Ricerc@Sapienza

With the increasing number of conferences, congresses and workshops devoted to African archaeology, one wonders if there is room for another one. More so if with the explicit hope, or unconscious admission, that this workshop would have been the first of a (long) series. And finally, in Italy, where in the past other attempts to create a flexible but permanent structure did not last for long. This workshop comes after a long theoretical gestation, mainly due to the essential questioning – do we really need it? – and many perplexities.

Africa encompasses a multitude of environments and biomes that require specific scientific strategies – from desktop studies to field research to laboratory analysis – to tackle research questions that may range from the emergence of early humans to the ethnoarchaeological investigation. In several areas, turmoil, social instability and security constraints hamper or limit field activities and long-term funded programs.