Objective We aim to understand the relationship between dynamic changes in physical landscapes and patterns of human dispersal and development in prehistory, paying particular attention to the impact of active tectonics and sea-level change. We will:• Introduce and develop concepts and techniques of tectonic geomorphology and mapping to analyse the relationship between geological instability, complex topographies, and archaeological remains at a variety of geographical scales• Focus on the western Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea coast, a key, but little known, intermediary region between Africa and Eurasia, and draw on a wider comparative sample of key site-regions throughout the main axes of early dispersal in Africa, SW Asia and S Europe.• Develop strategies to explore the submerged landscapes and archaeology of the continental shelf, now recognised as a major gap in our understanding of the human story• Analyse the shell mounds of recent millennia to develop a detailed benchmark for what constitutes the archaeological signature of a coastal economy, and a guide to the interpretation of more vestigial data from earlier periods and the search for material on submerged coastlines when sea levels were lower• Synthesise the results with existing palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental data• Tackle the fundamental but hitherto unresolved technical challenge of how to distinguish in distributions of archaeological sites between genuine patterns of human habitat preference and geological effects of differential visibility• Produce a case study that demonstrates how long-term human engagement with the material world of a changing physical landscape and the cumulative palimpsests of archaeological deposits can give rise to new adaptations and new strategies of social action Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryprehistorynatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetary geologyhumanitieshistory and archaeologyarchaeologyethnoarchaeologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologygeomorphology Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-AG-SH6 - ERC Advanced Grant - The study of the human past Call for proposal ERC-2010-AdG_20100407 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF YORK Address Heslington YO10 5DD York north yorkshire United Kingdom See on map Region Yorkshire and the Humber North Yorkshire York Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Geoffrey Nigel Bailey (Prof.) Administrative Contact Belen Rebollo-Garcia (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF YORK United Kingdom EU contribution € 2 208 934,00 Address Heslington YO10 5DD York north yorkshire See on map Region Yorkshire and the Humber North Yorkshire York Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Geoffrey Nigel Bailey (Prof.) Administrative Contact Belen Rebollo-Garcia (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data INSTITUT DE PHYSIQUE DU GLOBE DE PARIS France EU contribution € 341 066,00 Address Rue jussieu 1 75238 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Rosa Bernal-Carrera (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data
