Project

Prehistoric Populations of Belgium

Code
bof/baf/4y/2024/01/420
Duration
01 January 2024 → 31 December 2025
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Humanities and the arts
    • Bioarchaeology
Keywords
Palaeolithic bioarcheology Biological anthropology Neolithic mesolithic
 
Project description
This research project investigates human remains from prehistoric Belgium, encompassing the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods. The primary focus is on Neanderthals and early modern humans, aiming to reconstruct their lifestyles, health, and interactions. Utilizing cutting-edge techniques in anthropology, isotope analysis, and ancient DNA sequencing, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of these prehistoric populations. The project involves a multidisciplinary approach, integrating osteological analysis to assess skeletal morphology and pathology, isotopic studies to determine diet and mobility, and genomic data to elucidate genetic relationships and population dynamics. Through isotope analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium, we reconstruct dietary habits and migration patterns, revealing insights into subsistence strategies and environmental adaptations. Ancient DNA extracted from well-preserved remains offers unprecedented details about genetic diversity, interbreeding events, and evolutionary trajectories. Key sites across Belgium are examined, including well-documented Neanderthal locations and early modern human settlements. The research not only sheds light on the lifeways of these prehistoric groups but also explores the interactions between Neanderthals and early modern humans, contributing to broader debates on human evolution and migration in Europe. By advancing our understanding of prehistoric Belgium, this project enhances the archaeological and anthropological narrative of early human history.