The project focused on the techno-cultural patterning and sequence of West African Middle Stone Age during the final Pleistocene. Dr. Niang relied on lithic attribute analysis, complemented by exploratory multivariate analysis, and model simulation. Through this work, she reinforced her skills in statistical analysis and acquired new competencies in programming languages (R, Python), machine learning, and geospatial analysis. Additionally, she gained expertise in simulation through supervised training, online courses, and seminars at the Max Planck Institute (Geoanthropology)
The study utilized data collected from literature and previous research, along with new data gathered during visits to Cheikh Anta University. This effort resulted in the creation of a comprehensive database, including five new Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites from coastal West Africa. Over 35000 measurements were recorded for the technological description of these lithic collections. Furthermore, a West African database encompassing 64 sites/archaeological layers. For each site, the presence or absence of stone tools, chronometric data, and geographical coordinates were recorded.
The main results of this project 1) pushed the West African MSA origins to 150ka 2) reinforced the model of long-lasting stability of this cultural stage in the region 3) and demonstrated it’s thigh correlation with climate stability including estuarine refugia. This finding significantly supports the argument that the MSA, and by extension, human presence, has deep roots in West Africa. Additionally, it demonstrates the 4) early exploitation of mangroves by humans, highlighting the versatility of early human societies in this region. The results of this project also demonstrate the importance of 5) Integrating techno-cultural research with insights from related fields such as paleoecology and computational models to address crucial questions about Homo sapiens dispersal across Africa and their cultural diversity.
The results are documented in peer-reviewed journals, with one article published and two currently underway. Additionally, two other papers are in preparation. Also, an encyclopedia entry about the Middle Stone Age in tropical Africa, and role of women in west African archaeology were produced. Findings of the project have been presented at six international conferences and workshops, with 1 abstract included in the conference proceedings. Furthermore, the results were shared with the wider public through a press release that was published on four websites. Furthermore, two presentations were delivered at public schools, where archaeology was explained, fieldwork activities recorded by the researcher were showcased, and the project results were presented.
