Geochronometers and paleoenvironments

Putting the evolution of human societies in their environmental context

Global warming and the resulting environmental changes are affecting present-day societies: increased tensions in arid regions, population displacements due to the depletion of resources, rising sea levels, etc. The work carried out within the framework of this research area aims to provide answers to the problems linked to the evolution and resilience of human societies in their environmental context by studying ancient sites.

This work, the fruit of close collaboration with researchers from the Human and Social Sciences (SHS), mainly archaeologists, historians and palaeontologists, is based on the development and implementation of innovative approaches that make it possible to establish robust chronologies for major sites at key periods (dating from the Miocene to the present), is based on the development and implementation of innovative approaches to establish robust chronologies for major sites at pivotal periods (from the Miocene to the present), to characterise the palaeoenvironments associated with hominins and ancient human societies (palaeo-vegetation, palaeo-shorelines, etc.), their natural dynamics or their response to human activity (e.g. the development of a new culture), and to assess the impact of human activity on the environment.), their natural dynamics or in response to anthropic pressure.

This line of research focuses on palaeontological hominin sites located in Africa (Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Tanzania, South Africa), the Near and Middle East (Turkey), Asia (India, South Korea, Taiwan) and archaeological sites in Europe (Spain, Croatia, France), Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Angola, Egypt) and Central America (Mexico, Guatemala).