A new Cambridge University Press book rethinks how we interpret human origins
The book Traces of the Distant Human Past. Understanding the Archaeology of our Origins, edited by Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo (Institute of Evolution in Africa – IDEA, and the Department of Anthropology, Rice University, Houston) and Enrique Baquedano (Institute of Evolution in Africa – IDEA and the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum of the Community of Madrid), and recently published by the prestigious Cambridge University Press, offers a critical and renewed perspective on the archaeology of human origins. The volume brings together some of the oldest and most significant evidence from the archaeological record of Africa, Europe, and Asia, and proposes a profound shift in how the behaviour of the earliest human populations is interpreted.
Moving beyond traditional narratives, often based on linear or weakly supported interpretations, the volume advocates a more scientific, theoretically informed, and hypothesis-driven approach, with particular emphasis on understanding early humans within their ecological and environmental context. The editors and authors also highlight the severe scarcity of well-preserved Pleistocene archaeological sites, a limitation that requires working with fragmentary data and applying the highest methodological standards.
In this context, the book underscores the importance of high-resolution analyses, the development of new methodologies, and the incorporation of innovative tools—such as the application of artificial intelligence to taphonomy—to improve interpretations of the archaeological record. The result is a work that not only synthesises current knowledge but also directly challenges the scientific community to rethink the foundations of the archaeology of human evolution.
Notable contribution from IPHES-CERCA
Among the contributors to the volume is Palmira Saladié, researcher at IPHES-CERCA and professor at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, who co-authored Chapter 3 together with Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo (Institute of Archaeology of Mérida, CSIC–Regional Government of Extremadura, and associate researcher at IPHES-CERCA). The chapter is entitled “The first foragers of the European continent. Key pieces for a broken puzzle”.
This chapter addresses the main characteristics of the behaviour of the first human colonisers of Europe through an integrated analysis of material culture and the fossil record. The authors examine evidence from key sites such as Atapuerca, Orce, La Boella, Pirro Nord, and Dmanisi, which represent fundamental—albeit fragmentary—pieces for reconstructing the initial human expansion across the European continent.
A key work for advancing the study of human origins
The volume is organised into several chapters that explore central issues such as the behavioural ecology of early Oldowan assemblages, the role of hunting and gathering in human social evolution, and the potential of the Asian Pleistocene record through new taphonomic approaches. Taken as a whole, Traces of the Distant Human Past stands out as a reference work for researchers, students, and professionals interested in a deeper, more critical, and up-to-date understanding of human origins.
The book is now available on major academic publishing platforms and via the Cambridge University Press website.