Biography
I am a Palaeolithic archaeologist with special interest in African Early and Middle Stone Age. My research has so far focused on Oldowan, Acheulean and Middle Stone age lithic implements from East and South Africa.
In 2023 I completed a PhD University College London and the Natural History Museum, under the supervision of Prof. Ignacio de la Torre, Prof. James Steele and Dr. Silvia Bello. My PhD research was founded by a London NERC DTP scholarship (London NERC DTP training grant NE/L0002485/1) and I have also work as part of the ERC projects “Biogeographical aspects of early human migrations” (BICAEHFID grant agreement No. 832980) and The Origins of Acheulean in East Africa (ORACEAF Grant agreement ID: 283366. I have spend the last 10 years researching stone tools and participating in a number of fieldwork projects in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Spain and the UK.
Research
My research focuses on human behavioural evolution through the excavation and analysis of lithic assemblages. I often follow a technological approach to assess changes in hominin behaviour and cognitive skills. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher focusing on Howiesons Poort technology in South Africa and I have a special interest in field excavation techniques, geoarchaeology and landscape use.
Key Publications
- Martin-Ramos (2022). Acheulean technology and hominin cognition. Analysis of Large Cutting Tools from Olduvai Gorge Beds III and IV, Tanzania. Institute of Archaeology, University College London (unpublished PhD thesis)
- Martín-Ramos, C. (2021) Handbook of Cognitive Archaeology: Psychology in Prehistory. Edited by Tracy B. Henley, Matt J. Rossano and Edward P. Kardas. Archaeological Review from Cambridge, 35 (2), 175-179. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.71842
- de la Torre, I., Benito-Calvo, A., Martín-Ramos, C., McHenry, L. J., Mora, R., Njau, J. K., Pante, M. C., et al. (2021). New excavations in the MNK Skull site, and the last appearance of the Oldowan and Homo habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 61, 101255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaa.2020.101255
- Proffitt, T. and Martín-Ramos, C. (2019). Oldowan/Acheulean succession at Olduvai Gorge. eLS John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470015902.a0028492
- Pante, M. C., Njau, J. K., Hensley-Marschand, B., Keevil, T. L., Martín Ramos, C., Peters, R. F., & de la Torre, I. (2018). The carnivorous feeding behavior of early Homo at HWK EE, Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 120, 215-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.06.005
- Martín Ramos, C. (2017). Review of Westward on the High-Hilled Plains. The Later Prehistory of the West Midlands. Papers from the Institute of Archaeology, 27(1), Art. 16, page 1-4. http://doi.org/10.5334/pia-538
- De la Torre, I., Martín-Ramos, C., & Mora Torcal, R. (2017). Trabajos arqueológicos en el lago Ndutu (Tanzania). Proyectos Arqueológicos en el Exterior, convocatoria de 2014. Informes y Trabajos, 14, 268–275. ISBN: 978-92-0-013495-1, ISSN: 2444-8087 (Technical excavation report).
- Martín-Ramos, C. (2016) Review of Sainz-Jiménez, C. (ed.) The Conservation of Subterranean Cultural Heritage. Revista PH. Instituto Andaluz de Patrimonio Histórico, no. 89, pp. 216-217.
- de la Torre, I., Arroyo, A, Proffitt, T., Martín Ramos, C., Theodoropoulou, A. (2015). Archaeological fieldwork techniques in Stone Age sites. Some case studies. In Métodos y técnicas para la recuperación del registro arqueológico: una mirada desde el presente. Roda, X., Mora, R. (eds.). Treballs d’Arqueologia, 20: Barcelona; 21-40. ISSN 2339-6490.
- Martín-Ramos, C. (2015) Review of Beltrán Fortes, J. and Rodríguez Gutiérrez, O. (coord). Hispaniae urbes: investigaciones arqueológicas en ciudades históricas. Revista PH. Instituto Andaluz de Patrimonio Histórico, no. 87, pp. 254-255.
Other Professional Activities
- Mental Health advocate
- Wellbeing in Academia advocate
