Papers by Alex Bertacchi
Handbook of Pleistocene Archaeology of Africa, 2023
Zooarchaeology is the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. Africa has the longest arc... more Zooarchaeology is the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. Africa has the longest archaeological record in the world, potentially extending into the Pliocene and spanning the entire Pleistocene epoch. However, in comparison to other regions of Eurasia, this extended chronology in Africa has not translated to larger numbers of identified sites, more even distribution of sites, or more abundant faunal data. Here, we describe the methods commonly used by zooarchaeologists to analyze faunal assemblages, followed by a summary of general faunal taxonomic patterns across the continent. We then compile data from all Pleistocene zooarchaeological assemblages in Africa for which there is a published record of the site in a peer-reviewed journal or book as of the end of 2020. This facilitates a region-by-region discussion of trends in readily available zooarchaeological data and evaluation of their potential to inform about past environments and hominin interactions with faunal communities. We note that faunal remains exclusively recovered from surface contexts are not included as it is not possible to ascertain their chronological coherence or certainty of association.The reviewed faunal assemblages (N = 409) display a great deal of variability in composition, size, and distribution patterns, largely driven by a combination of depositional factors (in which fossils are likely to preserve in stable depositional settings) and research emphasis (in which archaeologists have worked most intensively versus those less explored). This variability is also tied to the individual regional histories of archaeological infrastructure development, which support repositories and training centers in the form of museums and universities. Most of the faunal data come from eastern, southern, and northern Africa and the Horn, which have rich assemblages from both open-air and cave/rock shelter sites that span the Pleistocene. In contrast, most archaeofaunas from other regions derive from sheltered sites that emphasize the preservation of the Late Pleistocene part of the record and tend to comprise many more fragments. In spite of significant geographic and chronological bias, research on Pleistocene faunal assemblages from Africa has made substantial contributions to understanding early human–animal interactions, developing zooarchaeological methods, and reconstructing ancient environments. There is significant potential for future research to continue doing so, both by revisiting the existing assemblages with new methods and by excavating new ones.
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by Elizabeth Sawchuk, Kathryn de Luna, John Arthur, Alex Bertacchi, Jessica Inés Cerezo-Román, Potiphar Kaliba, Maggie Katongo, Myra Laird, Jason E Lewis, Audax Mabulla, George Mudenda, Christine Ogola, and Pamela R Willoughby Nature, 2022
Multiple lines of genetic and archaeological evidence suggest that there were major demographic c... more Multiple lines of genetic and archaeological evidence suggest that there were major demographic changes in the terminal Late Pleistocene epoch and early Holocene epoch of sub-Saharan Africa1,2,3,4. Inferences about this period are challenging to make because demographic shifts in the past 5,000 years have obscured the structures of more ancient populations3,5. Here we present genome-wide ancient DNA data for six individuals from eastern and south-central Africa spanning the past approximately 18,000 years (doubling the time depth of sub-Saharan African ancient DNA), increase the data quality for 15 previously published ancient individuals and analyse these alongside data from 13 other published ancient individuals. The ancestry of the individuals in our study area can be modelled as a geographically structured mixture of three highly divergent source populations, probably reflecting Pleistocene interactions around 80–20 thousand years ago, including deeply diverged eastern and southern African lineages, plus a previously unappreciated ubiquitous distribution of ancestry that occurs in highest proportion today in central African rainforest hunter-gatherers. Once established, this structure remained highly stable, with limited long-range gene flow. These results provide a new line of genetic evidence in support of hypotheses that have emerged from archaeological analyses but remain contested, suggesting increasing regionalization at the end of the Pleistocene epoch.
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Ancient DNA and deep population structure in sub-Saharan African foragers, 2022
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Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, 2021
The Swabian Jura of southwestern Germany contains some of the oldest and richest Aurignacian asse... more The Swabian Jura of southwestern Germany contains some of the oldest and richest Aurignacian assemblages in Europe and has been intensively studied for over 160 years. Sirgenstein, excavated in 1906, is one of the iconic caves in the region that in 2017 were awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status and preserves a sequence that spans the Middle and Upper Paleolithic. Here, we present the results of a comprehensive zooarchaeological study of the macro-vertebrates from the site and a new set of 16 radiocarbon dates. The analysis of the fauna shows an increase in the exploitation of birds and hares starting with the Aurignacian, contrary to the traditional view that in Central Europe the shift from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic does not involve hunting diversification as seen in the Mediterranean basin. Carnivores and birds of prey also contributed to the accumulation of the assemblage. The radiocarbon dates not only support the antiquity of the Swabian Aurignacian, but also document a high degree of mixing of the Sirgenstein materials.
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Quaternary International, 2020
Excavated from 2009-2019 by the Tübingen-Armenian Paleolithic Project, Aghitu-3 Cave is the only ... more Excavated from 2009-2019 by the Tübingen-Armenian Paleolithic Project, Aghitu-3 Cave is the only stratified Upper Paleolithic site in Armenia. Sedimentary deposits range from 39,000 to 24,000 calibrated years before present (ka cal BP). The main Paleolithic occupations occurred during the accumulation of Archaeological Horizon (AH) VI between 36 and 32 ka cal BP and AH III between 29 and 24 ka cal BP. AH VI was deposited under warm and humid conditions, while AH III shows evidence for cooler and drier conditions. Here we report the results of a comprehensive zooarchaeological study aimed at characterizing early modern human hunting behavior in the Armenian Highlands. Our results indicate a focus on adult goats and equids. Bird remains are present, but we found no evidence of human exploitation. Carcass transport strategies appear more selective than those inferred for other assemblages in the region, suggesting that foragers at Aghitu-3 were exploiting larger hunting territories. Finally, we present the results of a pilot microwear and mesowear study on caprine teeth. The latter found evidence for a highly abrasive grazing diet, which in turn suggests that occupation during the formation of AH III took place in spring or summer.
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Conference Presentations by Alex Bertacchi
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2020
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M.Sc. Thesis by Alex Bertacchi
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Papers by Alex Bertacchi
Conference Presentations by Alex Bertacchi
M.Sc. Thesis by Alex Bertacchi