Paleoanthropology in the Central Highlands of Kenya: A Knowledge Co-production Research Model

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Human origins research in the East African region has largely focused on sites within the rift basin. The story of human origins is also credited to highly educated Western nation paleoanthropologists and a few local researchers. The work presented here demonstrates the importance of high-elevation tropical sites to human evolution using the Central Highlands of Kenya (CHK). The CHK covers the area encircled by the Aberdare, Mathews, and Kirisia ranges and Mt. Kenya. Based on newly discovered evidence from sites found here, these orographic features moderated local environments and hydrology, shaping evolutionary processes in the region. Using a knowledge co-production model in which locals at areas with prehistoric sites work together with scientists to carry out research, the work discussed here also demonstrates that local populations are an important resource in human origins studies. Since 2019, cooperation with residents at CHK has facilitated the rapid discovery of sites from the late Miocene to the Holocene by local people who know the landscape intimately. This also aids in wider participation by locals, increases the uptake of research products, and promotes pride in ancient heritage found at the CHK.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41551.0