Dr. Jonathan Haws — Department of Anthropology

Dr. Jonathan Haws

Archeological Dig in Portugal

I lead an interdisciplinary and international research team to investigate a cave site in Portugal called Lapa do Picareiro. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the excavation of Lapa do Picareiro is designed to address the fundamental question: do temporal variations in Neanderthal land use, demography, technology, and diet represent responses to extreme climate shifts during the last ice age? The ultimate goal is to determine why Neanderthals went extinct and were replaced by modern humans. Lapa do Picareiro is a unique site, with about 10m of sediments spanning 50,000 years of human history. We are expanding the excavation to dig deeper into the Neanderthal occupation layers, work that will continue through 2025.

In 2023, the field program involved 11 UofL students, including three current graduates. UofL students interested in participating in the excavation next summer should follow the link for application information:

https://louisville.edu/anthropology/portuguesestudies/study-abroad-in-portugal