Description
Invited to Pennsylvania State University Anthropology Colloquium Guest Speaker Series.Abstract:
Recent studies have suggested that Denisovans, an ancient hominin group, have deep ancestral roots in Asia, hinting at a complex series of dispersals into Island Southeast Asia and Sahul. New Guinea, in particular, is a pivotal region for understanding hominin dispersal into Sahul. However, preservation issues in tropical environments play a substantial role in the rarity of hominin fossils in this region. ZooMS (Zooarchaeology through Mass Spectrometry) can inform a range of anthropological questions regarding hominin dispersal and prehistoric humans in these coastal and tropical environments. In this talk, I will discuss advances in biomolecular approaches that enable the recovery of new hominin fossils, and explore complex human-environmental interactions in New Guinea. Specifically, I will present my recent ZooMS analyses on archaeological material from the New Guinea Highlands. Through these analyses, I have identified new hominin fossils and revealed shifts in the zooarchaeological record that suggest a series of adaptations to changing environmental and climatic conditions.
Period | 8 Nov 2023 |
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Held at | Pennsylvania State University, United States, Pennsylvania |
Degree of Recognition | International |