Paleochar ERC

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Paleochar ERC

Insights into the Neanderthals and their demise from the study of microscopic and molecular charred matter in Middle Palaeolithic sediments

Who were the Neanderthals and what caused their demise? To answer these questions, the classic approach in archaeology relies on the analysis of the Neanderthals' stone-tool assemblages and the mineralized bone remains of their dietary intake. Although this approach has yielded a great deal of important information about the Neanderthals’ fate, it is also limited in the sense that the only evidenc

e that is considered is in-organic in nature. In this ERC Consolidator Grant project we attempt to approach these questions by considering microscopic and molecular evidence that is organic in nature. By studying the organic sedimentary record at such fine scales, we are able to extract information about, for example, the fat contents of the Neanderthal food, the way they made fire, the arrangements of their living spaces, their surrounding vegetation and the climatic conditions where they lived. By combining these different sources of information we aim to provide a more complete picture of the Neanderthal world. Specifically, the PALEOCHAR project examines how Neanderthal diet, fire technology, settlement patterns, and surrounding vegetation at a local scale (individual sites) were affected by changing climatic conditions. To do so, the project will integrate methodologies from micromorphology and organic geochemistry. A key and innovative aspect of the project is the consideration of microscopic and molecular evidence that is both organic and charred in nature. Our recent experimental and geoarchaeological work on Palaeolithic fire has led to the discovery of black layers from archaeological fireplaces as invaluable contexts of preserved organic matter. The black layers typically documented in Middle Palaeolithic hearths represent the charred ground beneath the fire. Therefore, they can be considered as snapshots of living floors, rich in residues from human activity as well as from soils and vegetation of the natural surroundings. Crucially, experimental data has shown that the average temperatures associated with black layers – below 300°C on average - are high enough for the charring of organic compounds and to make them unappealing to biodegrading soil fauna, but not as high as to destroy their biomarker chemical fingerprints. Therefore, once charred, organic compounds may preserve well within sediment for indefinite periods of time as long as the sedimentary environment does not undergo strong diagenesis. The PALEOCHAR project will target this important window of organic matter preservation by exploring the black layers of intact Neanderthal fireplaces.

20/04/2021

Two PhD thesis at AMBI Lab this week: Lucia Leierer and Rory Connolly's! Today and Thursday, at 5 p.m. (Tenerife time). Here's the link if you'd like to join us: meet.google.com/jcf-bama-nve.

25/03/2021

Latest ERC Paleochar paper, work by Rory Connolly to explore the effects of burning on hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) of different anatomical plant parts. Results indicate isotopic variations but only above 350 °C. Good news for sampling black layers of hearths for aleoenvironmental reconstruction!

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/7/1830

21/03/2021

We are really proud of our postdoctoral researcher Natalia Égüez, who was recently awarded a MSCA grant. Learn more about her amazing work and the projects she is developing in this interesting interview: https://www.ull.es/portal/noticias/2021/el-origen-milenario-del-pastoralismo-nomada/ Universidad de La Laguna

19/03/2021

Fascinante viaje a los orígenes de la arqueología profesional y síntesis del proceso de "construcción de la ciencia arqueológica" en la charla impartida por Carolina Mallol en la Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País de Tenerife: 'Fronteras de la arqueología actual: Neandertales, Guanches y otros ejemplos'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ybyaY_l0A Carolina Mallol Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)

CICLO: LAS FRONTERAS DE LA CIENCIA: Fronteras de la arqueología actual: Neandertales, Guanches y otros ejemplosCarolina Mallol DuqueProfesora de Prehistoria-...

25/01/2021

Carolina Mallol intervendrá hoy en el ciclo de conferencias 'Encuentros con el futuro', que se centran en la Ciencia, Investigación en Canarias. A partir de las 18.00 horas a través de este enlace: https://verevento.online/encuentrosconelfuturo/

Ciclo de Conferencias «Encuentros con el futuro» Ciencia e Investigación. La I+D de Canarias Auditorio de TenerifeSala de Cámara25 de enero de 202118:00 horas La segunda sesión de Encuentros con el Futuro organizada por el Consejo Social de la ULL…

22/01/2021

Check out our latests articles! This study shows that it is possible to analyze archaeological lipid residues from intact blocks of sediments without resin interference. In addition, enough residue is obtained to perform isotopic studies of these lipid compounds.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77257-x Caterina Rodríguez Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)

Characterizing organic matter preserved in archaeological sediment is crucial to behavioral and paleoenvironmental investigations. This task becomes particularly challenging when considering microstratigraphic complexity. Most of the current analytical methods rely on loose sediment samples lacking....

09/10/2020

You can't miss the talk that Álvaro Beltrán-Castilla will give next Thursday at the AMBI Lab. Connect at 12.30 through this link: meet.google.com/tim-xxpd-pdg Carolina Mallol Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)

31/05/2020

"La ciencia no tiene límites ni fronteras, te permite conocer todo lo que puedas imaginar y quieras conocer". Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Carolina Mallol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e4eixvu-Bw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0pQ7g4ak1jgGVY0VO4hvjqNbhJEDB1xe6k8Eh2ORowWqlXIVMcGvkpJrM

Serie de divulgación científica Chicas con Cienci@ULL donde se muestra la importancia de la figura de la mujer investigadora, a partir de el PDI de la ULL. E...

26/02/2020

Check out the latest ERC PALEOCHAR article in which the QuECheRS method is applied for the first time to the analysis of lipid biomarkers (alkanes) in sediments. This application allows to reduce the cost, time of analysis, quantity of organic solvents and possible undesired reactions of the methods traditionally used for the same purpose. Furthermore, as it does not require special equipment, it is ideal for application in archaeological laboratories. Carolina Mallol, Antonio Herrera Herrera, Naíma Rodríguez, Bárbara Socas Rodríguez, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)

25/02/2020

So proud of Laura Hernández, who presented the latest results of the research carried out in at scientific conferences 'Circulations during the Holocene around the Maghreb'.
Orgullosos de Laura Hernández Tomé, que presentó los resultados de la investigación realizada en el AMBI Lab en las conferencias científicas 'Circulaciones durante el Holoceno en torno al Magreb', celebradas entre el 17 y 19 de febrero en la Universidad de La Laguna (ULL).

09/12/2019

Next Friday, (University of Connecticut) will give the talk 'Stable Isotopes in Plant Lipids: Synthesis, Deposition and Archaeological Applications'. Don't miss it! Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) UConn Carolina Mallol Antonio Herrera Herrera Caterina Rodríguez Ruaidhrí Ó Conghaile Marga MJ Lucie Lu Natalia Égüez

05/12/2019

Check out our new Paleochar ERC articule, just released in Scientific Reports: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-54305-9 Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Carolina Mallol

There is a relatively low amount of Middle Paleolithic sites in Europe dating to MIS 4. Of the few that exist, several of them lack evidence for anthropogenic fire, raising the question of how this period of global cooling may have affected the Neanderthal population. The Iberian Peninsula is a key....

07/09/2019

Just released in Quaternary Science Reviews the latest ERC Paleochar’s article, focused in the identification of sources of organic compounds and combustion temperatures. https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0277379119301660
Marga MJ Carolina Mallol Caterina Rodríguez Lucie Lu Ruaidhrí Ó Conghaile Antonio Herrera Herrera Natalia Égüez Santiago Sossa Laura Hernández Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Cienciaull Ciencia Canaria

08/08/2019

Las acreditaciones de la ANECA a debate hoy en El País. Carolina Mallol y centran esta nueva entrega de sobre los 'anecados'. El ex rector de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid propone replantear el sistema.
¿Cómo lo ven? ¿Es necesario un cambio? ¿Deberían eliminarse las acreditaciones y que sean las universidades las que decidan a quién contratan? El País, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Materia https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/08/07/ciencia/1565187346_900093.html

Investigadores con ayudas europeas millonarias están siendo desechados por la agencia evaluadora del Ministerio de Ciencia

06/08/2019

Un año más, investigadores de ERC Paleochar dedican su verano al trabajo de campo en los yacimientos arqueológicos de El Salt y Abric del Pastor, como explican en el vídeo sus codirectores, Carolina Mallol y Cristo Hernández. Unas 200 personas conocieron de cerca la labor que desarrollan en su jornada de puertas abiertas. Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
https://www.aramultimedia.com/vora-200-persones-coneixen-els-ultims-avancos-en-les-excavacionsadelasalt

La Jornada de Portes Obertes al Jaciment Paleolític d'El Salt ha tingut èxit de participació. Cristo Hernández i Carolina Mallol, dos dels codirectors de les excavacions del jaciment alcoià, han explicat als interessats els avanços que s'han fet en el darrer any.

11/07/2019

Now available the talks given by and in the seminar 'Current Topics in Archaeological Geochemistry'l. Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Carolina Mallol ULLmedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4vi1aAautI&list=PLAqmRmkVzl19nClqp6nqIzuybtKsEInKX

Jay Quade, University of Arizona “Urinating in the Neolithic: Early Animal Domestication and a New Approach to Estimating Site Use Intensity”

10/07/2019

Today Dr Juan Carlos Loaiza (Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín) will give a talk about 'Soil organic matter from edaphology point of view' in AMBI Lab. Don't miss it! Carolina Mallol Antonio Herrera Herrera Caterina Rodríguez Marga MJ Natalia Égüez Ruaidhrí Ó Conghaile Lucie Lu Đuro Pribilović Santiago Sossa Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sitio Oficial

25/06/2019

Don't miss our exciting seminar with special guest speakers Jay Quade and Gideon Hartman! Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Carolina Mallol Antonio Herrera Herrera Caterina Rodríguez Marga MJ

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Videos

Sampling in Cueva Pintada

This is how our thin section lab manager takes samples / No se pierdan a la responsable del laboratorio de láminas delgadas, Caterina Rodríguez, en acción tomando muestras en el Museo y Parque Arqueológico Cueva Pintada. Cabildo de Gran Canaria #Archaeology Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) #AMBILab Carolina Mallol