Colin D. Wren
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cdwren.bsky.social
Colin D. Wren
@cdwren.bsky.social
Assoc. Prof. of Archaeology at UCCS in Colorado, mind usually other places. Agent-based models and quantitative methods usually for the Palaeolithic.
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Did Neandertals choose their prey when practicing cannibalism?🍖

Check out our new study, just published in Scientific Reports - @natureportfolio.nature.com!

We provide the strongest evidence to date for a highly selective cannibalism at the end of Neandertal lineage, 41-45.000 years ago.

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Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey
doi.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
It's that special time of year we've all been waiting for, happy #GISDay everyone! 🗺️

Here's a mini #AntiquityThread on some of the fantastic #archaeology research published in Antiquity this year that applied this now-indispensable tool 1/6 🧵

🏺
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Were Neanderthals Artists? Ochre Fragments Reveal Signs of Creative Expression. A new study suggests Neanderthals may have used crayon-like tools in symbolic mark-making.
news.artnet.com/art-world/ne...
🏺
Were Neanderthals Artists? Ochre Fragments Reveal Signs of Creative Expression
Researchers found crayon-like objects in Crimea and Ukraine that suggest Neanderthals may have engaged in symbolic expression.
news.artnet.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Essaouira’s Bizmoune Cave Yields New Clues to Early Humans. Moroccan archaeologists have opened a new research season at Bizmoune Cave near Essaouira. Fresh finds illuminate Stone Age life and deepen the site’s global importance.
www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/11/2677...
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Essaouira’s Bizmoune Cave Yields New Clues to Early Humans
Morocco’s National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage has launched a month-long field season at Bizmoune Cave to refine the story of early humans in North Africa.
www.moroccoworldnews.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Despite their potential to teach us about precontact societies, the study of underwater prehistoric landscapes is still in its infancy in the Americas. Check out our review of 'Submerged prehistory in the Americas' in the latest #NewBookChronicle 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
November 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
The American sweet potato was introduced to Polynesia from South America, likely by seafarers crossing the Pacific. It can withstand harsher conditions than taro or uwhi (yam), so its introduction helped early migrants settle cooler southern Polynesia.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
November 17, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Yup... here it is, as found, in the PAS database - it's been straightened out for sale (something archaeological conservators wouldn't do - it was likely intentionally crushed in antiquity. Also, are we 100% sure this is right shape??)

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#Archaeology #Detecting 🏺

finds.org.uk/database/art...
November 17, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Interested studying human evolution at @ucl.ac.uk with a dedicated MSc in palaeolithic archaeology, palaeoanthropology, Ice Age fauna, isotopes, aDNA, ancient environments & more?
Get in touch for a chat or even a tour of the department with me.
@uclarchaeology.bsky.social #PaPa
🏺🦣🧪
November 17, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Woodhenge was discovered in Dec 1925. Delighted to see my article about this in @CurrentArchaeo’s December issue - fittingly for the 100th anniversary of this state monument. 🏺https://the-past.com/feature/100-years-of-woodhenge-tracing-an-archaeological-icon-from-discovery-to-new-dating-evidence/
November 17, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
🧪🏺
November 14, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Legit, who wants to work on a women-through-prehistory timeslip computer game with me? I HAVE IDEAS
🏺🎮
November 12, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
I like how the small tools look like Goldfish crackers. 🧪🏺
Ancient DNA reveals mysterious Indigenous lineage that lived in Argentina for nearly 8,500 years — but rarely interacted with others
A previously unknown Indigenous population lived in central Argentina for nearly 8,500 years, a new genetic study finds.
www.livescience.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Latest paper: Boxgrove is a key European site dating to 480,000 years ago. At GTP17, hominins knapped handaxes and then butchered an adult female horse. A fragment of the horse's scapula appeared to have evidence of impact from a wooden spear.....
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Super excited to use this fabulous ‘Behind the Paper’ article by @petravaiglova.bsky.social and @kjkillackey.bsky.social to teach my undergrad theory students about how good visualisations are well-theorised ones. Such a wonderful piece of sci comm! 🏺🧪

communities.springernature.com/posts/making...
Making cutting-edge archaeological science accessible to others
Archaeological scientists are constantly pushing the boundaries with regards to increasing the resolution of analyses and decreasing the masses of what can be analysed. But being cutting-edge is not e...
communities.springernature.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Arrowheads from the 13th-century-BC conflict in the Tollense Valley 🇩🇪
Variation in their forms suggest some of the combatants came from many kilometres away, adding to evidence for a clash between local and incoming groups.

🔗 from 2024 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
November 10, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
This is such a great paper. We make endless small steps ahead in archaeology every week. I remember when I was starting out and the number of colleagues who told
me not to waste my time with satellite imagery analysis. Now, it's used by everyone. Tremendous use case here. 🏺
These are chacus: funnel-shaped hunting traps used in the high altitudes of northern Chile to capture vicuña, a wild relative of the alpaca. Even after herding and agropastoralism was adopted, chacus continued to be used by persevering forager groups.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
November 8, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
As more people in Southwest Asia began living in cities, how did they ensure they had enough food?
#Zooarchaeology shows they were reliant on rural satellite settlements to support increasingly large and diverse urban populations #WorldUrbanismDay

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
November 8, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Deadline approaches for our open professorship here at @au.dk @auarcher.bsky.social. Get in touch if you have q

international.au.dk/about/profil...
Full Professorship(s) in Archaeology - Vacancy at Aarhus University
Vacancy at School of Culture and Society - Department of Heritage Studies, Aarhus University
international.au.dk
November 5, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Heyyyy we desperately need more archaeologists to volunteer to answer questions from students via video chat through @skypeascientist.bsky.social.

We have 80 unmatched teams. We’ve already matched 650 😵‍💫

If you know any archaeologists, please send them here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html
Sign Up
Skype a Scientist gives you the opportunity to connect with students and the public around the world. ​
www.skypeascientist.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Our own Prof Eileen Murphy looking great as well she may!
October 22, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
The mausoleum of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, is best-known for the terracotta warriors, but analysis of charred timbers here sheds light on the sophisticated logistical planning and resource mobilisation of the Qin Dynasty.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
October 16, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
What was everyday life like in ancient West Africa?

Excavation at the c. AD 1456–1661 Yoruba town of Orile-Owu, Nigeria sheds light on diet, food processing, medicinal practices and daily routines during a period of sociopolitical change.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology
October 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Colin D. Wren
Revisiting old Liang Bua documentaries and getting a kick out of this scene. 🏺
October 15, 2025 at 2:18 PM