Want to advance use-wear analysis methodology?

OPEN CALL! WE'RE HIRING: POST-DOC POSITION IN TRACEOLAB

Topic: optical profilometry of use-wear traces on prehistoric stone tools, methodological development and archaeological application, integration with other methods used in TraceoLab

Today I have the real pleasure of proof-reading a colleague's paper on some thorough, patient work on a well-known but poorly understood site. Archives, old lithic collections, etc. It's not often glamorous but it's so important.

congrats!! 🤩

"To date, none of these signals of admixture with other eastern European sources has been identified in South or Western Europe before the LGM" - I think that's the state of affairs they're referring to.

Early Gravettian lithics do look wildly similar the whole way across Europe. It's from about 30 cal kya that an obvious east-west difference appears. I'm not sure about Isturitz being a major crossroads for people though, so I wonder if their alternative explanation will win out in the end...

We are thrilled to announce our timetable of seminars for the upcoming semester!

As always, all of our talks will be on Zoom and open to everyone. Our first talk will take place on the 2nd October at 13:00-14:00 BST. The Zoom link will be available closer to the time.

We hope to see you there! 🥳

Just want to say - Tom was one of my PhD supervisors and he was always extremely supportive during and since. I learned a huge amount working with him and so many interesting opportunities came my way thanks to him. This is a great position for the right person (and you get to be based in Vienna 😍)

Really enjoyed immersing myself in the Mesolithic this week thanks to #MESO2025 online - so many great presentations. Loved all the unexpected details... cutmarked human remains, hunting blinds, eating turtles and cetaceans and pika, extremely mysterious series of pits... Just fab.

Aaand if there are two extremely interesting presentations on at the same time you can try to watch both of them simultaneously... not sure if this is good or bad, my poor brain 🙃

Of course the best thing about online conferences is that if someone is giving an extremely boring presentation you can just... leave and go next door!

You've heard of the human "cognitive revolution" around 40 kya—a moment when our species suddenly became "behaviorally modern." Have you also heard that this story is wrong?

From the archive, our episode w/ @elliescerri.bsky.social & @manuelwill.bsky.social!

Listen: disi.org/revisiting-t...

This week I'll be watching the #MESO2025 conference in Italy from my home in France. I'm forever grateful for things being online these days - thanks to the organisers and technicians for making this happen.

I am looking for a multispecies archaeologist with a strong theoretical and interpretive profile to join my group (100%, 3 years): uni.koeln/2E7CR

Deadline: 30.09.2025.
Apply here: uni.koeln/ZQMKA ("Wiss2508-21")

@nakedprimate.bsky.social @mesh-research-hub.bsky.social @unicologne.bsky.social

Amused to see that the British Library catalogue now describes items as "Should be available" rather than "Available". I hope this catches on everywhere.