TraceoLab

The project ”Experiment-based approach to Middle Stone Age artisanship at Rose Cottage Cave” strikes again. Funded by a Research Grant from The Leakey Foundation, we continue to investigate lithic technology between 100-30 ka at this reference Stone Age site in South Africa.

This work is fundamental to deepening our knowledge about tool manufacture and subsistence of past hunter-gatherers within their social structures and habitats through functional and technological analyses.

The project ”Experiment-based approach to Middle Stone Age artisanship at Rose Cottage Cave” strikes again. Funded by a Research Grant from The Leakey Foundation, we continue to investigate lithic technology between 100-30 ka at this reference Stone Age site in South Africa.

Our latest knapping adventure took us to Leiden, where Dr. Morgan Roussel from Paleocraft and Skills demonstrated his expertise. He crafted various blanks from siliceous stones sourced from ancient river terraces near Rose Cottage Cave and western Lesotho.

🚨 ONLY 9 DAYS LEFT TO APPLY! 🚨 🎓 ACADEMIC POSITION: Full-time Professor in Prehistoric Art & Archaeology 📍 University of Liège, Belgium 📅 Start: Sept 1, 2026 ⏰ DEADLINE: Jan 29, 2026 Tenure-track | Teaching + Research + Fieldwork Apply NOW: my.uliege.be/portail/go_x... 🧵⬇️

Requirements: PhD in Prehistory/Archaeology Publications & research portfolio Regular excavation experience University teaching experience French language (B2/C1)

We’re pleased to announce that Dr Julien d’Huy will give a lecture on Wednesday 17th entitled Remonter les mythes pour éclairer le temps : comment comprendre l'art des cavernes durant le Paléolithique supérieur ?

We are deeply involved in the craft of producing natural fibers, utilising Wommersom quartzite tools to manage brambles, just like Mesolithic hunter-gatherers may have done 10,000 years ago! 🌿🪨 #syntheseonderzoekarcheologie

✨ To prepare for our upcoming workshop and demonstration on Saturday, October 25th at the Prehistomuseum, as part of the CONEXP 2025 event (www.conexp2025.uliege.be)

We are deeply involved in the craft of producing natural fibers, utilising Wommersom quartzite tools to manage brambles, just like Mesolithic hunter-gatherers may have done 10,000 years ago! 🌿🪨 #syntheseonderzoekarcheologie

Want to advance use-wear analysis methodology? OPEN CALL! WE'RE HIRING: POST-DOC POSITION IN TRACEOLAB Topic: optical profilometry of use-wear traces on prehistoric stone tools, methodological development and archaeological application, integration with other methods used in TraceoLab

Application: in English; motivation letter (max 2p), summary of PhD thesis (max 1p), publication list, CV, copy of PhD degree, names and contact details of 2 recognised scholars who accept to write a reference (not to be contacted yet) All documents to be sent to Veerle Rots Deadline: 30/11/2025

Want to advance use-wear analysis methodology? OPEN CALL! WE'RE HIRING: POST-DOC POSITION IN TRACEOLAB Topic: optical profilometry of use-wear traces on prehistoric stone tools, methodological development and archaeological application, integration with other methods used in TraceoLab

Sonja, Dries & Veerle co-authored an article in the Journal of Neolithic Archaeology: “From Polishing to Burning: Deciphering a Middle Neolithic Hoard from Beringen Brouwershuis (Belgium) through Functional Analysis.”

We are pleased to announce that Olivier Touzé and Veerle Rots have published their paper "When the hammer drops: Identification of knapping techniques in blade production based on a multi-scale study of knapping traces". Complete paper available at: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

This study focuses on knapping techniques. It describes the microscopic traces associated with knapping and shows how they can be combined with macroscopic traces to strengthen the identification of knapping techniques.

Don’t miss the inaugural conference by Dr. Nicolas Teyssandier, titled Seul au monde: comment Sapiens est devenu le dernier humain? 📅 21 October | 📍 Salle Académique, University of Liège. Don’t miss it!” Register here for the inaugural conference 👉 form.sap.uliege.be/conepx-2025/

We are pleased to announce that our project on the Lommel–Molse Nete Federmesser site has been selected as one of five projects to receive funding by the Flemish Government through Onroerend Erfgoed's 2025 Archaeological Synthesis Research programme. (Photos: © KU Leuven – RS & archeoWorks )

We are conducting this research in collaboration with the Centre for Archaeological Research of Landscapes (CARL, KU Leuven), archeoWorks (KU Leuven), Erfgoed Lommel, and UMR TEMPS (CNRS, Université Paris Nanterre).

We are pleased to announce that our project on the Lommel–Molse Nete Federmesser site has been selected as one of five projects to receive funding by the Flemish Government through Onroerend Erfgoed's 2025 Archaeological Synthesis Research programme. (Photos: © KU Leuven – RS & archeoWorks )

By also comparing Lommel–Molse Nete with nearby sites such as Lommel–Maatheide, we aim to place it within a broader landscape archaeology framework.

We are pleased to announce that our project on the Lommel–Molse Nete Federmesser site has been selected as one of five projects to receive funding by the Flemish Government through Onroerend Erfgoed's 2025 Archaeological Synthesis Research programme. (Photos: © KU Leuven – RS & archeoWorks )

📢📢 LAST CALL – DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS! 💀🕒 ⏳ FINAL DEADLINE: 31 July — Submit your proposal for oral presentations, posters, or demonstrations at the 🎓 7th International Congress of Experimental Archaeology (CONEXP 2025) | 📅 22–25 October 2025 We can’t wait to welcome you to Liège! 🤩🔥

UMR TEMPS and TraceoLab are hosting the conference 'On the Traces of Prehistoric Individuals: Scientific Challenges, Methods, and Perspectives' in Paris on 26-27 February 2026. Abstract submissions are open and should be sent to pierre.allard@cnrs.fr, solene.denis@cnrs.fr or otouze@uliege.be.