Personal Statement
I have a continuing fascination with the development of technology and in particular the transition from hand-held to 'combinatorial' or hafted technology (tools made from two or more parts). That transition lies at the core of my current research in Zambia ('Deep Roots of Humanity Project’ and ‘Last of the Bemba Barkcloth Makers’) with ongoing analyses of artefacts and deposits from two key localities: Victoria Falls and Kalambo Falls. These sites preserve Early and Middle Stone assemblages and at Kalambo Falls we have unexpected early evidence from 500,000 years ago for combinatorial technology, It takes the form of part of a wooden structure made of two joining beams (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06557-9). This discovery forces us to examine our assumptions about the planning abilities and skills of early humans. We used observations of contemporary wood workers in northern Zambia and experimental replication to help us understand the skills of the ancient artisans at Kalambo Falls.

Research Overview
I am now concentrating on research related to the Deep Roots of Humanity Project and longer accepting new PhD students.