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Contact information
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Keywords
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Links
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roger.alcantara@uab.cat
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Biomechanics
Geometric morphometrics
Animal mobility
Animal use and exploitation
Domestication
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Research lines
My early education and research career have brought me to study many archaeological assemblages of different chronologies, including Pre-Pottery Neolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron age and Roman period, and geographical areas, such as Siria, Irak or Spain, encompassed with a good number of fieldwork expeditions. These experiences helped me develop a good formation in archaeozoology with deep roots in Neolithic problematics.
I have received training and participated in leading research groups in archaeology and archaeozoology directed by Miquel Molist (GRAMPO) and Maria Saña (Laboratori d’Arqueozoologia), as well as in the BIOARCH European research network led by Jean-Denis Vigne (CNRS).
My Master’s dissertation focused on an integrated approach to the domestication dynamics of pig populations in South-West Asia using Geometric morphometrics, undertaking specialised training at the MNHN of Paris under the supervision of Allowen Evin. Results evidenced the simultaneous exploitation at the site of Tell Halula (7500-5700 cal BC) of wild boar and at least two different domestic pig populations since its earliest occupation phases, shedding light on the development of domestic practices in the area (Alcàntara 2014).
This early research helped me to understand the need to evolve towards an integrated research and the development of new techniques and methodologies that could broaden our understanding of the processes involved in animal domestication. This premise was the seed to deepen into a new research line, biomechanics, taking advantage of the “new” methodologies of 3D data acquisition and image treatment.
Biomechanics provides useful data to understand the mechanical behaviour of animal, i.e. how animals move and how much they moved. In the case of domesticates, mobility results from human management decisions. Consequently, biomechanics, which can be easily implemented as a non-destructive technique, offers new clues to understand changing mobility regimes and the incorporation of new agricultural implements. Among other results, the biomechanical study of long-bones (humerus, tibia, metacarpus and metatarsus) cross-sections of goat from tell Halula revealed a clear tendency to a reduction of the mobility of this species, most probably related to their enclosure or penning due to the intensification of their exploitation practices (Alcàntara et al. accepted, Alcàntara 2019). Additionally, the biomechanical study of cattle from North-east Iberia shed light over the use of cattle as an aid in deforestation and wood logs transport and the coexistence of different exploitation purposes (labour force, milking, meat) in la Draga, and helped define as well the use of the surrounding environment as pastures in both la Draga and Cova de les Pixarelles (Alcàntara 2019).
As a result of these works, we developed the first deep insight into animal biomechanics in both eastern and western Mediterranean Neolithic contexts, consolidating the use of biomechanics and CT scanning to understand animal management practices through archaezoological assemblages.
I have disseminated the results of my research at international conferences and workshops together with specialised publications. I have been part of the organizing committee of the 2019 ASWA International meeting in Barcelona, and organized an International Seminar on archaeozoology “An inside-out of bone studies in archaeozoology: recent advances in palaeobiomolecules, biomechanics and shape analysis”.
Nowadays I assist with the formation of young archaeozoologists and give support and supervise degree, master and Phd. research works while developing my own research.
Works on faunal assemblages from…
Spain
El Molló (Móra d’Ebre, Ribera d’Ebre) – Neolithic and Bronze age
Cova de les Pixarelles (Tavertet, Osona) – Middle Neolithic
Pla de la Guineu (Gerri de la Sal, Pallars Sobirà) – Bronze age
La vil·la romana de la Gran Via – Can Ferrerons (Premià de Mar, Maresme) – Late roman
La Draga (Banyoles, Pla de l’Estany) – Early Neolithic
Abroad
Tell Halula (Síria) – PPNB, pre-Halaf and Halaf
Tell Lashkir (Kurdistan, Iraq) – 5th to 1st millenium BCE
Banahilk (Kurdistan, Iraq) – Halaf
Research projects
HAR2017-88304-P: Arqueobioquímica de la alimentación durante el Neolítico Peninsular: Nuevos marcadores y referenciales para el estudio de las pautas de reproducción y consumo en Arqueología. IP: Maria Saña (UAB). Ministerio de Economía, Cultura y Competitividad. 01/02/2018 to 31/12/2021.
HAR2016-78416-P. Procesos de transferencia e interacción social en el neolítico del próximo Oriente: Estudio de los ámbitos del valle del Éufrates y Altiplanos del Zagros. IP: Miquel Molist (UAB). Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. 30/12/2016 to 29/06/2020.
CLT009/18/00023 Evolució del poblament i ús del territori al Prepirineu oriental durant la prehistòria recent (10000-900 cal BC). IP: Maria Saña (UAB). Subvencions per a projectes quadriennals de recerca en matèria d’arqueologia I Paleontologia de la Generalitat de Catalunya. 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2021.
CLT009/18/00028 Rius, assentaments i mineria prehistòrica: recerca a les valls del Ebre, Ter i Gavà. IP: Anna Gómez (UAB). Subvencions per a projectes quadriennals de recerca en matèria d’arqueologia I Paleontologia de la Generalitat de Catalunya. 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2021
Featured publications
Accepted: Alcàntara Fors, R., Fortuny, J., Tornero, C., Molist, M., & Saña, M. Assessing changes in mobility/activity patterns during first domestication and husbandry stages on archaeological samples of Capra: Tell Halula (Syria) as a case study. In XIIIth ASWA International Meeting Proceedings, 2017, Cyprus
2020: Saña, M., Antolín, F., Alcàntara, R., Sierra, A., & Tornero, C. Integrating domesticates: earliest farming experiences in the Iberian Peninsula. In Kurt J Gron, Peter Rowley-Conwy and Lasse Sorensen (Ed.) Farmers at the Frontier A Pan European Perspective on Neolithisation. 23rd EAA Annual Meeting Proceedings, Maastricht.
2019: Alcàntara, R. Contributions of bone microestructure and biomechanics to animal domestication and husbandry practices in East and Western Mediterranean (10000-4000 cal. BC). Doctoral dissertation. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, pp: 446.
2019: Molist, M. Bradosty, Z., Breu, A., Sisa, J., Alcàntara, R., Cruells, W., Douché, C., Mylona, P., Arnaiz, R., Saña, M., Zebari, A., & Gómez-Bach, A. 2019. New data on the 4th-3rd millennia in Northern Mesopotamia: The ancient occupations at Gird Lashkir in their archaeological contexts. Paléorient 45.2. pp: 191-206.
2019: Gómez-Bach, A., Cruells, W., Alcàntara, R., Saña, M., Douché, C., & Molist, M. 2019. New excavations at Gird Banahilk, a Halafian site in Iraqi Kurdistan: Farmer and herder communities in the Upper Zagros Mountains. Paléorient 45.2. pp: 53-66.