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SAPIENCE

Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE) aims to increase our understanding of how and when Homo sapiens evolved into who we are today.

Pigments of the Past
Image of that the world's oldest ochre mine, Ngwenya in eSwatini

Ochre's Role in Early Human Societies

SapienCE scientist Elizabeth Velliky and her team have uncovered that the world's oldest ochre mine, Ngwenya in eSwatini, wasn't the only source of ochre pigment as we once thought. Instead, people used a variety of local ochres, showcasing unique cultural traditions and social interactions in Stone...

SapienCE Exhibition - Still Bay South Africa
Image of Linda Fletcher on the left and Dt Wilhelm de Beer on the right. Christopher Henshilwood is in the middle.

Mother Africa – Welcome Home

The Blombos Museum of Archaeology has launched the much-anticipated exhibition Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour marking a significant milestone in understanding early human prehistory.

News
Margit Simon leading climate researcher at Sapience

Margit Simon Receives Prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant

Dr. Margit H. Simon is awarded a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant of 2,17 million Euros to lead the PIONEER project which will transform our understanding of how environmental factors shaped the evolution of behavioural complexity in early Homo sapiens.

News
Image of UVDAL STAVE CHURCH (1170 A.D.)

Ancient proteins reveal secrets of Uvdal Stave Church

A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that hide glue made from calfskin was used as a binder in the paints used to produce Uvdal stave church’s decorations. Surprisingly, tests also uncovered traces of human saliva.

NEW RESEARCH
Group of people gathres looking like ancient people

A Call for New Perspectives on Cognitive Evolution

A recent study at SapienCE calls for a more nuanced approach to understanding the evolution of human cognition, arguing that research on the mental abilities of humans – in the present and the past – needs to incorporate cultural and cognitive diversity more explicitly.

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SapienCE was established in 2017 by the Research Council of Norway in collaboration with the University of Bergen. The SapienCE Centre is cooperating closely with the University of the Witwatersrand, Norce, Royal Holloway University of London, Université de Bordeaux and Universität Tübingen.

SapienCE is part of the Research Council of Norway's Centres of Excellence (CoE) scheme. The scheme organizes the activities of Norway’s foremost scientific circles in centres to achieve ambitious scientific objectives through collaboration and long-term basic funding.