Objective Over 25 years, knowledge of modern human origins, evolution and diversity has increased dramatically. Genetics has been a major driver, promoting the ‘out of Africa model’, but, except for ancient DNA, it only tells the story of evolutionary survivors. African human population’ distributions mean that the history reconstructed from genetic data is partial and comparatively shallow. Although patchy, archaeological research in South and North Africa reveals the complexity of early human prehistory. Homo sapiens’ fossils in Africa from 200Kyr, (earliest 'modern-looking' remains) to ~10Kyr are known from only 17 sites. This makes it difficult to address questions on the selective and demographic pressures that led to our evolution, rates of population expansion/fragmentation, the scale of differentiation and levels of diversity in Africa through time, and the reasons why an African population was so successful that it eventually dominated the world. This proposal argues that intensive research ‘in Africa’ lies at the heart of the ‘out of Africa’ paradigm, and that the discovery of new fossils and archaeological sites, especially in East Africa, the hinge of the continent, is essential. Our recent field and archival surveys in Kenya (Turkana, Nakuru) have identified extremely rich archaeological and fossiliferous deposits of apparent Upper Pleistocene-Early Holocene age. This project will carry out a major fieldwork programme in W. Turkana, and sampling and dating of sites around Gamble's Caves, Nakuru. The goals are to: 1 Increase significantly the human fossil record of Upper Pleistocene age in East Africa; 2 Record changes in human behaviour in the area leading to the dispersals across and out of Africa; 3 Map the character and timing of the Middle to Later Stone Age transition in the Central Rift Valley; 4 Integrate the prehistoric record with palaeoenvironmental data; 5 Increase public awareness in Kenya of the role of Africa in the evolution of H.sapiens. Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistoryprehistorynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAhumanitieshistory and archaeologyarchaeologyethnoarchaeology 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-2011-ADG_20110406 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Coordinator THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Address Trinity lane the old schools CB2 1TN Cambridge United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Principal investigator Marta Mirazon Lahr (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom EU contribution € 2 499 215,24 Address Trinity lane the old schools CB2 1TN Cambridge See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Renata Schaeffer (Ms.) Principal investigator Marta Mirazon Lahr (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data
