Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Origin and Evolution of Modern Human Behavior

This doctoral dissertation project investigates the interactions between Homo sapiens and their nearest relatives. It fills an important gap in understanding the emergence of the lifeways of early modern humans. Research demonstrates that Homo sapiens became the first human species to populate the entire globe. This is a popular story because it shows the ingenuity and adaptability of the human species. However, the story has primarily been told through a narrative of conquest and replacement. In contrast, a more complicated picture is emerging that emphasizes interaction and coexistence two different species types of local populations. Along with the training of a doctoral student, this research furthers an ongoing collaboration between multiple universities. The project focuses on an archaeological site to examine interactions between Neanderthals and modern humans. It asks how technological strategies changed over time and what these differences can reveal about cultural transmission. The researchers analyze thousands of stone tools to understand how technologies changed, where these technologies may have originated, and what these similarities and differences can reveal about what happened when Neanderthals and modern humans met. Stone tools also serve as proxies for hunter-gatherer land use, resource use, and mobility strategies, allowing researchers to better understand differences between species lifeways. By combining the stone tool data generated by this project with genetic, geoarchaeological, and paleoclimate data, this project will greatly improve understanding of this important period in human evolution. Finally, the researchers compare these results with neighboring regions to better understand how the behaviors documented in this region compare to other areas. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.