IPHES-CERCA promotes research and training in human evolution in Eritrea
Institute researchers study materials recovered from the Engel Ela sites and deliver a specialised course in Asmara on the Pleistocene fossil record and human evolution
IPHES-CERCA continues to strengthen its scientific presence in Eritrea through new research and training activities linked to the study of the Engel Ela sites, one of the most promising areas for understanding the earliest human occupations in the Horn of Africa.
From 3 to 12 June, researchers Antoni Canals and Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro travelled to Asmara, the country’s capital, to study the archaeological and palaeontological materials recovered during the latest excavations in the Engel Ela Basin. This work forms part of a research project led by Tsegai Medin, an Eritrean researcher trained at IPHES-CERCA and the Rovira i Virgili University through an Atapuerca Foundation scholarship, together with Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro, an ICREA researcher affiliated with IPHES-CERCA.
The work follows the archaeological field season carried out last March at the Delahaitu site and aims to deepen our understanding of the Acheulean record of the Engel Ela Basin, a region located in one of the most extreme environments on Earth, where temperatures can exceed 55°C.
The study of the recovered materials will contribute to research on human activities and ecosystems during the Early Pleistocene in eastern Africa, a key period for understanding the evolution of the earliest representatives of the genus Homo.
An international course on the Pleistocene fossil record
Coinciding with this scientific visit, IPHES-CERCA participated in the organisation of the international course The Pleistocene Fossil Record from Eritrea in the General Context of Human Evolution, held in Asmara on 8–9 June at the headquarters of the Eritrean Commission of Culture and Sports.
The initiative was promoted by Ambassador Zemede Tecle and Dr Tsegai Medin, who currently coordinates archaeology and palaeontology activities within this Eritrean institution, which reports directly to the Office of the President of Eritrea.
The course was aimed at Eritrean archaeology and anthropology students and was taught by IPHES-CERCA researchers Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro and Antoni Canals. It provided a broad overview of human evolution, palaeoanthropological research methods and the significance of the African fossil record.
Among the topics covered was a lecture by Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro on the palaeoecological context of human evolution, from the Australopithecus lineage to modern humans, as well as a session devoted to the Engel Ela Project, presenting the history of research in the area, the geological context of the basin and the scientific importance of its archaeological and palaeontological sites.
Antoni Canals delivered a session focused on excavation and documentation methodologies for archaeological and palaeontological sites, providing practical tools for the training of future heritage professionals.
The programme also included sessions on the identification and study of palaeontological remains, practical exercises in recognising fossil bones and lithic artefacts, and a concluding lecture by Bienvenido Martínez-Navarro on the impact of the human species on present-day biodiversity and extinction processes.
A scientific partnership with a promising future
IPHES-CERCA’s participation in these activities further strengthens a long-standing scientific and institutional partnership with Eritrea, based on both research into human origins and the training of new generations of researchers.
Tsegai Medin’s career is a notable example of this cooperation. After completing his training at IPHES-CERCA and Rovira i Virgili University, he now leads several research initiatives in Eritrea and plays a key role in the management and development of the country’s archaeological and palaeontological heritage.
Research conducted in the Engel Ela Basin is supported by the Eritrean Ministry of Culture and has traditionally been funded by the Palarq Foundation, which continues to support scientific projects in this strategic region for the study of human evolution.