Doctor Lucinda Backwell

• Early hominid cultural behaviour and cognition
• Ethnoarchaeology amongst Kalahari Bushmen hunter-gatherers
• Vertebrate taphonomy
• Correlating archaeology, palaeontology and climate change
  

Main fields of specialization

• Origin and evolution of bone tool technology
• Microscopic analysis of bone surface modifications

Current research projects 
1.   Assessing the function of early hominid bone tools.
2.   Worked bone from Middle Stone Age deposits and ostrich eggshell beads from Iron Age levels at Sibudu Cave, South Africa.
3.   Organic remains from Middle and Later Stone Age deposits at Border Cave, South Africa.
4.   Taphonomy of fauna from Malapa cave, a new early hominid site in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa.
5.   Taphonomy of fauna from Coopers D cave in the Cradle of Humankind, following chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings.
6.   Excavation of Wonderkrater spring and peat mound site, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Continuous multiproxy record of Late Quaternary climate history and Middle Stone Age human occupation.
7.   Excavation of a drought-induced large mammal mass death assemblage in the Holocene of South Africa.
8.   Modification of modern medium- and large-sized mammals from time of death, to disarticulation, dispersal and burial in a semi-arid environment, South Africa.
9.   Ethnoarchaeology amongst Kalahari Bushmen: large mammal carcass modification.
10.  Rodent modification of bone in South Africa.
11.  Insect modification of bone in South Africa.
12.  Analysis of coprolites from South Africa.

Postgraduate projects available

• Backwell, L.R., Pickering, R., Brothwell, D., Berger, L.R., Witcomb, M., Martill, D., Penkman, K. & Wilson, A. 2009. Probable human hair found in a fossil hyaena coprolite from Gladysvale cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 36(6): 1269-1276.

• Berger, L.R., Pickering, R., Kuhn, B., Backwell, L.R., Hancox, J. & Kramers, J.D.  2009. The first recorded occurrence of a fossil brown hyaena (Parahyaena brunnea) latrine (midden) in a cave setting in Africa from Gladysvale Cave, South Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. In press.

• de Ruiter, D.J., Pickering, R.,  Steininger, C.M., Kramers, J.D., Hancox, P.J., Churchill, S.E., Berger, L.R., Backwell, L.R. 2009. New hominin fossils from Cooper’s Cave (Gauteng, South Africa) and the first U-Pb date for Australopithecus robustus. Journal of Human Evolution. 56(5): 497-513.

• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2009. Assessing the function of early hominin bone tools. Journal of Archaeological Science. 36: 1764–1773.

• Backwell, L.R.  & d’Errico, F. 2008. Early hominid bone tools from Drimolen. Journal of Archaeological Science. 35(11): 2880-2894.

• Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. & Wadley, L. 2008. Middle Stone Age bone tools from the Howiesons Poort layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 35/6: 1566-1580.

• Pole, S., Cukrowska, E., McCarthy, T.S., Backwell, L.R. and Steininger, C. 2005. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones. South African Journal of Science. 101(1/2): 101-103.

• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. The first use of bone tools: a reappraisal of the evidence from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeontologia africana. 40: 95-158.

• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2003. Additional evidence on the early hominid bone tools from Swartkrans with reference to spatial distribution of lithic and organic artefacts. South African Journal of Science. 99(5/6): 259-267.

• d’Errico, F., Henshilwood, C., Lawson, G., Vanhaeren, M., Bresson, F., Soressi, M., Tillier, A.M., Maureille, B., Nowell, A., Lakarra, J., Backwell, L.R. & Julien, M. 2003. Archaeological evidence for the emergence of language, symbolism and music – an alternative multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of World Prehistory. 17(1): 1-70.

• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R.  2003. Possible evidence of bone tool shaping from the early hominid site of Swartkrans, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 30: 1559-1576.

• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2001. Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. United States of America. 98(4): 1358-1363.

• d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., & Berger, L.R. 2001. Bone tool use in termite foraging by early hominids and its impact on understanding early hominid behaviour. South African Journal of Science. 97: 71-75.
  

Books

• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. (Eds) 2005. From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans. Proceedings of conference in honour of Phillip Tobias. Wits University Press.

Book chapters

• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2007. From Swartkrans to Arcy-sur-Cure. The use of bone tools in the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic. In E. Baquedano (Ed.), El Universo Neanderthal, pp. 101-143. Fundación Duques de Soria, Spain.
• McCarthy, T.S. and Rubidge, B. 2005. The Story of Earth and Life. A South African Perspective on a 4.6 billion Year Journey. Contributing author to Chapter 10, Arrival of Humans, pp. 274-295. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. 
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2005. The origin of bone tool technology and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions, pp. 238-275. In F. d’Errico & L.R. Backwell (Eds), From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans. Wits University Press.  
• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2005. Searching for common ground in Palaeoanthropology, Archaeology and Genetics, pp. 1-8. In  From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans, F. d’Errico & L.R. Backwell (Eds). Wits University Press.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. Additional evidence on early hominid bone tools from Swartkrans. In C.K. Brain (Ed.), Swartkrans, a Cave’s Chronicle of Early Man, 2nd edition, pp. 279-295. Transvaal Museum Monograph No. 8.

Theses

• Backwell, L.R. 2004. Early Hominid Bone Tool Industries. PhD. submitted by publications. University of the Witwatersrand and University of Bordeaux I.
• Backwell, L.R. 2000. A Critical Assessment of southern African “Early Hominid Bone Tools”. Unpublished MSc. University of the Witwatersrand.

Other

• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2009. Additional evidence of early hominid bone tools from South Africa. First attempt at exploring inter-site variability. Palaeontologia africana extended abstract. 44: 91-94. 
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2009. Bone tools and early hominin diet. Society of Archaeological Sciences (SAS) Bulletin, USA. 32(2): 8-12.
• d'Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2009. Les outils en os des hominidés d'Afrique australe. Analyse de collections inédites et nouvelle étude fonctionnelle. Eurasie, Eurafrique: quels premiers peuplements avant l'OIS 15? Meeting of the Institut de Prehistoire et de Geologie de Quaternaire, University of Bordeaux.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Bone tools and the cultural adaptations of early hominids in Africa. Wits Nano News. DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand.
• Backwell, L.R. 2007-09. Department of Education Teacher Training Lecture Series.  Syllabus and tips on teaching human evolution as part of the new school curriculum.
• Steininger, C., Hardy, Y. & Backwell, L.R. 2005. Walking Tall. The Story of Human Evolution.  An Educator Booklet for Senior Learners. Published by the Palaeontology Scientific Trust (PAST).
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2001. First evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids. Dart. Newsletter of the Institute for the Study of Man in Africa. 2(2): 2-4.

Research reports

• Backwell, L.R. 2008. Report on 2005 – 2007 excavations at Wonderkrater, a late Quaternary spring and peat mound site in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Submitted to South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).
• Backwell, L.R. 2008. Report on 2005 – 2007 excavations at Heelbo I, a large mammal mass death assemblage in Free State Province, South Africa. Submitted to South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).

Published abstracts 

• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2009. Additional evidence of early hominid bone tools from South Africa. First attempt at exploring inter-site variability. Palaeontologia africana 44: 91-94.
• Backwell, L.R., Witcomb, M.J., Berger, L.R., Pickering, R. & Brothwell, D. 2009. Scanning electron microscopy reveals oldest known hominin hair from Gladysvale Cave, South Africa. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. Durban, 3-6 December.
• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2009. Early hominin bone tools: archaeological reflection of different eco-cultural niches? Understanding Tool Use. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Cognition and Ecology of Tool Using Behaviors. 3-5 December. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. Pg. 17.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Drimolen: additional evidence of early hominid bone tool use and modification. First attempt at exploring inter-site variability. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa meeting, 11-15 September, Matjiesfontein, pg. 26.
• Leenen, A. & Backwell, L.R. 2008. Large mammal butchering experiments using stone tools. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa meeting, 11-15 September, Matjiesfontein, pg. 110. 
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Multifocus microscopy confirms bone tool utilisation by early hominids at Drimolen, South Africa. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa, 46th Annual Conference.  21-25 July, University of Botswana. 38: 80.
• Backwell, L.R. 2008. Africa as the Cradle of Humankind: fossil evidence of human evolution. South African Association of Science and Technology Educators (SAASTE) 4th Biennial Conference, 1-4 July, University of the Witwatersrand, pg. 17.
• Backwell, L.R., Steininger, C.M, Brink, J., Neveling, J., Rossouw, L. & Pereira, L. 2007. Large mammal mass death accumulation in the Holocene of South Africa. Palaeontologia africana. 42: 118.
• Mothupi, T. & Backwell, L. 2007. Taphonomy of the Late Pleistocene Plover’s Lake faunal assemblage. Palaeontologia africana. 42: 127-128.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2006. Early hominid bone tool technology and utilisation in eastern and southern Africa. Abstract for the Paleoanthropology Society Meeting, 24-26 April, San Juan, Puerto Rico, pg. A12.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2006. Bone tools and the cultural adaptations of early hominids from South and East Africa. African Genesis Conference, January  8-14. University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, pg. 51.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2005. The earliest use of elephant bone. A reappraisal of the Olduvai evidence. “The World of Elephants”, 2nd International Congress, Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA, September 22-25, pp. 13-15.
• Pole, S., Cukrowska, E., McCarthy, T.S., Backwell, L. & Steininger, C. 2005. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones from the Cradle of Humankind. Fifth International Bone Diagenesis Conference. University of Cape Town, August 28-31, pp. 36-37.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. Reassessing early hominid bone tool traditions through experimentation and microscopic analysis. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa 43rd Annual Conference. University of Pretoria, November 30- December 3, pg. 91.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. New data on the early hominid bone tools from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, GeoScience Africa Conference, Johannesburg. July 12-16, pg. 28. 
• Pole, S., Cukrowska, E., McCarthy, T. S., Backwell, L. & Steininger, C. 2004. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones from the Cradle of Humankind, GeoScience Africa Conference, Johannesburg.  July 12-16, pp. 519-520.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2003. The origin of bone tool technology and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions. From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans conference. Johannesburg. March 16-18.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. Possible evidence of deliberate shaping on the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools.  Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New York. April 10-14. Book of Abstracts, pg. 39.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. Microscopic evidence for deliberate shaping of bone tools by South African early hominids. 15th International Congress on Electron Microscopy. Proceedings 2. Biology and Medicine, Durban. September 1-5, pp. 625-626.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. What the bones tell us. New information on the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools. Palaeontological Society 12th Biennial Meeting. Bloemfontein. October 3-7. Book of Abstracts, pg. 8.
• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, LR. 2001. Early hominid cultural traditions and technical systems: the full picture. Possible evidence of bone tool shaping from Swartkrans, South Africa. Knapping stone.  A Unique Hominid Behaviour?  International Workshop. November 21-24. Abbaye des Prémontrés, Paris. 
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2000. A new functional interpretation of the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools. Abstract for the Paleoanthropology Society Meeting. Journal of Human Evolution. 38(3): A4-A5.
• d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2000. Bone tool use and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions. New data from Swartkrans and Sterkfontein. 11th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of southern Africa. September 4-8. Transvaal Museum, Pretoria.
• Backwell, LR. & d’Errico, F. 1999. A reassessment of ‘bone tools’ from the early hominid sites of Swartkrans and Sterkfontein. Archaeological Sciences 99 Conference, September 20-22, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
• Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 1999. The application of SEM, confocal microscopy and image analysis to assess the first use of bone by early hominids. Microscopy Society of southern Africa 38th Annual Conference. December 1-3. University of the Free State, South Africa.

Assistant Editor

• Palaeontologia africana

Teaching duties      

         Lecturer in undergraduate Palaeo-Anthropology for:

- School of Geosciences (1^st year Geology)
- School of Animal Plant and Environmental Studies (3rd year Zoology).

         Lecturer in postgraduate Palaeo-Anthropology for:

- BPI Palaeontology Honours course

         Ongoing public lectures and outreach, including nationwide teacher training workshops on human evolution.

Higher degree supervision 

Tawane, Mirriam  (PhD. ongoing)
Taru, Phillip   (PhD. ongoing)
Caruana, Matthew  (PhD. ongoing)
Franklin, Ryan   (PhD. ongoing)
Val, Aurore   (PhD. ongoing)
Pole, Stephen   (PhD. 2008)
Nhauro, Godwin  (MSc. ongoing)
Leenen, Andrea  (MSc. ongoing)
Vilakazi, Nonhlanhla  (MSc. 2008)
De Klerk, Bonita  (MSc. 2008 cum laude)

Membership of societies

• Academy of Science of South Africa
• Royal Society of South Africa
• Microscopy Society of Southern Africa
• Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa (secretary)
• South African Archaeological Society
• Jane Goodall Institute
• Leakey Foundation Alumni Society
• South African Association of Science and Technology Educators

Awards/recognition   

2009     Voted “Best Lecturer for 1^st year”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society.
- FEI Prize (Life Sciences) for the best paper on electron microscopy published in an international journal. “Probable human hair found in a fossil hyaena coprolite from Gladysvale cave, South Africa.” Journal of Archaeological Science, 36, 1269-1276 (2009)
- ScienceDirect 6^th most downloaded paper in first quarter for Journal of Archaeological Science.

2008    Top 100 Science Stories of 2008. Discover Magazine.

2004    First South African woman to be awarded a PhD. in Palaeo-Anthropology at a local institution.

2003    University Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship, University of the Witwatersrand

2002    University Council Postgraduate Scholarship, University of the Witwatersrand
University Postgraduate Merit Award, University of the Witwatersrand

2001     S₂A₃ Medal. Presented by the South African Association for the Advancement of Science: Most distinguished Masters Degree in the Faculty of Science for 2000.
 - Top 100 Science Stories of 2001. Discover magazine: Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2001. Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. United States of America. 98(4): 1358-1363.
- University Council Postgraduate Scholarship, University of the Witwatersrand
- University Postgraduate Merit Award, University of the Witwatersrand

2000     MSc. in Palaeo-Anthropology (cum laude), University of the Witwatersrand Medical School

         - Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship, University of the Witwatersrand

         - University Postgraduate Merit Award, Category A. Award for 2000, University of the Witwatersrand

         - Lystrosaurus Shield: Best student paper presented at the 11^th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa, 4-8 September. Transvaal Museum, Pretoria

1994     Certificate of First Class and Top Student, Archaeology I, University of the Witwatersrand