Hominid Paleo-ethology Unit

---

---

Aegyptopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (by Carlo Ranzi)

Introduction

The Seminar of Studies & Research into Prehistory (Seminari d'Estudis i Recerques Prehistòriques, S.E.R.P.), together with other departments of the University of Barcelona, (the Ethology Laboratory of the Dept. of Psychiatry and Clinical Psycobiology, the Anthropology Unit of the Dept. of Animal Biology and the Dept. of Paleontology, Geophysics and Dynamic Geology) has started a new line of research into Hominid Paleo-ethology.

We aim to reconstruct the behaviour of the first hominids from not only archaeological remains (such as tools, habitat structures, food scraps, etc.) but also to take into account studies on present-day Non Human and Human Primates.

We have, in other words, added the paleo-ethologist to the list of those who work in pluridisciplinary teams researching into Prehistory, namely technologists, archaeozoologists, palinologists, sedimentologists, paleoanthropologists and other specialists.

What is Hominid Paleo-ethology? A definition

Australopithecus (by Carlo Ranzi)

Hominid Paleo-ethology is the discipline which tries to reconstruct the behaviour of fossil hominids (Jordi Serrallonga).

How does a paleo-ethologist work?

As well as relying on archaeological sources to enable to reconstruction of fossil behaviour, the paleo-ethologist basically has to turn to the following fields:

Ethoprimatology

Ethoprimatology (or Primate Ethology) is the science which studies the behaviour of living Non Human Primates. Many living species of primates show patterns of behaviour which could well have been used by fossil hominids. Examples of this are forms of social structure of baboons and the technical skills of chimpanzees.

Ethnology

Samburu womens (North of Kenya)

Ethnology is the science which studies human groups. We are especially interested in present-day ethnology of communities of hunters-gatherers, and also groups which, although having developed an economy going beyond simple depredation, still use ancestral traditions (stone and wood technology, hunting methods, natural medicine remedies, etc) which are similar to those of prehistoric times.

Experimental Archaeology

We will never be able to reconstruct behaviour patterns by simply focusing on archaeological remains. We also have to attempt to experimentally reproduce techniques and activities of the time which led, for instance, to the making of a series of stone tools, the curing of animal skin, etc.

Hominid Paleo-ethology Unit

Members

Location

Works published

Dissertations, minor thesis, reports

University of Barcelona

Resources (WWW)

Archaeology

Primatology

Anthropology

We will be adding many more addresses which bear relation to our studies.