Dr Abigail Desmond

I am a Palaeolithic archaeologist (D.Phil. Oxford) specializing in early human technologies. My research focuses on the roles of bone tools and less visible technologies (e.g., basketry, textiles, leather goods, etc.) in deep history.   While the “Stone Age” accounts for most of humans’ technological history, some of the earliest human tools may not have been stone at all. Containers for transportation and storage are presumed to have appeared alongside the appearance of genus Homo; baby carriers, for example, are hypothesized to have been in use even millions of years ago. Accounting for early human technologies based on nurturance, resource collection, and craft production adds nuance to widespread hunting and animal-processing scenarios implied by stone tools. Digital applications in archaeology are an indispensable part of my research, and include 3D imaging, photogrammetry, Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), and other imaging techniques. I am also interested in developing relationships with (and learning from) expert craftspeople working in traditional communities of practice worldwide.