Project description DEENESFRITPL The first settlers on the Canary Islands Farmers from North Africa were the first settlers on the Canary Islands some 2 000 years ago. They remained isolated until the colonisation of the first Europeans in the 15th Century. The EU-funded IsoCAN project will review the colonisation of the Canary Islands. It will establish a chronology and define the process of adaptation and resilience of the first settlers. Interestingly enough, the project will also determine how the landscape and natural resources were impacted. Overall, the findings will further our understanding about how humans colonise new territories, and what are the cultural and biological adaptations. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The Canary Islands were settled 2,000 years ago by farming populations from North Africa representing the westernmost limits of Eurasian human colonisation until European contact with the Americas. This is a superlative example of colonisation because the first colonists remained isolated until the arrival and colonization of Europeans in the 15th century AD. When Europeans arrived, Canarian populations spoke distinct dialects and did not have the seafaring skills needed to navigate between islands. The colonisation of the Canary Islands is an example of adaptation and sustainability because people were able to create anthropogenic landscapes capable of supporting increasing human populations on diverse and isolated island ecologies with a low density of food resources. Nevertheless, how first colonisers transformed pristine islands into domestic landscapes to make islands more habitable for humans remains unresolved. IsoCAN project will explore the first colonisation of the Canary Islands from the beginning of the Common Era to the 15th century AD, which represent the last expansion of the Mediterranean farming package, This project will (1) establish the chronology of the initial colonisation of the Canary Islands; (2) determine the geographic origins and the genetic variability of the human population, domesticates (animals and plants) and parasitic species (insects); (3) define the process of adaptation and resilience of the first settlers; and (4) investigate human impact on landscape and the management of natural resources.This set of evidence will enable us to investigate two transcendental questions: how do humans colonise new territories, and what are the cultural and biological adaptations? This ambitious project will provide insights about the adaptive mechanisms through which isolated and fragile insular ecosystems were successfully colonised by human societies, focusing on social complexity, subsistence practices and landscape transformation. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2019-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2019-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Coordinator UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA Net EU contribution € 1 095 372,25 Address C/ juan de quesada 30 35001 Las palmas de gran canaria Spain See on map Region Canarias Canarias Gran Canaria Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA Spain Net EU contribution € 1 095 372,25 Address C/ juan de quesada 30 35001 Las palmas de gran canaria See on map Region Canarias Canarias Gran Canaria Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSIDAD DE LA LAGUNA Spain Net EU contribution € 266 022,50 Address Padre herrera s/n 38200 San cristobal de la laguna See on map Region Canarias Canarias Tenerife Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITET Sweden Net EU contribution € 53 101,25 Address Campus valla 581 83 Linkoping See on map Region Östra Sverige Östra Mellansverige Östergötlands län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
