domingo, maio 29, 2011

Notícias de 23 a 29 de maio de 2011

Huge dolmen discovered in Índia
http://www.stonepages.com/news/archives/004353.html

Earth's Past, Made Visible
http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/3987/earths-past-made-visible

Proboscis Monkeys Regurgitating Their Food

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110330094355.htm

Population Genetics Reveals Shared Ancestries: DNA Links Modern Europeans, Middle Easterners to Sub-Saharan Africans

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524153536.htm

Pictures: Gorilla Mother "Mourns" Dead Baby

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/05/pictures/110526-gorilla-mother-mourns-dead-baby-science-mourning-feel-emotions-animals/?source=link_fb20110526gorillamommourning

Did lava flhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifows and fires influence human evolution?
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2011/05/did-lava-flows-and-fires-influence.html

Unique Canine Tooth from 'Peking Man' Found in Swedish Museum Collectionhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525214316.htm

Clovis Culture Not The Oldest In North America - Study
http://www.science20.com/news_articles/clovis_culture_not_oldest_north_america_study-77482

domingo, maio 22, 2011

Notícias de 16 a 22 Maio de 2011

Image Gallery: Ancient Rock Art of Sudan
http://www.livescience.com/14148-image-gallery-ancient-rock-art-sudan.html

El descubrimiento de unas herramientas de hueso en Gran Dolina, en Atapuerca, demuestra la diversidad de usos de este espacio hace 350.000 años
http://www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/47632/noticias-medio-ambiente-medioambiente-medioambiental-ambiental-definicion-contaminacion-cambio-climatico-calentamiento-global-ecologia-ecosistema-impacto-politica-gestion-legislacion-educacion-responsabilidad-tecnico-sostenible-obama-greenpeace-co2-naciones-unidas-ingenieria-salud-Kioto-Copenhague-Mexico-Cancun-marm

Prehistoric Cave Art Discovered in Basque Country
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/13/prehistoric-cave-art-discovered-in-basque-country/

Que idade têm... os mortos?
http://ucv.ci.uc.pt/ucv/podcasts/uc-ao-vivo/que-idade-tem-os-mortos

Evolutionary Adaptations Can Be Reversed, but Rarely
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511162538.htm

Ugandan Chimpanzees May Be Hunting Red Colobus Monkeys into Extinction
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=ugandan-chimpanzees-may-be-hunting-2011-05-17

Anthropologist Discovers New Fossil Primate Species in West Texas

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121537.htm

Platybelodons were a very early form of elephant
http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/05/20/136436601/a-mouth-i-cant-stop-thinking-about?sc=fb&cc=fp

Early mammals were brainy and nosy
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20493-early-mammals-were-brainy-and-nosy.html

GEMA: grupo de estudos do megalitismo alentejano

http://www.crookscape.org/

sexta-feira, maio 20, 2011

Ciclo Territórios de fronteira




Decorreu às 18 horas do próximo dia 4 de Maio de 2011 novo ciclo Territórios de Fronteira co-organizado pelo Grupo de Estudos em Evolução Humana (GEEVH), pelo Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (MNA) e pelo Núcleo de Arqueologia e Paleoecologia da Universidade do Algarve (NAP).

O ciclo incluiu as palestras de Silvério Figueiredo (Docente do Instituto Politécnico de Tomar) com (ou dinossauros!) Plistocénicas de Portugal: a sua contextualização arqueológica e paleontológica; Cláudia Sousa (Docente da Universidade Nova de Lisboa) com O comportamento dos chimpanzés em vida e perante a morte. Um exemplo da população de Bossou, Guiné-Conakry; e Luís Rios (Docente da Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) com Identificación en fosas comunes de la guerra civil española: juntando testimonios, arqueología, archivos, osteología y DNA.

quarta-feira, maio 18, 2011

Ateliers do GEEvH




No passado dia 13 de Maio 2011 o GEEvH realizou dois ateliers, Riscos e Rabiscos e a Dança dos esqueletos, a duas turmas do 5º ano na escola Dr. João Lúcio - Fuzeta (Algarve).
Nas imagens a Vânia Carvalho exemplifica como fazer tinta.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin


“A Bioarchaeological Approach to a Study of an Ancient Egyptian Population of Saqqara”

Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin

KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

A bioarchaeological approach in investigating ancient Egyptian populations is not commonly applied, and archaeological and biological data are still being studied separately. This research intends to demonstrate the potential of multidisciplinary studies by using a combination of archaeological attributes and skeletal indicators of health in order to explore the nature of social structure and processes of social change in an ancient Egyptian population of Saqqara. The study is based on a biocultural analysis of the funerary customs and human remains from a multi-period cemetery where the funerary activity took place during the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BC) and Late to Ptolemaic periods (664-30 BC).
The social structure of the cemetery population has been assessed based on the funerary wealth of the burials, and has been found to comprise inhumations of the social élite of the Old Kingdom, and the middle and lower social classes of the Late and Ptolemaic periods. The examination of the skeletal remains intends to establish whether the overall health status of the individual at the time of death correlated with their social status and to what extent the observed patterns of social and biological status changed over the period of use of the cemetery.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de David Gonçalves



“Dead or deadier: the contribution of heat-induced bone changes for the interpretation of funerary behaviour”

David Gonçalves

Research Center for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Portugal
Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico (IGESPAR), Rua da Bica do Marquês 2, 1300-087 Lisboa, Portugal

Heat is responsible for a number of alterations on bones. Changes in colour, size, warping and the emergence of fractures are macroscopic heat-induced features frequently seen in burned bones. In particular, warping and thumbnail fractures have been often linked to the burning of fleshed and green bones in contrast to dry bones. As a result, both these features have been pointed out as indicators of the pre-cremation condition of the human remains thus allowing for inferences regarding funerary behaviour and practice.
In order to investigate this issue, a sample of 61 skeletons submitted to cremation was examined and checked for the presence of heat-induced warping and thumbnail fractures. Although unusual, both these features were found after the cremation of dry skeletons thus demonstrating that they are not exclusive indicators of the burning of fleshed and green bones. Therefore, the interpretation of funerary behaviour based on heat-related warping and thumbnail fractures must be carried out with extreme caution and supported by other evidences.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de João Sardoeira


“Fracturas - O que analisar?”

João Bernardo Sardoeira

Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

A fractura é a manifestação mais comum da patologia traumática, podendo ser caracterizada como uma descontinuidade, parcial ou completa, da superfície óssea e ter como origem um evento acidental, violento, uma prática clínica ou ser secundária a outra patologia. Após a sua ocorrência o organismo inicia imediatamente um processo de cicatrização, que poderá variar conforme o indivíduo e o osso afectado, e cujo objectivo será recuperar a estrutura original do osso.
À semelhança do estudo de outras paleopatologias, o trauma requer por parte dos investigadores especial atenção devido às diferentes manifestações que o mesmo pode registar. O momento de ocorrência da lesão, se durante o período de vida do indivíduo ou se posterior ao momento da morte, a existência de complicações no momento de recuperação da fractura e o estado de fragmentação do material analisado, são tudo barreiras que se podem levantar aquando do estudo desta condição patológica. Para as ultrapassar, é essencial ao investigador um conhecimento abrangente da variabilidade que diferentes tipos de fracturas podem apresentar, assim como, as principais características que as definem.
Esta comunicação tem então como objectivo a apresentação de diferentes manifestações de fractura, através da exibição de casos identificados numa amostra de 129 indivíduos do século XIX da cidade do Porto, e ainda, a discussão das mesmas e dos possíveis mecanismos que as causaram.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de Sandra Assis


“A biocultural approach to the study of musculoskeletal stress markers (MSM) in a skeletal sample from Constância, Portugal (14-19th centuries): limitations and achievements”

Sandra Assis
Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde,
Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Paleopathological studies have revealed a connection between some types of bone lesions and the stress produced during the performance of certain activities. The biocultural approach here presented aims to combine the skeletal evidence, through the study of musculoskeletal stress markers (MSM) in a sample from both sexes (N=64) exhumed from the Constância necropolis (14th-19th centuries), with historical, ethnographic and economic data, indicating that fishing and ship building were dominant occupations among the inhabitants. Thirty-six body MSM sites were scored using the method of Mariotti et al. (2004). In the upper limb, the MSM mean scores were higher in females than males. The opposite was noted for the musculoskeletal insertions of the lower limb. In males, alterations at the costoclavicular ligament predominate, while in females those of the supinator muscle were most frequently observed. The lower limb MSMs most affected were the quadriceps femoris muscle in males, and the gluteal muscles in females. The sexual dimorphism was higher in females with respect to upper anatomical sites. Age at death proved to be a contributing factor to increased MSM values. From the MSM results, as well as from some degenerative joint disease data, it is possible to conclude that the ancient inhabitants of Constância would have been subjected to acute episodes of biomechanical stress. Some reflections, considering the difficulties found in the methodology and during the data collection will also be made.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de Luís Miguel Marado



“The value of dental morphology in the archaeological context: example of a Portuguese population from the late 19th and early 20th centuries”

Luís Miguel Marado

Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Research Center for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Portugal

The observation of dental non-metric characters used in the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS) is of major interest in the study of past populations. Dental morphological traits are genetically determined, and dependent of a small and stable part of the genome; their development seems unaffected by the uterine environment and their evolution is slow, probably independent of natural selection. The relative frequency of dental traits is a testimony to the biological distances between populations.
The study of the mandible and inferior dentition in a late XIXth/early XXth century sample deceased in Oporto, Portugal, is the example of a statistically simple approach to the biological comparison between populations, using the ASUDAS (Turner et al., 1991), mainly, but also a trait proposed by Weets (2009), and Hauser e De Stefano (1989), Movsesjan et al. (1975 in Galera et al., 1995) and Albuquerque (1952) for the mandibular anatomic traits.
The comparisons with international samples denoted biological relatedness with European and, to a lesser extent, North African populations. The Iberian samples also suggest a close relationship with those populations, particularly those from the current Portuguese territory.
The use of the ASUDAS and complementary methods to the morphological study of teeth from archaeological contexts is important. It will allow for a greater collection of data to be used in the determination of the population history of the Iberian Peninsula. Important questions, relative to cultural influence/colonization or to the proportion of indigenous and colonizing populations, for example, may then be closer to resolution.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de Vanessa Campanacho



“Intra-observer error of the scoring of degenerative features from the auricular surface of the ilium: implications for the estimation of age-at-death”

Vanessa Campanacho

Research Center for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Portugal

The degenerative features of the iliac auricular surface are useful for the estimation of age-at-death. However, difficulties regarding the scoring of such features are often pinpointed. Unfortunately, the observer error is seldom calculated for each feature, preventing the assessment of its influence on the results. Therefore, this research intended to determine the influence of the observer error on morphological characteristics of the iliac auricular surface.
The intra-observer error regarding selected morphological features of both the iliac auricular surface was estimated by using a sample of 20 auricular surfaces of male skeletons from the Identified Collection of the National Museum of Natural History (Portugal). In order to do that, two different sessions of observations were carried out with a two-weeks interval. The intra-observer error was then evaluated according to Cohen's Kappa. The results demonstrate that, although some morphological features have small intra-observation error, the opposite was found for other feautures such as the apical area, the microporosity, the coarse granularity and the lipping.
The observation error is a major factor leading to low reliability of the estimation of age-at-death whatever the method adopted. Therefore, the use of the metamorphosis of the iliac auricular surface for this purpose must be carried out with extreme caution.

Sessão The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology: apresentação de Ivone Bezerra



“Cuidados no Manuseio de Ossos Humanos Provenientes de Sítios Arqueológicos do Brasil”

Ivone Bezerra

Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

O objetivo deste trabalho é enfatizar a importância do manuseio no material esqueletal humano de proveniência arqueológica brasileira, sua conservação, restauração e análise macroscópica, tanto no trabalho de campo como no laboratório. As informações básicas obtidas em um primeiro momento pode melhorar o aproveitamento em futuras pesquisas e o cuidado no que desrespeita os procedimentos práticos, contribuem para reduzir a necessidade de curadorias posteriores, uma vez que há acúmulo de material arqueológico nas reservas técnicas e/ou museus, onde a falta de curadores e bioarqueólogos levam a perda de informações sobre os remanescentes ósseos e seu contexto. Especialmente na Amazônia, a conservação e a identificação básica dos raros materiais osteológicos humanos de origem arqueológica se fazem necessárias. Garantir a conservação desses espécimes poderá levar a estudos futuros mais detalhados e, consequentemente, mais confiáveis acerca da biologia esqueletal e da ecologia das populações do passado. Como ilustração, cito o trabalho executado e a análise feita em dois remanescentes provenientes de sítios distintos, da Ilha do Marajó e da cidade de Almeirim, ambos no estado do Pará.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: posters

Title: MONKEY BUSINESS: A FUNNY WAY TO LEARN PRIMATOLOGY
Authors: Cristina Cruz and GEEvH - Grupo de Estudos em Evolução Humana [Group of Studies in Human Evolution], Afilliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
The Human Evolution's topic is complex, interdisciplinary, and fascinate from the
pedagogic point of view, constituting a true challenge that requests permanent updates. All science lives in constant mutation. However, and in what concerns the auxiliary sciences that contributes to the human evolution knowledge, the progresses are extraordinary fast, and sometime the discovery of a small fossil may signify a
refurbishment of all human tree. This flux of data, conjugated with the complexity of
some issues, like those focused by Primatology, justifies the need to develop pedagogic tools, easy to apply, which may constitute a complement to formal education. Thus, in 2005 the Grupo de Estudos em Evolução Humana drew and presented a pedagogical activity entitled “Monkey Business”, in Portuguese schools. In this poster we present the main goals of the project, as well as the issues developed with particular emphasis to primate diversity, chimpanzees technology and habitats preservation. Additionally, it will be discussed the project receptiveness and the major difficulties found during the implementation of this educational activity.


Title: O ABRIGO DO LAGAR VELHO E O PALEOLÍTICO SUPERIOR EM LEIRIA, PORTUGAL: ANÁLISE DOS DADOS ARQUEOLÓGICOS NO ACTUAL CONTEXTO DA EVOLUÇÃO HUMANA
Authors: Vânia Carvalho
Afilliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal; CIAS -
Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
O processo de investigação despoletado em 1998 com a descoberta do esqueleto Lagar
Velho 1 - LV1, no Abrigo do Lagar Velho, Lapedo, Leiria, é encarado como um caso de
estudo, servindo de base para a análise e discussão dos resultados da investigação, nas áreas de arqueologia e paleoantropologia, referente ao Paleolítico Superior em Leiria. Pretende-se fazer um balanço sobre as problemáticas científicas em torno dos principais sítios arqueológicos enquadráveis no Paleolítico Superior e relacionadas com a descoberta e estudo do esqueleto LV1, considerando a relevância e o significado actual que o enterramento do Lagar Velho (LV1) tem no domínio da investigação em Evolução Humana.


Title: HOLOCENE LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE CAPITAL ZONE OF EGYPT: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES
Authors: Pedro Gonçalves
Afilliation: Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, U.K.; IMAR-CMA,
Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
The recognition of the complex relations in the “Earth System” demands the need to
develop new interdisciplinary methods, notably when dealing with cultural evolution
and in anthropogenic environments. This research intend to reconstruct the movements
of the Nile River and to reveal the landscape and environmental evolution in the Nile
Valley during the last 6000 years, with a special focus on the period of ancient Egyptian civilization (3150 to 30 BC) at the area known as the Capital Zone of Egypt (southern part of Lower Egypt). The course of the Nile has changed continuously over the Holocene, mostly due to climatic oscillations. Archaeological research has shown the continuous expansion of settlements and complexes during the Dynastic Period, driven essentially by changes in the position of the Nile. Nevertheless, those sites are usually presented as embedded in stable geomorphologic environments, leading to possible mistaken archaeological interpretations. In river valleys, e.g. the Nile, geological techniques can be applied to extend our knowledge of both past landscapes and past environments, namely the analysis of geomorphologic features and depositional sequences of sediments. Thus, the research extends beyond the usual boundaries of both Archaeology and Earth Sciences. GIS databases can be a powerful tool for this purpose, as they can relate diversified sorts of data to spatial analyse. Understanding the nature and patterns of both landscape and environment changes can help to reveal evolutionary processes in the past but also to predict future threats to human cultures and settlements.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de Sandra Assis


Title: DARWIN, HUMAN EVOLUTION AND THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE:A CASE STUDY FROM PORTUGAL
Author: Sandra Assis
Afilliation: CIAS – Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
During centuries, the origin of humanity was attributed to the driving force of elements or to supernatural entities. Only in the 19th century, with the raise of evolutionism after the publication of the book On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection by Charles Darwin, in 1859, these standards were put forward. According with this new model, life is not perceived as immutable thought time, but the result of a long evolutionary process. In the case of our species, a process that probably started almost 8 millions years ago. The concept of evolution is fundamental in the teaching of science in a way that goes beyond the scientific explanation. Although the unquestionable paper of evolution, frequently it seems neglected and/or forgotten in the classrooms and by our students. Many of these difficulties are present in the Portuguese educational system, especially the issue of human evolution. To overlap this difficulty, a pilot project entitled “Playing with the big three of Human Evolution [Brincar com a grande árvore da Evolução Humana] was developed by Grupo de Estudos em Evolução Humana in Portuguese schools. Thus, the aims of this presentation are twofold: firstly, to describe the impact of the evolutionary theories in Portugal, from the 19th century to the present and secondly,
to explore the results of five years of implementation of this pilot project.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de Vanessa Campanacho


Title: A NEW POSSIBLE HOMO DEFINITION? INCLUSION OF BOTH CHIMPANZEES SPECIES IN GENUS HOMO
Author: Vanessa Campanacho
Affiliation: CIAS – Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde, Universidade de
Coimbra, PortugaL; GEEvH

Abstract
The chimpanzee and the bonobo taxonomic classifications have changed over time.
Currently both belong to the family Hominidae and to the genus Pan, however, some researchers advocate the inclusion of these two species in the genus Homo. Such novel
classification would imply to accept a morphological restructuring of the genus Homo. This paper will discuss the arguments for the inclusion of the two chimpanzee species in the genus Homo and describe the main characteristics of this genus (e.g. the cranial capacity, language, thumb opposability, use and making of tools, locomotion mode)with the inclusion of these two apes. Conflicting opinions on this subject depend on arguments being based on more genetic or more morphological data. Genetic studies suggest that Pan has a greater proximity to humans (Homo sapiens) than to gorillas(Gorilla sp.), countering the morphological argument. The present study focuses especially on the genetic data supporting the inclusion of the common chimpanzee and the bonobo in the genus Homo. Reaching a consensus on the definition of the genus Homo is far from achieved. More empirical data and more discussion involving new findings in extant chimpanzees, in fossil hominins and in modern humans are needed to better understand these species and therefore its taxonomic place.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de Susana Carvalho


Title: PRIMATE ARCHAEOLOGY: SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING OLD,SOMETHING BORROWED AND LOTS TO DO?
Author: Susana Carvalho
Affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, UK; CIAS-Centre of Research in Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Portugal; GEEvH- Group of Studies in Human Evolution, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
Current research examines chimpanzee stone tool-use to understand the development of
primate technology, and to refine models of early human evolution. Only West African
chimpanzees engage in nut-cracking in nature. Since 1976, systematic research in
Bossou, Guinea has focused on this elementary technology, both under natural conditions and in a field experimental setting (a so-called “outdoor laboratory”). In
2006, research begun, at Bossou, combining archaeological methods with direct and
indirect observations of individuals and their stone tools. These studies aimed to
elucidate, for the first time, the natural behavioral patterns and contexts that generate the artifacts. In scruinizing the variables that may have influenced the first emergence of technology, it remains unclear when, by whom and how the use and production of stone tools emerged. Archaeological data play a key role in this process to detect and to define the first technological transitions (and diagnostic features) regarding the: 1) use of stone tools (e.g. natural stones with sharp edges); 2) use of stone tools produced unintentionally via other percussive techniques (e.g. use of flakes produced accidentally during nut-cracking; reuse of a fractured anvil as a hammer); 3) intentional making and use of stone tools via non-knapping techniques (e.g. bash, pound); and 4) making of stone tools through goal-oriented knapping. Answers to these questions still are lacking and need to be sought. This paper will review results of the primate archaeological research initiated during the last decade, and will discuss why this new field is crucial to
start providing an evolutionary context for human technology.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de Nicole D. S. Grunstra


Title: CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS OF UPPER PALAEOLITHIC HUMANS IN EUROPE – A THERMAL MODEL
Author: Nicole D.S. Grunstra
Affiliation: Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, UK.

Abstract
The date of the origin of clothing remains inconclusive. Early, organic clothing does not preserve in the archaeological record, and evidence from tools and art is scarce and indirect at best. Interestingly, genetic studies on the divergence time between human head and body lice indicate that the first use of clothing occurred 170-83 ka, but render the issue unresolved because this spans a time span of 87,000 years. A different, more empirical approach is to model thermal conditions throughout time. The model presented here employs palaeoclimate data to present the thermal conditions in which anatomically modern humans (AMH) had to survive in Upper Palaeolithic Europe, and compares it with human minimum sustainable temperatures at nudity and three levels of fitted clothing, as measured by ‘clo’ levels. Compared against AMH sites, the model predicts the necessary minimum level of clothing as required in the reconstructed thermal conditions. ‘Clothing boundaries’ indicate the possible habitat range for each level of clothing. Results indicate that single-layered fitted clothing existed in Europe by 35 ka, and multi-layered clothing by at least 30 ka. These findings coincide with the date of the oldest needle recovered in eastern Europe. Though the results postdate the time span indicated by human lice data, suggesting that the first use of clothing may have come about at an earlier time in Africa, the thermal model offers an empirical method to test such hypotheses. An additional finding of interest was the apparent superior cold
adaptation of the Gravettian culture over the Aurignacians.

Sessão from primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de Bruno Magalhães e Ângela Araújo


Title: FROM THE FIRST TOOLS TO THE OLDOWAN: TECHNOLOGICAL LEAP OR GRADUAL PROCESS?
Authors: Bruno Magalhães, Ângela Araújo
Affiliation: Life sciences Department, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University
of Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract
The oldest direct evidence of the manufacture of lithic tools by our ancestors currently yields approximately 2.6/2.5 million years (m.y.) in the region of Gona (Ethiopia), with other records up to about 1.7 m.y. at Hadar (Ethiopia), Lokalalei, Kanjera South and Koobi Fora (Kenya), Ain Boucherit (Algeria) or Sterkfontein (South Africa). But are these really the records of the first effective uses of the instruments? Did the Oldowan industry (which already involves very complex cognitive processes associated with manufacture of lithic tools) mean a technological leap in human evolution or, on the other hand, was the result of a gradual evolutionary process that took place along several million years? Primate Archaeology has allowed an important approach to this issue. The study of some current nonhuman primates such as chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans(Pongo sp.) or the Thai long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) allow us to understand the use of very broad toolkits. Also, captive bonobos (Pan paniscus) appear to have cognitive abilities among the non-human primates that allow them to manufacture lithic tools. In the future, we foresee that the archaeological study of nonlithic tools currently used by non-human primates may provide a deeper understanding of the use and manufacture of perishable/organic tools, which rarely persists in the earliest archaeological records.

Sessão From primate archaeology to human evolution: apresentação de David Gonçalves


Title: BURNED BONES: AN UNIVARIATE APPROACH TO SEX
DETERMINATION
Authors: David Gonçalves
Afilliation: Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of
Coimbra, Portugal; Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arqueológico
(IGESPAR), Lisboa, Portugal.

Abstract
The reliability of osteometric sex determination of unknown individuals from burned
skeletal remains has been seldom investigated. Bones submitted to extremely high
temperatures are affected by differential shrinkage thus leading to the notion that this methodology is not suitable for reliable sex classification. However, we still know too little about the influence of heat-induced shrinkage over the sexual dimorphism of the human skeleton to make such an assumption. A sample of 305 contemporary individuals cremated right after death was examined in order to investigate this issue. This was done by assessing the sexual dimorphism of standard measurements from several bones burned until complete calcination. Results demonstrate that sexual dimorphism is still present in calcined bones despite
differential shrinkage. New sex discriminating cut-off points specific to calcined bones were calculated thus allowing for better sex classification accuracies. As a result, this univariate approach enhances the chances of achieving sex determination from burned skeletal remains because it does not require the multivariate approach conventionally adopted for the scoring of morphognostic traits. Although the osteometric references here presented have been developed from contemporary populations, the validation of this methodology still brings new prospects for the biological profiling of archaeological populations.

Sessões no JIA 2011


Entre os dias 11 e 12 ocorreram as sessões "The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology" e " From primates arqueology to human evolution" coodenardas por sócios do Grupo de Estudos em Evolução Humana.

The methodologies applied in bioarchaeology
Vanessa Campanacho e Luís Miguel Marado

Bioarchaeology intends, with its analysis, to extract information from osteological remains and contribute to the reconstruction of individuals’ and communities’ past lives. The human skeleton holds a great deal of information pertaining to the interaction between biology and behaviour. This scientific discipline acts on two instances: directly on the archaeological site and on the laboratory. The appropriate methods are employed on both these locations, so as to establish the degree of osseous preservation, how the osseous tissue will be maintained, the individuals’ biological profile, funerary rites, pathological condition, ritual and occupational behaviours, issues of biological relatedness and paleodemography. The achieved results much contribute to the characterization of adaptive change, biological impact originating on the movement of populations (invasions, colonization, etc.), social status, conflicts and resource limitations. As time goes by, new methodologies have emerged: 1) showing modification to existing methods, as happened with the changes to Todd’s (1920) age-at-death estimate pertaining to the osseous degeneration of the pubic symphysis; 2) using state-of-the-art technology, like new methods that apply three-dimensional scanning; 3) as well as methodological approaches that lack divulging, and so are scarcely applied today. In this session it’s intended that new methodologies are exposed and existing ones are tested, further discussing their relevance, reliability, limitations, advantages and disadvantages when applied to the evaluation of skeletal remains from archaeological context. The search for the past of human populations must have diversified and objective sources, guaranteeing the broadest and most accurate interpretation of material (as well as written) documentation as possible.


FROM PRIMATE ARCHAEOLOGY TO HUMAN EVOLUTION

Susana Carvalho (na fotografia)

The history of human origins and evolution can be portrayed as a shifting puzzle, remarkably fascinating, however far from being complete. In the challenging goal of reconstruct our evolutionary past, the recent fossil discoveries, as well as, the introduction of new tools of research have played a major role. In the last decade, an increasing development of interdisciplinary studies lead by Portuguese researchers has occurred. The search for answers about some of the most complex questions concerning our evolution and material culture has been the main focus. Thus, Paleoanthropology, Genetics, Primatology, Archaeology, are all linked and under current exploration by young researchers, with new innovative approaches. This session aims to promote the need of bridging different disciplines to further understand Human Evolution, with a particular focus on the recent “Primate Archaeology” manifesto. Studies focusing the material culture on non-human primates will serve as a basis to discuss the implications of using non-human primates as models to understand the earliest technologies in Africa.

inauguração do Núcleo interpretativo "Casa de Mértola"

Temas actuais de investigação

terça-feira, maio 17, 2011

Terra Firme: Introdução à Antropologia Biológica





Uma acção de formação na área da Antropologia Biológica vai ter lugar no Museu de Conímbriga nos dias 28 e 29 de Maio. A sua organização está a cargo da Terra Firme e as inscrições podem ser feitas no site.

Esta formação está aberta a qualquer pessoa que tenha interesse e curiosidade por esta disciplina científica.

recriação histórica com o "Clã de Carenque"



Programa da Recriação Histórica

14h00 – Abertura ao público da Necrópole de Carenque.
Visita à exposição interpretativa deste Monumento Nacional.

14h15 – Apresentação dos membros do Clã de Carenque e do seu contexto histórico.
Visita à Necrópole.

14h45 – Ateliês de cerâmica, caça e agricultura.

15h15 – Demonstrações de tecelagem e talhe de materiais líticos.
Apresentação de diversos tipos de rocha utilizados na época.

15h45 – Ateliê de elaboração de adereços funerários (colares e placas
de xisto) e de pintura.

16h15 – Recriação de ritual funerário numa das três Grutas Artificiais
da Necrópole.

17h00 – Fim da Recriação Histórica

domingo, maio 15, 2011

Notícias de 9 a 15 de Maio de 2011

Encontrados en el Monasterio de Fitero los restos medievales de una mujer fallecida durante el parto
http://networkedblogs.com/hPl6r

Multidisciplinary medical identification of a French king’s head (Henri IV)
http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c6805.full

Close Encounters of the Prehistoric Kind
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/328/5979/680.summary

Artificial Grammar Reveals Inborn Language Sense, Study Shows

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513112256.htm

On Prehistoric Supercontinent of Pangaea, Latitude and Rain Dictated Where Species Lived
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512150823.htm

Last Neanderthals Near the Arctic Circle?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110513112527.htm

Conferências

segunda-feira, maio 09, 2011

Notícias de 2 de Maio a 8 de Maio 2011

Brain surgery during ancient times

http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110422-275074.html

Who killed the hill fort nine? Mystery find shakes our iron age assumptions


http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/apr/18/iron-age-hill-fort-graves-peak-district

Neanderthals Were Overwhelmingly Right-Handed

http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/neanderthals-were-overwhelmingly-right-handed-110421.html

Estudo indica que memória dos macacos é mais semelhante à humana do que se pensava

http://www.cienciahoje.pt/index.php?oid=48779&op=all

The Significance of Social Gestures and Technologies of Embellishment in Paleolithic Portable Art

http://www.springerlink.com/content/7v57113704247332/

No nuts for 'Nutcracker Man': Early human relative apparently chewed grass instead


http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-nuts-nutcracker-early-human-relative.html

25,000-year-old cave paintings discovered in Spain


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/04/us-spain-caves-idUSTRE7436P520110504

Chimpanzees' 66 gestures revealed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9475000/9475408.stm

Video: The Rock Art of Arnhem Land: Part I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyiE7hb3KQA&feature=youtu.be

domingo, maio 01, 2011