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Pyrotechnologies of Middle and Later Stone Age foragers in central Africa: a micro-contextual approach

Project description

A closer look at humanity’s first use of fires

Humans leapfrogged the technological evolution process when they learned how to produce and control fire. However, relatively little is known about the rise of early pyrotechnology. The EU-funded MicroAsh project will reconstruct Middle and Later Stone Age pyrotechnology variability focusing on three closed-space rockshelters in the Kasitu Valley in Malawi and characterise ashes, the main sedimentary components at these sites. The project will apply geoarchaeological techniques to study site formation processes, fire use and paleoenvironment relationship, variability in fire use for ritual and subsistence purposes through time, and site-use intensity. MicroAsh will also create open experimental datasets on characterised ashes.

Objective

The ability to produce and control fire is a momentous technological development and one that is unique to humans. The ways in which early pyrotechnology evolved and varied amongst prehistoric foragers is, however, poorly resolved. The main objective of the MicroAsh project is to reconstruct Middle and Later Stone Age (MSA and LSA) pyrotechnology variability by focusing on three closed-space rockshelters located in the Kasitu Valley (Malawi), which show exceptional preservation of organic materials. My pilot studies have shown that ashes constitute the main sedimentary components at the selected sites, though individual combustion features are invisible based solely on field observations. Human remains have been retrieved from all three sites, with the apparent use of fire for ritual interment practices during the LSA. MicroAsh will apply high-resolution geoarchaeological techniques (micromorphology, µFTIR, GIS), to study (1) site formation processes, (2) the relationship between fire use and paleoenvironment, (3) variability in the use of fire for ritual and subsistence through time, and (4) site-use intensity. The project will create, and make openly available, experimental datasets on characterization of ashes from varied local botanical resources that are of use to research in similar archaeological contexts in Africa. The largely unexplored potential of using human-made residues will contribute to our understanding of the transition from MSA to LSA foraging strategies. My experience in geoarchaeological studies in Malawi will directly assist me on achieving the goals of this ambitious project. The array of technical and transferable skills I will gather through the completion of MicroAsh and the widening of my collaboration network will be key in achieving my future career goals of becoming a team leader and starting my own research group.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

UNIVERSIDADE DO ALGARVE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 147 815,04
Address
CAMPUS DE PENHA
8005 139 Faro
Portugal

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Region
Continente Algarve Algarve
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 147 815,04
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