From 26th of June to 2nd of July of 2016, several members of the CRC 806 attended the 23rd Biennial meeting of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists (SAfA). This time, the conference took place at the Université Jean Jaurés of Toulouse, France.
In 41 sessions, more than 600 researchers working on African archaeology and African societies presented their latest results. Scientific topics covered a wide range: from prehistory to ethnography, from geology to cultural heritage.
Project A1 was strongly represented at Toulouse: Karin Kindermann gave a report about her new work at Sodmein Playa in Session 8 “The role of North Africa in the emergence and development of modern behaviours” – thus representing the Egypt branch of Project A1. The Ethiopian branch of Project A1 was represented by three conference papers: Hannah Parow-Souchon gave a report about MSA blade technology as found in Mochena Borago in session 15 “For an updated version of Middle Stone Age point production in Africa: How does McBrearty and Brooks’s (2000) map of point ‘styles’ look 16 years after?”. Ralf Vogelsang presented a paper about “Temporal change and continuity in OIS3/4 lithic assemblages from Mochena Borago” as first author in Session 27 and joined our partner Steven Brandt, University of Florida, on a paper about the chances for testing the refugium theory in Mochena.
Overall it was a very successful conference participation, which led to many new ideas and academic contacts, certainly influencing the work in the years to come.
The Central Square of Toulouse. Photo: Hannah Parow-Souchon |