Lucinda Backwell

Lucinda Backwell (born 1966) is an archaeologist anda member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. She obtained her MSc in Palaeoanthropology (cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School in 2000. Her PhD in Palaeoanthropology was awarded in 2004, making her the first South African woman to be awarded a PhD. in Palaeoanthropology at a local institution.

Lucinda Backwell (left back) and Francesco d'Errico (University of Bordeaux) (second right) with friends at Tsumkwe, Namibia.

In 2011 she was promoted to Senior Researcher at the Evolutionary Studies Institute of the University of the Witwatersrand, where she taught introductory courses on human evolution and taphonomy and supervised postgraduates on various topics, including fossil assemblages from caves in the Cradle of Humankind. In 2017 she moved to Argentina and became associated with Instituto Superior de Estudios Sociales (CONICET), Argentina. She has been published 40 times and has been involved in 11 documentaries. Her research interests include taphonomy, archaeology, paleontology and ethnoarchaeology.

• Vertebrate taphonomy and the fossil record

Taphonomic study of an eland carcass from time of death, Free State, South Africa.

• Early hominin cultural and behavioural evolution
• Tracing the emergence of modern human behaviour
• Correlating archaeology, palaeontology and climate change
• Ethnoarchaeology amongst Kalahari Bushmen
• Origin(s) of ritual mortuary practice

Large mammal butchering experiment using stone tools, Kacgae, Botswana.

• Origin and evolution of bone tool technology

Bow and bone arrow experiment, Tsumkwe, Namibia.

• Microscopic analysis of bone surface modifications
• San material culture, past and present

Excavations at Border Cave showing stratigraphy on the North section of the site

• Border Cave Middle Stone Age site excavation and analysis, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
• Working on a book, digital archive of a century-old collection of traditional San material culture, and subtitled film of Kalahari San elders describing in their own words, and demonstrating the use of the items, now housed at Museum Africa in South Africa.
• Taphonomic analysis of hominin remains from the Rising Star site, South Africa.
• Taphonomic analysis of Australopithecus sediba and associated Plio-Pleistocene fauna from Malapa, South Africa.
• Taphonomic analysis and description of a Holocene large mammal mass death assemblage from the South African interior.
• Experimental taphonomy: ongoing invertebrate modification of bone in South Africa.
• Experimental taphonomy: Refining the functional interpretation of early hominin bone tools: new experiments and texture analyses.
• Experimental taphonomy: interpreting breakage patterns on large mammal bones.
• Longitudinal studies of modern mammal carcass modification, disarticulation, dispersal and burial in a semi-arid grassland environment in South Africa.
• Description of Middle Stone Age bone artefacts from Sibudu Cave, South Africa.
• Description of Middle and Later Stone Age bone artefacts from Bushman Rock Shelter, South Africa.
• Description of bone tools from the Late Pleistocene site of Ma’anshan, southern China.

Early Later Stone Age layers at Border Cave

• Analysis of the Middle Stone Age Border Cave infant burial and associated Conus shells
• Origin(s) of ritual mortuary practice, a reappraisal of the fossil evidence.
• Holocene mortuary practices in Northwest Argentina.

Museum Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa

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

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).

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.

• 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.

• 2014 YouTube documentary the San ostrich trap
• 2013 A Shaman's Journey. The last elders [Le voyage de Kgonta Bo, le chaman]. Documentary film produced by MC4, with the participation of France Télévisions and Planète Thalassa for France 5 Television.
• 2012 San material culture PNAS podcast on YouTube.
• 2008 Department of Science and Technology. Progress of Science, Human Origins Education (SABC 1)
• 2004 National Geographic Society
• 2003 African Solutions (SABC 3)
• 2002 Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (Discovery Channel, Canada)

Cradle of humankind exhibit

• 2001 Discovery Channel (Canada)
• 2001 Technologic (Summit TV, DStv Ch 412)
• 2001 Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
• 2001 Odyssey of Mankind (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen)

• “Best 1st year Lecturer” by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society. (2014)
• Journal of Archaeological Science Top cited article 2007-2011. (2012)
• NRF rating: C1 (valid 2012 - 2017). (2011)
• Promoted to Senior Researcher. (2011)
• Voted “Best Lecturer for 1st year”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society. (2010)
• Voted “Coolest Lectures for 1st year”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society. (2010)
• Voted “Best 1st year Lecturer”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society. (2009)
• 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.” (2009)
• Science Direct 6th most downloaded paper in first quarter for Journal of Archaeological Science. (2009)
• Top 100 Science Stories, Discover Magazine. (2008)
• Certificate of Appreciation, Life Sciences Educators, Teaching and Learning Services, Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2008)
• First South African woman to be awarded a PhD. in Palaeoanthropology at a local institution. (2004)
• University Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship. (2003)
• University Council Postgraduate Scholarship. (2002)
• University Postgraduate Merit Award. (2002)
• S2A3 Medal. Presented by the South African Association for the Advancement of Science: Most distinguished master's degree in the Faculty of Science for 2000. (2001)
• Top 100 Science Stories Discover magazine: “Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (2001)
• University Council Postgraduate Scholarship. (2001)
• Postgraduate Merit Award. (2001)
• MSc. in Palaeoanthropology (cum laude), University of the Witwatersrand Medical School. (2000)
• Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship. (2000)
• University Postgraduate Merit Award. (2000)
• Category A Award for 2000. (200)
• Lystrosaurus Shield: Best student paper presented at the 11th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa.