Christine Verna

Christine Verna I am a physical anthropologist working as a Post-doctoral Researcher in the Department of Human Evolution at the MPI-EVA. My research is currently funded by the Service régional de l’Archéologie de Poitou-Charentes (France).

My main research interest is in understanding the evolutionary history of Neandertal populations in Eurasia. My research focuses primarily on an investigation of the morphological diversity of Neandertals through time and space. The topic of my PhD dissertation was a reassessment of the series of Neandertal remains from the famous site of La Quina (France).

In July 2008, I joined the research group of Prof. Mike Richards to address the question of Neandertal lifetime moblity through strontium isotope analyses. For measuring strontium isotopes in teeth, we use a newly developed technique of microsampling by laser ablation coupled with a Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS). This method leaves the specimen essentially intact as the sampling area is barely visible to the naked eye.

My research interests also include the question of the biological identity of the makers of the Aurignacian and their biological relationships with middle palaeolithic groups. I contribute to this ongoing debate through the study of two major sites located in southwestern France: La Quina-Aval and Les Rois. My involvement includes new fieldwork at Les Rois (directed by M. Vanhaeren and F. d’Errico, CNRS, France).

I am also involved in the excavations of the Middle Stone Age site of Diepkloof Rock Shelter (South-Africa. Excavations led by PJ Texier, CNRS, France) which shows one of the longest Middle Stone Age sequence including Stillbay and Howiesons Poort occupations.

Department of Human Evolution
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Deutscher Platz 6
D-04103 Leipzig
Germany

email:

christine.verna

evolhum.cnrs.fr