INQUA 2412 my: Mapping Ancient Africa: Climate, vegetation and humans – Phase II (MAACH 2.0)

The aim of the project is to bring together researchers to gain a better understanding of the relationships between climate change and hominin evolution and cultural development in Africa.

Abstract

The “Mapping Ancient Africa: Climate, Vegetation & Humans” commenced in 2021 and is a multi-year project funded by the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA). Specifically, the project is supported by PALCOM (the Palaeoclimate commission) and HABCOM (the Human & Biospheres commission).

Phase 1 of the project (2021-2023) was lead by William Gosling (University of Amsterdam) and Stefanie Kaboth-Bahr (University of Potsdam / Free University of Berlin), with support from regional hub coordinators: Rahab Kinyanjui (National Museum of Kenya / Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology), Lynne Quick (Nelson Mandela University), and Sarah Ivory (Penn State University). The aim of the first phase was to build a network of researchers interested in past environmental change and human activity in Africa, deliver a research skills workshop, and present findings at the INQUA Rome 2023 congress.

Phase 2 of the project (2023- ) will be lead by Stefanie Kaboth-Bahr (Free University of Berlin) and Rahab Kinyanjui (National Museum of Kenya / Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology). The aim of the second phase is to develop scientific writing skills among the community and to deliver a special issue of Quaternary International.