PleisTechnoVar is a research project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 655459. It is primarily based at the McDonald Insitute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge (UK) but also involves collaborations with various institutions and projects:
- the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, host institution of PleisTechnoVar
- the National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
- the French Centre for Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa
- the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi
- the British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi
- the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
- the British Museum, London
- the National Museum of Natural History, Paris
- the ANR-funded project "Big Dry" (coordination: Prof. F. Bon)
McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge
The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research is the host institution of this research project. Within the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology of the University of Cambridge, the McDonald Institute has various roles: as a postdoctoral research institute, interdisciplinary centre for archaeology as well as a "research school" of the Division of Archaeology. Most of the training required, data analysis and research in the frame of PleisTechnoVar take place at the McDonald Institute.
National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
The National Museum of Ethiopia (NME), in Addis Ababa, is one of the six departments of the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH), Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture.
The lithic material from Porc-Epic cave and Goda Buticha, two major sites studied in the frame of PleisTechnoVar, is stored at the NME. The Head of the Directorate of Heritage Collection and Laboratory Service kindly granted access to the collections and data collection took place at the NME in Addis Ababa in February 2016 in the frame of the PleisTechnoVar project.
French Centre for Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa
The French Centre for Ethiopian Studies (CFEE) in Addis Ababa is a research institute funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It provides an invaluable support for researchers working in Ethiopia (logistic and administrative support (e.g. visa procedures) to organise fieldwork, organisation of seminars, accommodation in Addis Ababa). The scientific blog of the CFEE "An Eye on the Horn" can be read here.
During my stay in Addis Ababa I was able to participate in a scientific seminar co-organised by the CFEE and ARCCH (more information here).
National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi
The Earth Sciences Department of the Directorate of Research and Collection, of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) in Nairobi includes the Archaeology Section where the material from Enkapune Ya Muto is stored. Access to the collection was kindly permitted and data collection took place in March 2016.
British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi
The British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) has its headquarters in Nairobi. Its mission is to promote research in all the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences within the wider region of eastern Africa. During my stay in Nairobi, I was able to participate in the BIEA seminar series. More information is available here.
PleisTechnoVar (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 655459.