Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HUMA (HUMAN ADAPTATION TO DIFFERENT ALTITUDES THROUGH TIME AND CLIMATIC CHANGES)
Reporting period: 2025-04-01 to 2026-03-31
Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project
The evolution of Homo sapiens has always benefited from its ability to adapt to the most diverse environments. The
subject of the adaptation of human groups to the environment has been of interest to scholars, whose attention is often
turned to cases of adaptation to environments with extreme conditions and to the so-called ecological niches. However,
little attention has been given to the choice of human groups to occupy extremely different environments (high mountains,
higher than 2000 meter asl vs lowlands) and how high altitude settlements relate to the lowland sites in the framework
of the land management. This is particularly the case of the Finale Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene period in the Horn of
Africa. HUMA will be the first project to fully explore the contribution of a multidisciplinary and integrated approach
to the understanding of human adaptation to the different environments in the Later Stone Age of the Horn of Africa.
This will be achieved by integrating the most up-to-date approaches in lithic techno-functional analysis with organic
and inorganic residues analysis on lithic artefacts and dental calculus analysis. Focusing on archaeological sites from
Ethiopian highlands (Beefa Cave, a site discovered in 2019) and Somali highlands and plains, Huma will investigate
the role played by the climate played in the development of the cultural traits and how environmental factors may have
fostered specific adaptations to different ecological niches and encouraged seasonal use of them.
Lithic techno-functional analysis, Residues analysis, Archaeobotany, Experimental Archaeology, Dental Calculus
analysis, and aDNA analysis will be applied in order to answer the research questions.
Both the University of Florence and the University of Connecticut are the ideal environments for undertaking the
proposed cross-disciplinary research, as they will contribute with their theoretical, methodological, and professional
resources to reaching the project's goals
subject of the adaptation of human groups to the environment has been of interest to scholars, whose attention is often
turned to cases of adaptation to environments with extreme conditions and to the so-called ecological niches. However,
little attention has been given to the choice of human groups to occupy extremely different environments (high mountains,
higher than 2000 meter asl vs lowlands) and how high altitude settlements relate to the lowland sites in the framework
of the land management. This is particularly the case of the Finale Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene period in the Horn of
Africa. HUMA will be the first project to fully explore the contribution of a multidisciplinary and integrated approach
to the understanding of human adaptation to the different environments in the Later Stone Age of the Horn of Africa.
This will be achieved by integrating the most up-to-date approaches in lithic techno-functional analysis with organic
and inorganic residues analysis on lithic artefacts and dental calculus analysis. Focusing on archaeological sites from
Ethiopian highlands (Beefa Cave, a site discovered in 2019) and Somali highlands and plains, Huma will investigate
the role played by the climate played in the development of the cultural traits and how environmental factors may have
fostered specific adaptations to different ecological niches and encouraged seasonal use of them.
Lithic techno-functional analysis, Residues analysis, Archaeobotany, Experimental Archaeology, Dental Calculus
analysis, and aDNA analysis will be applied in order to answer the research questions.
Both the University of Florence and the University of Connecticut are the ideal environments for undertaking the
proposed cross-disciplinary research, as they will contribute with their theoretical, methodological, and professional
resources to reaching the project's goals
Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far
Scientific Objectives
O.1: Describe the specific subsistence strategies of the LSA groups of the Horn of Africa living at different altitudes through the analysis of the stone tools (lithic) assemblages.
O.1 was fully achieved by analyzing the lithic assemblage from Beefa Cave (Ethiopia) and archival materials from multiple sites stored at the Museo e Istituto Fiorentino di Preistoria, following an integrated approach involving techno-typological analysis and use-wear and residues analysis. Moreover, the objective was pursued by performing an extensive review of the literature on the Later Stone Age of the Horn of Africa and East Africa. A comparative analysis of the macro-tools from the LSA site of Morchena Borago (Ethiopia) was completed.
O.2: Investigate the specific dietary habits and craft activities through the dental calculus analysis of LSA human remains from Somalia.
O.2 has been fully achieved, with a small deviation regarding the human remains from Buur Eibe (Somalia) as described in the Final Technical Report (part B).
O.3: Builds an interpretative scheme to correlate the entire dataset and create a model of the human response at sudden climatic changes.
O.3 has been fully achieved by creating an Excel worksheet that summarizes a series of published data on LSA sites across the Horn of Africa. The researcher has built a scheme for interpreting the LSA adaptation through the late Pleistocene/Mid-Holocene climatic shifts by considering topography, orography, environmental data, faunal remains, archaeobotanical remains, and material culture. The results were presented at the 27th SAFA Meeting in Algarve, Portugal, at the end of July 2025.
Training Objectives
Training objectives included the following intensive formation courses:
Micro FTIR: This training objective was fully achieved.
RAMAN SPECTROGRAPHY: This training objective was fully achieved.
SEM-EDS: This training objective was fully achieved.
GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY: This training objective wasn’t achieved (see deviation).
Ancient DNA: This training objective was fully achieved during the third year of fellowship.
Statistics applied to lithic analysis: This training objective was fully achieved during the third year of fellowship.
Dr.Mutri will provided a detailed report about the acquired skills (M4, D3.1) and published it on ZENODO.
WP1 was fully completed; deliverables and milestones planned for the outgoing phase have been fully achieved.
Data management Plan (D1.1) was completed within the first 6 months of the project, as the Career Development Plan (D1.2). The latter was updated with a few minor changes and signed by the supervisors. Communication, Dissemination and Outreach (D1.3) was fully achieved (with small adjustments) through the following activities:
- Conferences/Meetings
- Education/Outreach;
- Online Activities.
With the acquisition of the management plan to start the project, the researcher has reached the first Milestone (M1).
Podcast activity was substituted with the uploading of PPT presentations on ZENODO. Annual progress reports and proactive contingency arrangements (D1.4 D1.5) were constantly performed.
WP2 was fully achieved.
About the 70% if the lithic assemblage excavated so far from Beefa Cave (Ethiopia) was studied from the techno-typological and functional point of view (D2.1) a more than acceptable amount to be statistically relevant. The ongoing study of the lithic assemblages from the Graziosi’s archive at the Museo and Istituto Fiorentino di Preistoria will determine the completion of Task 2.1. The researcher has created a reference collection of obsidian artefacts through experimental knapping and used to perform several tasks (cutting fibers, butchering, scraping wood, etc). This reference collection is being used to build a detailed repository of residue analysis (D2.2). The environmental data collection (Task 2.2) was obtained through the flotation of the sediment from the site of Beefa Cave (D2.3). Samples obtained were sent for identification to specialists, together with many charred wood and animal (herbivore) teeth samples for isotope analysis. A targeted experimental collection was created (Task 2.3) to identify residue on lithic artefacts and micro-debris in dental calculus, and it was recorded in a database. Experimental data were used to interpret the archaeological data (D2.4). With the achievement of D2.1 to D2.4 the researcher has reached M2.
Results will be integrated into the general framework. The dental calculus sampling and analysis (Task 2.4) was started and is ongoing (D2.5). The acquisition of data on dental calculus will determine the achievement of M3.
WP3 was fully achieved; deliverables and milestones planned for the outgoing phase have been fully achieved.
Micro FTIR: The Researcher was trained by Gideon Hartman in preparing samples, analyzing data, and processing them with an FTIR based at the Stable Isotope Preparation Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut (April to November 2023). Moreover, she was trained by Gilliane Monnier and Bing Luo to use a micro-FTIR at the Materials Science Laboratory, University of Minnesota (December 2023 and November 2024). During the training, the researcher built a reference collection for interpreting archaeological residues and analyzed finds from the project’s case study.
RAMAN Spectrography: At the Materials Science Laboratory of the University of Minnesota, the researcher was also trained in RAMAN SPECTROGRAPHY by Gilliane Monnier and Bing Luo (December 2023).
SEM-EDS: The Researcher was trained at the Advanced Imaging Service for Objects and Spaces (AISOS) with a Hitachi TM4000Plus tabletop scanning electron microscope equipped with an analyzer- EDS -(December 2023).
During the training in FTIR and SEM-EDS, the researcher has analyzed a series of experimental organic and inorganic materials and built a targeted reference collection for residue analysis on experimental artefacts to serve as a comparative tool in identifying residue on archaeological finds from the project’s case study.
GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY: Adjustments were required due to practical issues. (See adjustment in paragraph 5).
Ancient DNA and Statistics applied to lithic analysis were completed during the third year of fellowship and the researcher provided a detailed report (D3.1 M4).
WP4 was fully achieved..
This WP represents the essential step toward the understanding of the Later Stone Age living strategies and settlement choices in the Horn of Africa through the study of material culture, human remains and paleoenvironment.
The analysis of dental calculus and Ancient DNA will be the focus of an integrated paper on the transition from Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene lowland settlement in Somalia (D4.3).
A synthesis paper (D4.5) on High-elevation/Low-elevation settlement in the LSA of the HoA that is in preparation and was presented at the 27th SAFA Meeting in Algarve, Portugal at the end of July within a session co-organized by the researcher with Christyan Tryon (Supervisor during the outgoing phase, University of Connecticut) and Veronica Waweru (Yale University).
O.1: Describe the specific subsistence strategies of the LSA groups of the Horn of Africa living at different altitudes through the analysis of the stone tools (lithic) assemblages.
O.1 was fully achieved by analyzing the lithic assemblage from Beefa Cave (Ethiopia) and archival materials from multiple sites stored at the Museo e Istituto Fiorentino di Preistoria, following an integrated approach involving techno-typological analysis and use-wear and residues analysis. Moreover, the objective was pursued by performing an extensive review of the literature on the Later Stone Age of the Horn of Africa and East Africa. A comparative analysis of the macro-tools from the LSA site of Morchena Borago (Ethiopia) was completed.
O.2: Investigate the specific dietary habits and craft activities through the dental calculus analysis of LSA human remains from Somalia.
O.2 has been fully achieved, with a small deviation regarding the human remains from Buur Eibe (Somalia) as described in the Final Technical Report (part B).
O.3: Builds an interpretative scheme to correlate the entire dataset and create a model of the human response at sudden climatic changes.
O.3 has been fully achieved by creating an Excel worksheet that summarizes a series of published data on LSA sites across the Horn of Africa. The researcher has built a scheme for interpreting the LSA adaptation through the late Pleistocene/Mid-Holocene climatic shifts by considering topography, orography, environmental data, faunal remains, archaeobotanical remains, and material culture. The results were presented at the 27th SAFA Meeting in Algarve, Portugal, at the end of July 2025.
Training Objectives
Training objectives included the following intensive formation courses:
Micro FTIR: This training objective was fully achieved.
RAMAN SPECTROGRAPHY: This training objective was fully achieved.
SEM-EDS: This training objective was fully achieved.
GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY: This training objective wasn’t achieved (see deviation).
Ancient DNA: This training objective was fully achieved during the third year of fellowship.
Statistics applied to lithic analysis: This training objective was fully achieved during the third year of fellowship.
Dr.Mutri will provided a detailed report about the acquired skills (M4, D3.1) and published it on ZENODO.
WP1 was fully completed; deliverables and milestones planned for the outgoing phase have been fully achieved.
Data management Plan (D1.1) was completed within the first 6 months of the project, as the Career Development Plan (D1.2). The latter was updated with a few minor changes and signed by the supervisors. Communication, Dissemination and Outreach (D1.3) was fully achieved (with small adjustments) through the following activities:
- Conferences/Meetings
- Education/Outreach;
- Online Activities.
With the acquisition of the management plan to start the project, the researcher has reached the first Milestone (M1).
Podcast activity was substituted with the uploading of PPT presentations on ZENODO. Annual progress reports and proactive contingency arrangements (D1.4 D1.5) were constantly performed.
WP2 was fully achieved.
About the 70% if the lithic assemblage excavated so far from Beefa Cave (Ethiopia) was studied from the techno-typological and functional point of view (D2.1) a more than acceptable amount to be statistically relevant. The ongoing study of the lithic assemblages from the Graziosi’s archive at the Museo and Istituto Fiorentino di Preistoria will determine the completion of Task 2.1. The researcher has created a reference collection of obsidian artefacts through experimental knapping and used to perform several tasks (cutting fibers, butchering, scraping wood, etc). This reference collection is being used to build a detailed repository of residue analysis (D2.2). The environmental data collection (Task 2.2) was obtained through the flotation of the sediment from the site of Beefa Cave (D2.3). Samples obtained were sent for identification to specialists, together with many charred wood and animal (herbivore) teeth samples for isotope analysis. A targeted experimental collection was created (Task 2.3) to identify residue on lithic artefacts and micro-debris in dental calculus, and it was recorded in a database. Experimental data were used to interpret the archaeological data (D2.4). With the achievement of D2.1 to D2.4 the researcher has reached M2.
Results will be integrated into the general framework. The dental calculus sampling and analysis (Task 2.4) was started and is ongoing (D2.5). The acquisition of data on dental calculus will determine the achievement of M3.
WP3 was fully achieved; deliverables and milestones planned for the outgoing phase have been fully achieved.
Micro FTIR: The Researcher was trained by Gideon Hartman in preparing samples, analyzing data, and processing them with an FTIR based at the Stable Isotope Preparation Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut (April to November 2023). Moreover, she was trained by Gilliane Monnier and Bing Luo to use a micro-FTIR at the Materials Science Laboratory, University of Minnesota (December 2023 and November 2024). During the training, the researcher built a reference collection for interpreting archaeological residues and analyzed finds from the project’s case study.
RAMAN Spectrography: At the Materials Science Laboratory of the University of Minnesota, the researcher was also trained in RAMAN SPECTROGRAPHY by Gilliane Monnier and Bing Luo (December 2023).
SEM-EDS: The Researcher was trained at the Advanced Imaging Service for Objects and Spaces (AISOS) with a Hitachi TM4000Plus tabletop scanning electron microscope equipped with an analyzer- EDS -(December 2023).
During the training in FTIR and SEM-EDS, the researcher has analyzed a series of experimental organic and inorganic materials and built a targeted reference collection for residue analysis on experimental artefacts to serve as a comparative tool in identifying residue on archaeological finds from the project’s case study.
GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY: Adjustments were required due to practical issues. (See adjustment in paragraph 5).
Ancient DNA and Statistics applied to lithic analysis were completed during the third year of fellowship and the researcher provided a detailed report (D3.1 M4).
WP4 was fully achieved..
This WP represents the essential step toward the understanding of the Later Stone Age living strategies and settlement choices in the Horn of Africa through the study of material culture, human remains and paleoenvironment.
The analysis of dental calculus and Ancient DNA will be the focus of an integrated paper on the transition from Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene lowland settlement in Somalia (D4.3).
A synthesis paper (D4.5) on High-elevation/Low-elevation settlement in the LSA of the HoA that is in preparation and was presented at the 27th SAFA Meeting in Algarve, Portugal at the end of July within a session co-organized by the researcher with Christyan Tryon (Supervisor during the outgoing phase, University of Connecticut) and Veronica Waweru (Yale University).
Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)
So far, the main scientific impact of the project has been the results of the data collected from the site of Beefa Cave and Iadadale. Both data from the lithic complex (typology, technology, use-wear and residue) and palaeoenvironmental data (macro-botanical remains, charred woods, charcoals, phytoliths, starch granules, isotope, faunal remains). The information obtained from these findings are essential to shed light on the paleoenvironment of the Horn of Africa from roughly 12000 to 5000 BP.