Katarina 'Kat' Almeida-Warren

Katarina 'Kat' Almeida-Warren

Leverhulme Early Career Fellow

School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford

Biography

I am a primate archaeologist and Leverhulme Early Career Fellow with a background in archaeology, primatology, and anthropology. I am interested in the archaeology of non-human primate tool-use and culture, with a focus on its exciting contributions to human origins research. My expertise spans chimpanzee plant technology (termite-fishing), stone technology (nut-cracking), and the formation of technological landscapes, using a range of archaeological and primatological approaches including raw material studies, landscape archaeology, behavioural ecology, and agent-based modelling.

For my current project Primate Archaeology Beyond Technology: Delving Deeper into our Primate Heritage, I am leading the very first investigation into the archaeology of non-technological chimpanzee behaviours, providing the first glimpse of what is yet to be unearthed from our distant past.

Through ongoing collaborations, I remain involved in the archaeological research of chimpanzee termite-fishing in Tanzania, which is contributing towards our knowledge of perishable tool use and its relevance to human evolution and our technological origins.


Interests
  • Primate archaeology
  • Primate cultures & technology
  • Primate ecology
  • Human origins
  • Conservation
  • Heritage
  • Agent-based modelling
Education
  • PhD in Anthropology, 2022

    University of Oxford

  • MSc in Human Evolution and Behaviour, 2015

    University College London

  • BSc in Archaeological Sciences, 2013

    University of Sheffield

Current affiliations

 
 
 
 
 
Wolfson College, Oxford
Junior Research Felow
Oct 2023 – Present
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
National Geographic Explorer
May 2018 – Sep 2021 Grantee

Research

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Primate Archaeology Beyond Technology
How did our earliest ancestors live? Their material remains, dominated by stone tools, have told us much about their technical abilities, but very little about other activities that made up the rich lives they undoubtedly led.The archaeological study of primate tools, known as Primate Archaeology, has been instrumental in uncovering hidden aspects of our technological heritage. This project, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, is pioneering the archaeology of non-technological chimpanzee behaviours, to help identify novel traces in the early hominin record.
Primate Archaeology Beyond Technology
Archaeology of the Perishable
Our understanding of how human material culture evolved is biased towards lithic technology, as stone tools are more likely to survive over time, and we know little about the archaeological signatures that plant-based artefacts may leave in the environment. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that plant materials featured prominently in our ancestor’s toolkit, perhaps even before stone tools. This project, led by Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido, delves into the archaeology of chimpanzee termite fishing, to uncover the archaeological traces of plant-based technology, and gain insights into the cognitive, technical, and behavioural precursors of stone tool use.
Archaeology of the Perishable

Recent & Upcoming Talks

Recent Publications

Tool skill impacts the archaeological evidence across technological primates
The archaeological record offers insights into our evolutionary past by revealing ancient behaviour through stone and fossil remains. …
Tool skill impacts the archaeological evidence across technological primates

Contact