Khady Niang

The Neolithic period holds significant importance in human cultural and economic history. However, in West Africa, the traditional criteria used for identifying it – such as ceramic, polished stone tools, domestication of plants and animal, etc.- do not appear in a synchronous manner as observed in Asia or Europe. This spatio-temporal variability is further complicated by diversity of terminology and research traditions. The aim of this project is to uncover evidence of Neolithic settlement, refine its chronology and reconstruct paleoenvironemental conditions associated with this settlement along southern coast of Senegal. Expanding the chrono-cultural definition of the Neolithic beyond traditionally investigated like river valley like river valley is crucial for understanding of the plurality of cultural trajectories during the Holocene.