The study of biocultural evolution and human diversity has emerged as a core competence of the Palaeoanthropology Division of the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. Our research regarding human evolution combines six complementary fields of interest:
- Palaeoanthropology Section, Apl. Prof. Dr. O. Kullmer (acting since October 2022)
- Tertiary Mammals and Morphometry Section, Apl. Prof. Dr. O. Kullmer (since 2001)
- Research Center ROCEEH (since 2009)
- Cognition, PD Dr. M. Haidle
- Palaeobiology, Dr. C. Hertler
- Palaeobotany, PD Dr. A. Bruch
- Human Ethological Film Archive, A. Kuper (since 2014)
The joint research of the Department of Palaeoanthropology focuses on processes and factors influencing the biocultural evolution of humans in their interactions with the environment. This concept has been developed over the past 10 years and integrates the biological and cultural diversity of humans. The aim is a systemic understanding and a concentrated presentation and coordination of the research focus biocultural diversity.
The heart of the department is the collection G.H.R. von Koenigswald, which came 1968 on permanent loan from the Werner Reimers Foundation, Bad Homburg, to the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt for the study of the evolutionary biodiversity and palaeoecology in Southeast Asia. At the same time, world-famous palaeoanthropologist G.H.R. von Koenigswald († 1982) became the first head of the division.
The Department of Palaeoanthropology in Frankfurt a. M., is part of the following projects:
- “Paleo-obstetric Understanding via Simulation and Heuristic Artificial Intelligence Tools PUSH@IT” Nicole Webb, Laura Watson (Doktorandin)
- “Plant environment and resource exploitation in SW Ethiopia >50 ka to the present” DFG-Nr NE 408/16-1, 2021-2024. PIs: Katharina Neumann und Karen Hahn.
- “Microscopy for Chronology: Usewear Analysis and Lithic Technology in Island Southeast Asia” (Daimler und Benz Stiftung) Riczar Fuentes
