Anthropology

Anthropology is a broad subject. The areas covered in the Palaeontology Department come within the field of biological anthropology also known as physical anthropology.

Our research ranges from the study and dating of early fossil humans such as the Neanderthals through to work on the growth and development of modern people.

Fieldwork and collaboration

Fieldwork

We carry out fieldwork in the UK, Europe and in countries like Morocco, often in collaboration with archaeologists.

Large-scale collaborations

The department is currently involved in several large-scale collaborative anthropology projects:

Tooth enamel as an archive of early life experiences

The age of onset and duration of enamel formation varies between teeth so different teeth preserve a record of different stages of life. Learn more about unlocking this archive of early lifetime experiences.
Cemeteries and sedentism in the Epipalaeolithic of North Africa

Researchers are charting the changes in patterns of subsistence and occupation during the Iberomaurusian period, approximately 13,000 years ago, at the Grotte des Pigeons site in Morocco.
Response of humans to abrupt environmental transitions

How did our ancestors respond to rapid environmental changes in the recent past? The RESET project will help provide answers by using microscopic dust dispersed by volcanic eruptions to correlate geological, environmental and archaeological events over the last 100,000 years. Find out more.
Staff engaged in anthropology research

Discover who at the Museum is involved in research relating to ancient and modern humans.
Ancient human occupation of Britain

When did early humans colonise Europe and what frontiers did they reach? What factors affected their dispersal? And what strategies did they use to survive? The AHOB project tackles these questions and more, investigating ancient humans and their adaptations during the European Palaeolithic and Mesolithic. Learn more.