Sapiens

DECEMBER 3, 2024

A team of archaeologists working in Southeast Asia is pushing toward a deeper understanding of history that amplifies Indigenous and local perspectives to challenge traditional archaeological timelines. Humans huddled in caves. When you think of “prehistory,” what images come to mind? Dinosaurs roaming ancient landscapes?

History 137

History Archaeology Heritage Oral History 137

Anthropology.net

AUGUST 19, 2024

Cooking is often viewed as a significant turning point in human evolution. It not only provided the extra calories needed to support larger brains 1 but also transformed the way early humans interacted with their environment. Unlike other species, humans are biologically adapted to consume cooked food.

Humanities 105

Humanities Archaeology History K-12 105

Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 30, 2024

Discovery of a Potential New Human Species A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications 1 has proposed the existence of a new human species, Homo juluensis. This ancient hominin, believed to have lived in eastern Asia between 300,000 and 50,000 years ago, is a significant addition to our understanding of human evolution.

Humanities 98

Humanities Ancestry Anthropology Archaeology 98

Teaching Anthropology

MAY 8, 2023

I first trialed active learning strategies while teaching at the University of Oxford, where one of the challenges of teaching anthropology is the diverse background of the students (Bastide, 2012). Anthropology modules appear in programs in three programs I have taught: Archaeology and Anthropology, Human Sciences, and Music.

Anthropology 130

Anthropology Sociology Archaeology Museum 130

Anthropology News

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

I call this a “confession” because “ (bio)archaeologists ” like me—scholars who identify with archaeology, biological anthropology, or both—are not necessarily known for centering social theories like Intersectionality in our subdisciplines. Bio)archaeology is no stranger to its colonial baggage. Intersectional Anthropology.

Anthropology 98

Anthropology Pedagogy Archaeology Social Justice 98

Anthropology.net

JUNE 23, 2024

In 2012 2 , Carl Lipo of Binghamton University and Terry Hunt of the University of Arizona demonstrated that a team of just 18 people using three strong ropes could move a 10-foot, 5-ton moai a few hundred yards with a rocking motion. This pre-European collapse narrative simply has no basis in the archaeological record.”

Archaeology 52

Archaeology Tradition Humanities Cultures 52

Life and Landscapes

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

And some of these celestial movements seem to mysteriously track human reproduction. The female cycle of menstruation and the duration of human gestation seemed to take on an added, special significance, when our distant ancestors looked up to the heavens and noted their similar movements. Freaky bright. And here we go again!

Humanities 52

Humanities Archaeology History Tradition 52