport, use is an underdeveloped field. Here, we present a framework for interpreting regional variations overarching ochre-behavioral community practice. Deep-time ochre provisioning span the final Middle Stone Age Late in...
Abstract A complete Middle Stone Age ochre piece was unintentionally collected and fully preserved within a micromorphological block sample intended to characterise 74 ± 3 ka occupation horizon at Blombos Cave, South Africa. Previously recovered pieces from the same stratigraphic context (Still Bay) have displayed intricate modification patterns with significant behavioural implications. Yet, in case of trapped ochre, direct visual assessment its surfaces impossible due impregnated state. In...