A multidisciplinary research, involving Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and BRAVHO Lab, revealed new insights on Homo Sapiens dispersal in Northwestern Europe, thanks to the incredible site of Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Click here to read the whole article or scroll below to find the abstract ⤵️
Abstract
The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe is associated with the regional disappearance of Neanderthals and the spread of Homo sapiens. Late Neanderthals persisted in western Europe several millennia after the occurrence of H. sapiens in eastern Europe. Local hybridization between the two groups occurred, but not on all occasions. Archaeological evidence also indicates the presence of several technocomplexes during this transition, complicating our understanding and the association of behavioural adaptations with specific hominin groups4. One such technocomplex for which the makers are unknown is the Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician (LRJ), which has been described in northwestern and central Europe. Here we present the morphological and proteomic taxonomic identification, mitochondrial DNA analysis and direct radiocarbon dating of human remains directly associated with an LRJ assemblage at the site Ilsenhöhle in Ranis (Germany). These human remains are among the earliest directly dated Upper Palaeolithic H. sapiens remains in Eurasia. We show that early H. sapiens associated with the LRJ were present in central and northwestern Europe long before the extinction of late Neanderthals in southwestern Europe. Our results strengthen the notion of a patchwork of distinct human populations and technocomplexes present in Europe during this transitional period.
Stable isotopes in the shell organic matrix for (paleo)environmental reconstructions
Click the title to know more about the innovative research of our PhD candidate Dragana Paleček on stable isotopes applied to modern shells organic matrix and its crucial implications in reconstructing paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental changes.
You can also read the abstract below ⤵️
Abstract
Stable isotope ratios of mollusc shell carbonates have long been used to reconstruct past environmental conditions. Although shells also contain organics, they are seldom used in (paleo)climatic studies. Here, we extract the acid-soluble and insoluble fractions of the organic matrix of modern Mytilus galloprovincialis shells from three sites along a coast–to-upper-estuary environmental gradient to measure their hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope compositions. Both organic fractions showed isotopic signatures significantly different from those of carbonate and water at each site, indicating the involvement of different fractionation mechanisms. The soluble fraction showed gradual differences in isotope values along the gradient, while the insoluble fraction showed δ2H-δ18O correlation regressions subparallel to the Global and Local Meteoric Water Lines. These results showed the great potential of the shell organic matrix stable isotopes as possible (paleo)environmental proxies, stimulating further research to better define the fractionation mechanisms involved.
February, 20th
Another important stage for the multidisciplinary research that led to discover new pieces of information about the Rongorongo local script. Click the following link to have a look at it!
February, 18th
Very important, diverse and rich interview by Camila Raznovich about three groundbreaking researches. No worries, you can re-watch it on Raiplay by clicking the link.
Back at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology where everything began!
Thanks to all the stunning researchers, Mateja Hajdinjak, Tracy Kivell, Matthew Skinner, Philipp Gunz and, of course, the Nobel prize winner Svante Pääbo for the stimulating and inspiring talks.
First low tide of the year means first walks on the Furadouro beaches looking for fossil trees to sample. Did it actually happen? Take your time and have a look to some pictures taken during last trip!
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Once more a great deal of talk about this multidisciplinary research.
Click the following link to get access to the whole article published in Le Scienze.
February, 11
Proud to have received the great news that two of our papers have been selected and included in the Communications Chemistry Collection of researches carried out by women and published in the journal! Click the name of the journal to find out more about the Collection or click the paper titles below to directly reach (and read) them all!
Stable isotopes in the shell organic matrix for (paleo)environmental reconstructions
This thematic conference, held in Milan and organized by Associazione Italiana di Archeometria, Università degli Studi di Milano and Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, represented a fantastic opportunity to once more underline the importance of radiocarbon dating within Archaeology and Human Evolution. Click here to have a look at the full program of the conference.
A multidisciplinary research, funded by ERC, now in Scientific Reports.
Another groundbreaking research, led by Sahra Talamo PI of ERC-RESOLUTION and Silvia Ferrara PI of ERC-Inscribe, unvealed something more about the origin of Rongorongo script from Rapa Nui (Eastern Island). Click here to find the full paper or read the abstract below ⤵️
Abstract
Placing the origin of an undeciphered script in time is crucial to understanding the invention of writing in human history. Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, developed a script, now engraved on fewer than 30 wooden objects, which is still undeciphered. Its origins are also obscure. Central to this issue is whether the script was invented before European travelers reached the island in the eighteenth century AD. Hence direct radiocarbon dating of the wood plays a fundamental role. Until now, only two tablets were directly dated, placing them in the nineteenth c. AD, which does not solve the question of independent invention. Here we radiocarbon-dated four Rongorongo tablets preserved in Rome, Italy. One specimen yielded a unique and secure mid-fifteenth c. date, while the others fall within the nineteenth c. AD. Our results suggest that the use of the script could be placed to a horizon that predates the arrival of external influence.
February, 1st at 2:50 PM
If you missed the interview to Sahra Talamo about radiocarbon dating on human bones from Ranis and the whole multidisciplinary research, click the following link and re-watch it on rainews!
Second trip of the year Storm, heavy rains and long walks didn't keep the team from the serach of subfossil trees. And the mission was actually incredibly rich in samples.. Take your time and have a look!
Palazzo Re Enzo, 5 pm
Special guests Mateja Hajdinjak (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany), Guido Barbujani,(Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy), Jean-Jacques Hublin (College de France, Paris, France), Telmo Pievani, (Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy), Alberto Angela (Paleontologist, Naturalist, Science Communicator and Writer) and, for the Bologna Department of Chemistry Giacomo Ciamician, Professor Sahra Talamo.
Click here to re-watch all the talks and discussions.
For the Italian version, see below ⤵️
Palazzo Re Enzo, ore 17:00
Ospiti imperdibili Mateja Hajdinjak (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Lipsia, Germania), Guido Barbujani,(Dipartimento di Scienze della vita e Biotecnologie, Università di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italia), Jean-Jacques Hublin (College de France, Parigi, Francia), Telmo Pievani, (Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Padova, Padova, Italia), Alberto Angela (Paleontologo, Naturalista, Comunicatore Scientifico e Scrittore) e, per il Dipartimento di Chimica Giacomo Ciamician di Bologna, la Prof.ssa Sahra Talamo.
Per rivedere gli interventi e saperne di più clicca qui.
The HUMAN R-EVOLUTION through RADIOCARBON RESOLUTIONS
Don't miss the event which will mark the end of a groundbreaking 5-year project.
An impressive array of specialists both in Radiocarbon calibration and in Paleolithic archaeology will join the Congress and share their expertise.
Click the link below to read the whole programme and abstracts.
Sahra Talamo - Raffaello Cortina Editore.
Take your time and read the Piero Martin review on the book available at the following link La Stampa- TuttoLibri del 13 Luglio as well as the Domenico Ribatti here.
ERC funded interdisciplinary research involving RESOLUTION, led by Sahra Talamo, and INSCRIBE, led by Silvia Ferrara.
Do not miss your chance to read the incredible comic strips, by Andrea Govoni, on the groundbreaking research about the undeciphered script from Rapa Nui and radiocarbon dating on four wooden tablets.
Click here to read the entire paper or click Unibo Magazine to find out more about the research itself and the two ERC funded projects!
A brand new space devoted to Sahra Talamo book: "Misurare la storia. La nuova linea del tempo dell'evoluzione umana"
Do not miss the review written by Enrico Nicosia on Le Scienze (August 2024).
Sahra Talamo interviewed at Kilimangiaro Estate, in prime time on Rai 3.
Check out "Misurare la storia. La nuova linea del tempo dell'evoluzione umana" presentation with Camila Raznovich, available also on RaiPlay.
Premio Trieste Next - Science Book of the Year, September 29th
Camogli, September 11th-14th, 2024
It was an immense pleasure for Sahra Talamo to be part of the incredibly inspiring Communication Festival with her talk "Oltre i confini del tempo: la speranza, forza implacabile dell’evoluzione umana, ieri come oggi". Click the link on the title to watch the video.
Once aging, thanks a lot to Danco Singer, Regione Liguria, Comune di Camogli and Festival della Comunicazione for making this possible!
Waiting for the Camogli Communication Festival
Take your time and listen to the podcast il posto delle parole, also available on Spreaker, Audible, Spotify, Apple music, Amazon, Fb, Ig, XTwitter.
Tsenka Tsanova on PLOS ONE
Take your time and read “Curated Character of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic Lithic Artefact Assemblages in Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria)" by clicking the link on the title or have a look on the abstract below ⤵️
Abstract
The dispersal of Homo sapiens across Eurasia during MIS 3 in the Late Pleistocene is marked by technological shifts and other behavioral changes, known in the archaeological record under the term of Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP). Bacho Kiro Cave in north Bulgaria, re-excavated by us from 2015 to 2021, is one of the reference sites for this phenomenon. The newly excavated lithic assemblages dated by radiocarbon between 45,040 and 43,280 cal BP and attributed to Homo sapiens encompass more than two thousand lithic artifacts. The lithics, primarily from Layer N1-I, exist amid diverse fauna remains, human fossils, pierced animal teeth pendants, and sediment with high organic content. This article focuses on the technological aspects of the IUP lithics, covering raw material origin and use-life, blank production, on-site knapping activities, re-flaking of lithic implements, and the state of retouched lithic components. We apply petrography for the identification of silicites and other used stones. We employ chaîne opératoire and reduction sequence approaches to profile the lithics techno-typologically and explore the lithic economy, particularly blade production methods, knapping techniques, and artifact curation. Raw material analysis reveals Lower Cretaceous flints from Ludogorie and Upper Cretaceous flints from the Danube region, up to 190 km and 130 km, respectively, from Bacho Kiro Cave, indicating long-distance mobility and finished products transport. Imported lithic implements, were a result of unidirectional and bidirectional non-Levallois laminar technology, likely of volumetric concept. Systematic on-anvil techniques (bipolar knapping) and tool segmentation indicate re-flaking and reshaping of lithic implements, reflecting on-site curation and multifaceted lithic economy. A limited comparison with other IUP sites reveals certain shared features and also regional variations. Bacho Kiro Cave significantly contributes to understanding the technological and behavioral evolution of early Homo sapiens in western Eurasia.