The comparative studies between Lower Palaeolithic assemblages and their ecological settings in key areas of Africa and India generally focus on key questions like debates about the routes and timing of migrations, and the evolution of Oldowan and Acheulian technocomplexes. This INQUA-HABCOM-funded project brings together the experts working in India, Africa, Arabia, and SW and E Asia to address major issues relating to the ‘Out of Africa’ story in terms of chronology, palaeoenvironments and behavioural variability over the Lower Palaeolithic where we will be exploring similarities as also differences in evolutionary trajectories.As a part of the same project, we are organising an online lecture series for early career researchers working on these various aspects of the Lower Palaeolithic. Through this series, we are aiming to create a network between the ECRs from these various regions, and looking forward to building collaborations and greater opportunities to discuss each other’s work on this platform.
Dr. Redha Benchernine
Centre National de Recherches Préhistoriques,
Anthropologiques et Historiques
(CNRPAH, Algeria)
Is a researcher at National Center for Prehistoric, Anthropological, and Historical Research (CNRPAH, Algeria). Specializing in Lower Paleolithic, mainly Acheulean stone tools. He holds a degree and a Magister in Prehistory from the University of Algiers, Algeria 2, where he is also enrolled in a Ph.D program. He also has a Master’s in Quaternary and Prehistory from Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain.
An active member of several research projects at CNRPAH, Redha BENCHERNINE is currently leading the project titled "Human and Environments during the Pleistocene in the Saoura area, Northwestern Sahara, Algeria”. In this project, he conducts the techno-typological studies of the Acheulean stone tools excavated from the prehistoric site under investigations with emphasis on Early Stone Age-Middle Stone Age transition.
The studies he carried out in this project contribute to better understand the complexity of the technological Mode 2 and 3 in this part of North Africa.
Dr. Rosa Moll
A post-doctoral researcher
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Dr Rosa Moll is a post-doctoral researcher specializing in the Earlier and Middle Stone Age of South Africa and Tanzania. She earned her MSc and Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of the Witwatersrand, in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Her research, which included excavation work in The Cradle of Humankind, provided invaluable insights into the technological advancements and behavioural patterns of early hominin populations. Dr Moll’s excavation experience extends beyond The Cradle of Humankind to iconic sites such as Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and Wonderwerk Cave in the Northern Cape, South Africa. In addition to her work in Africa, Dr Moll has participated in excavations at various sites in France and Spain, contributing to our knowledge of early human dispersals and interactions in Europe. Throughout her academic career, Dr Moll has collaborated with researchers from multiple countries, fostering a spirit of international cooperation and exchange. She has undertaken research stays at prestigious institutions such as University College London (UCL) for her Ph.D. and the University of Toulouse – Jean Jaures for her MSc, where she engaged in interdisciplinary research.
Dr. Jayendra Jayant Joglekar
Department of AIHC and Archaeology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh
Dr Jayendra Joglekar currently working as an Assistant Professor in the department of AIHC and Archaeology at Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak (A Central University). He completed his M.A. in Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology from Deccan College Post Graduate and Research University (Deemed to be University), Pune (2009-11), followed by Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology from Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi (2011-13), and Ph.D in Archaeology with UGC (NET-JRF) (2014-19) from Deccan College Post Graduate and Research University (Deemed to be University), Pune. He was affiliated with Deccan College, Pune for Post-Doctoral Research. He is working as Assistant Secretary of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies, Pune, and Assistant Editor of the UGC-CARE listed journal Man and Environment. He has received two awards from prestigious societies, namely Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies, Pune (Prof. H.D. Sankalia Young Archaeologist Award), and The Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi (Dr. S.P. Gupta Gold Medal). I am member of four professional bodies. He had received Infosys Foundation Fellowship (2022) at Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.
His specialization is in the field of prehistoric archaeology. He has been part of field explorations in the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Odisha. He also has authored 50 research articles in reputed UGC-listed journals, and proceedings, edited books, and co-edited 2 books, and presented over 30 papers in National and International conferences.
Akash Srinivas
Post doctoral fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research (CIAR), Ashoka University
Akash Srinivas is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological
Research (CIAR), Ashoka University. He is a prehistoric archaeologist, and his research
interests primarily concern with palaeoanthropology and palaeolithic archaeology,
incorporating a multidisciplinary approach. He is currently engaged in the study of the nature
and variability of lithic techno-complexes of the South Asian Palaeolithic. He was awarded
his Doctorate from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali.
He has a Masters in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology from Deccan College
Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, and an Erasmus Mundus International Masters in
Quaternary and Prehistory (IMQP), hosted by the University of Ferrara (Italy) and the
University of Rovira i Virgili (Spain). He has carried out fieldwork at various sites in India,
Italy, Germany, Spain and Tanzania, including prominent sites such as Hathnora (India) and
Atapuerca (Spain). His previous research work has concerned prehistoric explorations and the
analysis of stone tool assemblages of key Lower Palaeolithic sites such as the Kibbanahalli
Palaeolithic Complex (southern Karnataka, India), Mahadeo Piparia (central Narmada Valley,
India) and Isernia La Pineta (Italy). He also engages in public archaeology and science
communication, and is the co-host of the podcast ‘Chippin’ Away’.
For more details: https://sites.google.com/view/akashsrinivas
Alexander Titan Kabelindde
Palaeolithic Archaeologist
The National Museum of Tanzania
Alexander Kabelindde is an Early Career Researcher working as a curator at the National
Museum of Tanzania, with a PhD in Palaeolithic Archaeology from University College
London. He is an Africanist archaeologist specialising in the archaeology of Human
Evolution, Lithic Technology and Hominin Behaviour. He has participated in fieldwork in
Palaeolithic sites within Tanzania and Spain and more recent sites in the UK, Qatar, Oman,
Kazakhstan, and Bahrain. Apart from being an archaeologist, Alexander Kabelindde is also
passionate about environmental conservation with strong commitment to protecting our
planet through advocating for conservation of natural resources, reducing wastes and
encouraging eco-friendly practices.
Dr Neetu Agarwal
Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology,Avadh Girls’ Degree College, Lucknow
Dr. Neetu Agarwal has completed her Master's in Anthropology from the University of Lucknow. She later did an International Master in Prehistory and Quaternary Studies from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili with the Erasmus Mundus Fellowship of the European Union. She was awarded PhD in Prehistory and Quaternary Studies in 2014 from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. She was awarded the ICHR postdoctoral fellowship in 2015 for research on ‘Surface modifications of stone tools from Mehtakheri, Narmada basin’ from Deccan College, Pune. She specializes in Palaeolithic Archaeology, lithic studies and usewear analysis of lithic tools. She is currently working on the transition from Middle Palaeolithic to microlithic technologies in the Narmada basin, Central India.