Albert CristÓbal, Rosa MarÃa
Research Professor
Archaeology
Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats
Spain
Biography
Archaeologist, I defended my PhD at the U. of Barcelona in 1999 after 3 years at the Weizmann Inst of Science. I pioneered in applying quantitative and morphological phytolith analyses to Prehistoric hearths to identify fuel uses and collecting strategies. As a result I received in 2005 the Blecua Award (UB). During all these years I have focused on reconstructing the vegetation at different hominid sites such as Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), being one of the first to use a combined study of modern soils and plants to identify past vegetation. In 2011 I created PhytCore, presently the most extensive phytolith database, covering different geographical and chronological frameworks. I have directed more than 20 research projects and written more than 90 papers and 75 technical reports. In 2005 I founded the Research Group for Paleoecological and Geoarchaeological Studies (GEPEG) recognized as Quality Research Group by Catalan Government which I directed until December 2013.
Research Interest
Prehistory, Archaeology, Paleolandscape reconstruction, Vegetal resources, Phytoliths, geoarchaeology, first hominins
Publications
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"Alonso-EguÃluz, M., Fernández-Eraso, J., Albert, R.M. (accepted) First shepherds from the upper Ebro Basin at Los Husos II (Ãlava, Spain): microarchaeology applied to foumier deposits. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany journal."
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"Stanistreet, I., Stollhofen, H., Njau, J.K., Masao, F.T., Albert, R.M., Bamford, M.K., Pante, M.C., Farrugia, P. (accepted) Lahar inundated, modified and preserved 1.88 Ma early hominin (OH24 and OH56) Olduvai DK site. Journal of Human Evolution"
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"Daura, J., Sanz, M., Ramos, J., Riera, S., Miras, Y., Allue, E., Picornell, LL., López-Reyes, D., Albert, R.M., Macia, L., Domenech, R., Martinell, J., Fornós, J.J., Julià , R. (accepted). Palaeoenvironmental record of the Cal Maurici wetland sediment archive in Barcelona (NE Iberian Peninsula) between VI and IV millennia cal. yr BP. Holocene journal. "
