LUCINDA BACKWELL

More Publications

Wojcieszak, M., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L. 2023. Evidence for large land snail cooking and consumption at Border Cave c. 170 – 70 ka ago. Implications for the evolution of human diet and social behaviour. Quaternary Science Reviews. 306: 108030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108030

Zavattaro, M. and Backwell, L. 2022. Etnografia della transizione culturale nelle comunità San del Kalahari. Archivio per l’Antropologia e la Etnologia. CLII: 197-216.

Esteban, I., Stratford, D., Sievers, C., de la Peña, P., Mauran, G., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L. 2022. Plants, people and fire: Phytolith and FTIR analyses of the post-Howiesons Poort occupations at Border Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). Quaternary Science Reviews. 300: 107898.

de la Peña, P., Colino, F., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L., Banks, W.E., Stratford, D. and Backwell, L., 2022. Lithic technological and spatial analysis of the final Pleistocene at Border Cave, South Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews. 296: 107802.

Tribolo, C., Mercier, N., Dumottay, C., Cantin, N., Banks, W.E., Stratford, D., Backwell, L., Wadley, L. and d’Errico, F., 2022. Luminescence dating at Border Cave: attempts, questions, and new results. Quaternary Science Reviews. 296: 107787.

Timbrell, L., de la Peña, P., Way, A., Hoggard, C., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L. and Grove, M., 2022. Technological and geometric morphometric analysis of ‘post-Howiesons Poort points’ from Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews. 297: 107813.

d’Errico, F., Backwell, L., Wadley, L., Geis, L., Queffelec, A., Banks, W., Doyon, L. 2022. Technological and functional analysis of 80-60 kya bone wedges from Sibudu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). Scientific Reports. 12: 16270. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20680-z

Stratford, D., Clark, J., Wojcieszak, M., de la Peña, P., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., Mauran, G., Sievers, C., Banks, W., Beard, T., Horn, M., Shadrach, K., Morrissey, P., Backwell, L. 2022. Geoarchaeology and zooarchaeology of Border Cave, South Africa: initial multiproxy considerations of stratigraphy and site formation processes from the Backwell et al. excavations. Quaternary Science Reviews. 291: 107618.

Backwell, L., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., Banks, W., de la Peña, P., Stratford, D., Sievers, C., Laue, G., Vilane, B., Clark, J., Tribolo, C., Beaudet, A., Jashashvili, T., Carlson, K., Lennox, S., Esteban, I., Mauran, G. 2022. Border Cave: A 227,000-year-old archive from the southern African interior. Quaternary Science Reviews. 291: 107597.

Lennox, S., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L. 2022. A vegetation record based on charcoal analysis from Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, ~227 000 to ~44 000 years ago. Quaternary Science Reviews. 293: 107676.

Beaudet, A., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L., Wadley, L., Zipfel, B., de la Peña, P., Reyes-Centeno, H. 2022. A reappraisal of the Border Cave 1 cranium (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa). Quaternary Science Reviews. 282: 107452.

Sievers, C., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L. 2022. Plant bedding construction between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago at Border Cave, South Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews. 275: 107280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107280

Guarido, A. L., De Stéfano, J., Backwell, L. R., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F. 2021. Border Cave: una aproximación a la práctica arqueológica sudafricana. Práctica Arqueológica. 4(2): 56-62. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5669315

Hanon, R., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L., Prat, S., Péan, S., Patou-Mathis, M. 2021. New evidence of bone tool use by Early Pleistocene hominins from Cooper’s D, Bloubank Valley, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 39: 103129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103129

d’Errico, F. and Backwell, L. 2021. Comment on ‘Group-specific use of raw material for termite-fishing tools by Tanzanian chimpanzees: ecological constraints and cultural variants’. Current Anthropology. 62(3): 348-349.

Backwell, L.R., Huchet, J.-B., Jashashvili, T., Dirks, P., Berger, L. 2020. Termites and necrophagous insects associated with early Pleistocene (Gelasian) Australopithecus sediba at Malapa, South Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 560: 109989.

Wadley, L., Esteban, I., de la Peña, P., Wojcieszak, M., Stratford, D., Lennox, S., d’Errico, F., Rosso, D.E., Orange, F., Backwell, L.R., Sievers, C. 2020. Fire and grass bedding construction 200 thousand years ago at Border Cave, South Africa. Science. 369: 863-866.

Backwell, L.R., Wojcieszak, M., Wadley, L. 2020. The effect of heat on keratin and implications for the archaeological record. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. 12(8): 1-10.

Wadley, L., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F. and Sievers, C. 2020. Cooked starchy rhizomes in Africa 170 thousand years ago. Science. 367(6473): 87-91.

Backwell, L., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., Banks, W., de la Peña, P., Sievers, C., Stratford, D., Lennox, S., Wojcieszak, M., Bordy, E., Bradfield, J. 2018. New excavations at Border cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Journal of Field Archaeology. 43(6): 417-436.

Backwell, L.R., Bradfield, J., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., Carlson, K., Jashashvili, T. 2018. The antiquity of bow-and-arrow technology: evidence from Middle Stone Age layers at Sibudu Cave. Antiquity. 92(362): 289-303.

Backwell, L.R., Steininger, C. Neveling, J., Abdala, N.F., Pereira, L., Mayer, E., Rossouw, L., de la Peña, P., Brink, J. 2018. Holocene large mammal mass death assemblage from South Africa. Quaternary International. 495: 49-63.

Val, A., Backwell, L.R., Dirks, P., d’Errico, F., Berger, L.R. 2017. Reconstruction of the burial position of two hominin skeletons (Australopithecus sediba) from the early Pleistocene Malapa cave site, South Africa. Geoarchaeology. 1-16.

Puech, E., Urrego, D.H., Sanchez Goñi, M.F., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F. 2017. Vegetation and environmental changes at the Middle Stone Age site of Wonderkrater, Limpopo, South Africa. Quaternary Research. 88(2): 313-326.

Randolph-Quinney, P., Backwell, L.R., Berger, L.R., Hawks, J., Dirks, P.H.G.M., Roberts, E., Nhauro, G., Kramers, J. 2016. Response to Thackeray (2016) – The possibility of lichen growth on bones of Homo naledi: Were they exposed to light? South African Journal of Science. 112(9/10): 1-5.

Dirks, P.H.G.M., P.H.G.M. Dirks, L.R. Berger, J. Hawks, P.S. Randolph-Quinney, L.R. Backwell, E.M. Roberts. 2016. Comment on “Deliberate body disposal by hominins in the Dinaledi Chamber, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa? Journal of Human Evolution. 96: 145-148.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2016. Earliest evidence of personal ornaments associated with burial: the Conus shells from Border Cave. Journal of Human Evolution. 93: 91-108.

Zhang, S., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., Zhang, Y., Chen, F., Gao, X. 2016. Early evidence of complex bone tool technology from the Late Pleistocene site of Ma’anshan, southern China. Journal of Archaeological Science. 65: 57-69.

Wadley, L., Trower, G. Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. 2015. Traditional glue, adhesive and poison used for composite weapons by Ju/’hoan San in Nyae Nyae, Namibia. Implications for the evolution of hunting equipment in prehistory. Plos ONE. (10(10):e0140269. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140269

Val, A., Dirks, P.H.G.M., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. & Berger, L.R. 2015. Taphonomic analysis of the faunal assemblage associated with the hominins (Australopithecus sediba) from the early Pleistocene cave deposits of Malapa, South Africa. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0126904. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0126904

Dirks, P.H.G.M., Berger, L.R., Roberts, E.M., Kramers, J.D., Hawks, J., Randolph-Quinney, P.S., Elliott, M., Musiba, C.M., Churchill, S.E., de Ruiter, D.J., Schmid, P., Backwell, L.R., Belyanin, G.A., Boshoff, P., Hunter, K.L., Feuerriegel, E.M., Gurtov, A., Harrison, J., Hunter, R., Kruger, A. Morris, H., Makhubela, T.V., Peixotto, B. & Tucker, S. 2015. Geological and taphonomic evidence for deliberate body disposal by the primitive hominin species Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa. eLife. 4: e09561.

Backwell, L., McCarthy, T., Wadley, L., Henderson, Z., Steininger, C., deKlerk, B., Barre, M., Lamothe, M., Chase, B.M., Woodborne, S., Susino, G., Bamford, M., Sievers, C., Brink, J., Rossouw, L., Pollarolo, L., Trower, G., Scott, L. & d’Errico, F. 2014. Multiproxy record of late Quaternary climate change and Middle Stone Age human occupation at Wonderkrater, South Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews. 99: 42-59. DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.06.017.

Taru, P. & Backwell, L. 2014. Hair morphology of some artiodactyls from southern Africa. Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 4: 26-32.

Taru, P. & Backwell, L. 2013. Identification of fossil hairs in Parahyaena brunnea coprolites from Middle Pleistocene deposits at Gladysvale cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 40(10): 3674-3685. DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2013.04.031.

Backwell, L.R., Parkinson, A., Roberts, E., d’Errico, F. & Huchet, J-B. 2012. Criteria for identifying bone modification by termites in the fossil record. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 337-338: 72-87. DOI:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.03.032

d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., Villa, P., Degano, I., Lucejko, J., Bamford, M., Higham, T., Colombini, M.P., Beaumont, P. 2012. Early evidence of San material culture represented by organic artifacts from Border Cave, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 109(33): 13214-13219. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1204213109

d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., Villa, P., Degano, I., Lucejko, J., Bamford, M., Higham, T., Colombini, M.P., Beaumont, P. 2012. Reply to Evans: use of castor bean for poison still the most parsimonious argument. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 109(48): E3291–E3292. DOI:10.1073/pnas.1214711109

Villa, P., Soriano, S., Tsanova, T., Higham, T., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., Lucejko, J., Beaumont, P. 2012. Border Cave and the beginning of the Later Stone Age in South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 109(33): 13208-13213. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1202629109

d’Errico, F. Backwell, L.R. & Wadley, L. 2012. Indentifying regional variability in Middle Stone Age bone technology. The case of Sibudu Cave. Journal of Archaeological Science. 39: 2479-2495. DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.01.040

Barré, M, Lamothe, M., Backwell, L.R. & McCarthy, T. 2012. Optical dating of quartz and feldspars: A comparative study from Wonderkrater, a Middle Stone Age site in South Africa. Quaternary Geochronology. 10: 374-379. DOI:10.1016/j.quageo.2012.01.009

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2010. Comment on Shipman “The animal connection and human evolution”. Current Anthropology. 51(4): 525-526.

McCarthy, T.S., Ellery, W.N., Backwell, L.R., Marren, P., de Klerk, B., Tooth, S., Brandt, D., Woodborne, S. 2010. The character, origin and palaeoenvironmental significance of the Wonderkrater spring and peat mound, South Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 58: 115-126.

Backwell, L.R., Pickering, R., Brothwell, D., Berger, L.R., Witcomb, M., Martill, D., Penkman, K. & Wilson, A. 2009. Probable human hair found in a fossil hyaena coprolite from Gladysvale cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 36(6): 1269-1276.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2009. Assessing the function of early hominin bone tools. Journal of Archaeological Science. 36: 1764–1773.

de Ruiter, D.J., Pickering, R., Steininger, C.M., Kramers, J.D., Hancox, P.J., Churchill, S.E., Berger, L.R., Backwell, L.R. 2009. New hominin fossils from Cooper’s Cave (Gauteng, South Africa) and the first U-Pb date for Australopithecus robustus. Journal of Human Evolution. 56(5): 497-513.

Berger, L.R., Pickering, R., Kuhn, B., Backwell, L.R., Hancox, J. & Kramers, J.D. 2009. A Mid-Pleistocene in situ fossil brown hyaena (Parahyaena brunnea) latrine from Gladysvale Cave, South Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 279(3-4): 131-236.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Early hominid bone tools from Drimolen. Journal of Archaeological Science. 35(11): 2880-2894.

Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. & Wadley, L. 2008. Middle Stone Age bone tools from the Howiesons Poort layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 35(6): 1566-1580.

Cukrowska, E., Pole, S., McCarthy, T.S., Backwell, L.R. & Steininger, C. 2005. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones. South African Journal of Science. 101(1/2): 101-103.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. The first use of bone tools: a reappraisal of the evidence from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeontologia africana. 40: 95-158.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2003. Additional evidence on the early hominid bone tools from Swartkrans with reference to spatial distribution of lithic and organic artefacts. South African Journal of Science. 99(5/6): 259-267.

d’Errico, F., Henshilwood, C., Lawson, G., Vanhaeren, M., Bresson, F., Soressi, M., Tillier, A.M., Maureille, B., Nowell, A., Lakarra, J., Backwell, L.R. & Julien, M. 2003. Archaeological evidence for the emergence of language, symbolism and music – an alternative multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of World Prehistory. 17(1): 1-70.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2003. Possible evidence of bone tool shaping from the early hominid site of Swartkrans, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 30: 1559-1576.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2001. Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. United States of America. 98(4): 1358-1363.

d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., & Berger, L.R. 2001. Bone tool use in termite foraging by early hominids and its impact on understanding early hominid behaviour. South African Journal of Science. 97: 71-75.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2001. Les premiers outils en os. Pour la Science. 284: 24.

Backwell, L.R., Dane, G. H., Gabamondi, K. J., Fenn, G.J., Names, C.M., Pennifer, P.M. 1996. Report on the Late Iron Age site of Twyfelpoort, Free State, South Africa. Southern African Field Archaeology. 5: 84-95.

Backwell, L. and d’Errico, F. 2021. San Elders Speak: Ancestral Knowledge of the Kalahari San. University of the Witwatersrand Press.

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., Huchet, J.-B., du Guesclin Harrison, J. and d’Errico, F. 2021. Invertebrate modification of bone. In: Manual of Forensic Taphonomy. J. T. Pokines and S. A. Symes (Eds). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. pp. 631-666. ISBN: 978-0-367-77437-0  DOI: 10.4324/9781003171492

Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., de la Pena, P., Wadley, L. 2021. Border Cave, South Africa. In: Handbook of Pleistocene Archaeology of Africa: Hominin behavior, geography, and chronology. D. Olszewski, D. Wright, J. Wilkins, A. Bouzouggar, A. Beyin (Eds). Springer, The Netherlands. In press.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2016. Osseous projectile weaponry from Early – Late Middle Stone Age Africa. In M.C. Langley (Ed.), Osseous Projectile Weaponry. Towards an Understanding of Pleistocene Cultural Variability. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, pp. 15-29.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2014. Palaeolithic bone tools. In C. Smith (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, Vol. 2. Springer, New York, pp. 950-962. Print: ISBN 978-1-4419-0426-3; Online: ISBN 978-1-4419-0465-2

Caruana, M., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R. 2013. Early hominin social learning strategies underlying the use and production of bone and stone tools. In: C. Sanz, C. Boesch, J. Call (Eds.). Tool Use in Animals: Cognition and Ecology. Cambridge University Press, pp. 242-285.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2007. From Swartkrans to Arcy-sur-Cure. The use of bone tools in the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic. In E. Baquedano (Ed.), El Universo Neanderthal. Fundacion Duques de Soria, Spain, pp. 101-143. ISBN 978-84-95803-56-6

McCarthy, T.S. & Rubidge, B. 2005. The Story of Earth and Life. A South African Perspective on a 4.6 Billion Year Journey. Contributing author to Chapter 10, Arrival of Humans, pp. 274-295. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2005. The origin of bone tool technology and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions, pp. 238-275. In F. d’Errico & L.R. Backwell (Eds), From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans. Wits University Press.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2005. Searching for common ground in Palaeoanthropology, Archaeology and Genetics, pp. 1-8. In From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans, F. d’Errico & L.R. Backwell (Eds). Wits University Press.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. Additional evidence on early hominid bone tools from Swartkrans. In C.K. Brain (Ed.), Swartkrans, a Cave’s Chronicle of Early Man, 2nd edition, pp. 279-295. Transvaal Museum Monograph No. 8.

Backwell, L.R. Wadley, L., McCarthy, T.S., Chase, B.M., Scott, L. 2015. Wonderkrater peat mound: Middle Stone Age site amid a multiproxy record of climate change. Proceedings of the 18th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa. Johannesburg. 11-14 July. Palaeontologia africana. 49: 72.

Val, A., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F., Berger, L.R. 2012. Post-mortem in 3D: new methods to assess the spatial taphonomy of the Malapa early hominins. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa 18th meeting, Cape Town, South Africa, 5-8 September. Palaeontologia Africana. 47: 55-56.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2009. Additional evidence of early hominid bone tools from South Africa. First attempt at exploring inter-site variability. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa. Palaeontologia africana. 44: 91-94.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Multifocus microscopy confirms bone tool utilisation by early hominids at Drimolen, South Africa. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa, 46th Annual Conference. 21-25 July, University of Botswana. 38: 80.

Backwell, L.R., Steininger, C.M, Brink, J., Neveling, J., Rossouw, L. & Pereira, L. 2007. Large mammal mass death accumulation in the Holocene of South Africa. Palaeontologia africana. 42: 118.

Mothupi, T. & Backwell, L.R. 2007. Taphonomy of the Late Pleistocene Plover’s Lake faunal assemblage. Palaeontologia africana. 42: 127-128.

Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. 2004. Reassessing early hominid bone tool traditions through experimentation and microscopic analysis. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa, p. 91.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. Microscopic evidence for deliberate shaping of bone tools by South African early hominids. 15th International Congress on Electron Microscopy. Proceedings 2. Biology and Medicine, Durban. September 1-5, pp. 625-626.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. Possible evidence of deliberate shaping on the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools. Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New York. April 10-14, pg. 39.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2000. A new functional interpretation of the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools. Abstract for the Paleoanthropology Society Meeting. Journal of Human Evolution. 38(3): A4-A5.

Timbrell, L., Grove, M., Way, A., Hoggard, C., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., Wadley, L., de la Peña, P. Technological and geometric morphometric analysis of ‘post-Howiesons Poort’ points from Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 16th Congress of the PanAfrican Archaeological Association of Prehistory and Related Studies. Zanzibar, Tanzania. 7-12 August 2022.

Beard, T., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., de la Peña, P., Wadley, L., Stratford, D. 2022. Understanding the formation of the upper stratigraphic units at Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, through the application of fabric analysis. 16th Congress of the PanAfrican Archaeological Association of Prehistory and Related Studies. Zanzibar, Tanzania. 7-12 August 2022.

Clark, J. L., Backwell, L. R., d’Errico, F., Stratford, D., Wadley, L. 2022. Middle and Later Stone Age Faunal Remains from the Renewed Excavations at Border Cave (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa): Preliminary Results. Paleoanthropology Society meeting, Denver, USA. 22-23 March.

Martínez, J. G., Grau, R. H., Foguet, J., Grau, A., Backwell, L. 2022. En busca de las rutas perdidas: hacia modelos de interacción Puna-valles/valles-Puna. Sociedad Argentina de Antropología. I Jornadas de Arqueología del Noroeste Argentino. Trayectorias, Diálogos y Saberes. Simposio 4: Interacciones, intercambio y articulaciones multiescalares: el NOA en el contexto macrorregional. Tilcara, Argentina. 28 March-1 April.

Beaudet, A., Reyes-Centeno, H., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L., Wadley, L., Zipfel, B., de la Peña, P. 2021. A revision of the Border Cave 1 cranium. Human Evolution – From Fossils to Ancient and Modern Genomes (Virtual Conference). Virtual from Wellcome Genome Campus, UK. 2-4 November.

Esteban, I., Wadley, L., Backwell, L. 2021. Bedding layers from Border Cave, South Africa: a phytolith and FTIR investigation. 12th International Meeting of Phytolith Research. Kiel, Germany. 8-11 September.

Beard, T., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F., de la Pena, P., Wadley, L. and Stratford, D. 2020. A geoarchaeological investigation of site formation processes in the upper Brown Sand and White Ash stratigraphic units at Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal through the application of fabric analysis. Society of Africanist Archaeologists (SAfA). Oxford, United Kingdom. 21-24 September.

Martínez, J.G. Arreguez, G, Backwell, L.R., Naharro, E, Oliszewski, N. 2019. Funebria y ritualidad en la Quebrada de los Corrales, El Infiernillo, Tucumán (3800-3500 BP). XX Congreso Nacional de Arqueología Argentina. Córdoba, Argentina. 15-19 July.

Romano, A.S., Backwell, L.R., Aschero, C.A & Martínez, J.G. 2018. Evidencias del Pleistoceno final en la Puna Meridional Argentina: Cacao 1.A como caso de studio. IX Simposio Internacional El Hombre Temprano en América, Necochea, Argentina. 27-30 November.

Huchet, J.-B., Backwell, L.R., Dirks, P., Jashashvili, T. & Berger, L.R. 2018. Etude taphonomique, paléoichnologique et paléoforensique d’Australopithecus sediba à partir des insectes fossiles et de leurs traces d’activité (Malapa, province de Gauteng, Afrique du Sud). XXXIII GALF Conference (Groupement des Anthropologues de langue française), Coimbra, Portugal. 22-23 November.

Backwell, L.R., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., de la Pena, P., Sievers, C., Stratford, D., Bradfield, J., Banks, W. 2017. New excavations at Border cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA), University of Pretoria 5-7 July.

Stratford, D., Backwell, L.R., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., de la Peña, P., Banks, W., Bradfield, J., Bordy, E. 2017. New excavations at Border cave: preliminary reflections on stratigraphy and site formation processes. Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA), University of Pretoria 5-7 July.

Sievers, C., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F, Wadley, L. 2017. Consumption of underground storage organs at Border Cave, South Africa, earlier than 100 000 years ago. 21st conference of the Southern African Society for Quaternary Research (SASQUA), Johannesburg. 3-7 April.

Backwell, L., Bradfield, J., Carlson, K., Jashashvili, T., Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., 2017. The application of high resolution CT to identify the function of the Middle Stone Age bone point from Sibudu Cave, South Africa. 3rd National Conference on Imaging with Radiation (Imgrad2017), Johannesburg. 14-15 September 2017.

Oliszewski, N., Martínez, J.G., Arreguez, G, Di Lullo, E., Gramajo Bühler, M., Molar, R., Nasif, N., Funes Coronel, J., Backwell, L., Coronel, A., Naharro, E., Puentes Duberti, S., Sastre Illescas, A., Alarcón, A. Cambiar de modo de vida: hace 4000 años en la Quebrada de los Corrales (El Infiernillo, Tucumán). XIII Jornadas de Comunicaciones, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Argentina. 6-7 December 2017.

Backwell, L.R. Wadley, L., d’Errico, F., de la Pena, P., Sievers, C., Stratford, D., Tribolo, C., Banks, W. 2016. New excavations at Border Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Society of Africanist Archaeologists (SAfA), University of Toulouse, France. 26 June-2 July.

Puech, E., Urrego, D.H., Sanchez Goñi, M.F., d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R. 2016. Regional and local vegetation and environmental changes at Wonderkrater and implication for Middle Stone Age occupation. Society of Africanist Archaeologists (SAfA), University of Toulouse, France. 26 June-2 July.

Elliott, M., Dirks, P., Roberts, E., Kramers, J., Hawks, J., Randolph-Quinney, P., Kruger, A., Backwell, L., Berger, L. 2016. Geological and taphonomic context of excavations within the Rising Star cave system. American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, 13-16 April.

Backwell, L.R., Wadley, L., McCarthy, T.S., Chase, B.M., Scott, L. 2015. Wonderkrater peat mound: Middle Stone Age site amid a multiproxy record of climate change. Proceedings of the 18th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa, 11-14 July.

Val, A., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F., Berger, L.R. 2013. Spatial analysis of Australopithecus sediba fossils in 3D and taphonomic implications. 22nd meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society, Hawaii, 2-3 April.

Val, A., Dirks, P., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. and Berger, L. 2013. A forensic approach to understand the taphonomy of the hominins from the Malapa site. Fourth East African Association of Palaeoanthropology and Palaeontology (EAAPP) conference, Mombasa, Kenya, 28 July-2 August.

d’Errico, F., Backwell, L.R., Villa, P., Degano, I., Lucejko, J., Bamford, M., Higham, T., Colombini, M.P., Beaumont, P. 2012. Organic artefacts from Border Cave: earliest evidence of San material culture. European Society for the study of Human Evolution. Bordeaux, France, 21-22 September.

Taru, P., Backwell, L., 2011. Taxonomic identification of fossil hairs in Parahyaena brunnea coprolites from Middle Pleistocene deposits at Gladysvale Cave, South Africa. Third East African Asssociation of Palaeoanthropology and Palaeontology (EAAP) conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 8-12 August.

Val, A., Conforti, D., Sgrenzaroli, M., Backwell, L., d’Errico, F., and Berger, L. 2011. A 3D approach to understanding the depositional context of australopithecines from the Plio-Pleistocene cave site of Malapa, South Africa. Third East African Asssociation of Palaeoanthropology and Palaeontology (EAAP) Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 8-12 August.

Barre, M., Lamothe, M., Backwell, L. 2011. A comparative study of two luminescence dosimeters from a Middle Stone Age site in South Africa. 13th International Conference on Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance Dating. Torun, Poland. 10-14 July.

Backwell, L.R., McCarthy, T., Wadley, L., Henderson, Z., Lamothe, M., Barre, M., Scott, L., Steininger, C., Sievers, C., Woodborne, S., Chase, B.M., Pollarolo, L., Brink, J., deKlerk, B., Sukumar, R., Rossouw, L., Sheshashayee, M.S. 2010. Report on excavations at Wonderkrater, a late Pleistocene spring and peat mound site in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa meeting. Howick, 5-8 August.

Caruana, M., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. 2010. Learning strategies among early hominins. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa meeting. Howick, 5-8 August.

d’Errico, F., Henshilwood, C., Vanhaeren, M., Backwell, L.R., Garcia Moreno, R., Rifkin, R. 2010. The origin of symbolic material culture. Models, methods, data, and research perspectives. Pleistocene Art of the World Congress 2010. International Federation of Rock Art Organisations (IFRAO). Tarascon-sur-Ariège and Foix, France. 6-11 September.

Parkinson, A., Backwell, L.R., Roberts, E., d’Errico, F., Huchet, J-B. & Val, A. 2010. The effects of termites on mammal and bird bone. International Council for Zooarchaeology (ICAZ) Conference. Paris, 23-28 August.

Parkinson, A., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F., Huchet, J.-B., Roberts, E. 2010. The microscopic effects of termite damage on mammal and bird bone. 48th Annual Conference of the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. Bela-Bela, 26- 29 October.

Val, A., Backwell, L.R., d’Errico, F. 2010. Hunting or Scavenging? Assessing subsistence strategies in the Middle Stone Age through 3D analysis of cut marks. International Council for Zooarchaeology (ICAZ) Conference. Paris, 23-28 August.

Backwell, L.R., Witcomb, M.J., Berger, L.R., Pickering, R. & Brothwell, D. 2009. Scanning electron microscopy reveals oldest known hominin hair from Gladysvale Cave, South Africa. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. Durban, 3-6 December.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2009. Early hominin bone tools: archaeological reflection of different eco-cultural niches? Understanding Tool Use. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Cognition and Ecology of Tool Using Behaviors. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. 3-5 December.

Backwell, L.R., d’Errico. 2009. Early hominids: bone tools and behaviour. Association of Southern African Indexers and Bibliographers International Conference. Maropeng.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2008. Additional evidence of early hominid bone tool use and modification. First attempt at exploring inter-site variability. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa Meeting, Matjiesfontein. 11-15 September.

Backwell, L.R. 2008. Africa as the Cradle of Humankind: fossil evidence of human evolution. South African Association of Science and Technology Educators (SAASTE) 4th Biennial Conference, University of the Witwatersrand. 1-4 July.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2006. Early hominid bone tool technology and utilisation in eastern and southern Africa. Abstract for the Paleoanthropology Society Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 24-26 April.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2006. Bone tools and the cultural adaptations of early hominids from South and East Africa. African Genesis Conference, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School. 8-14 January.

Backwell, L.R., Steininger, C.M., Brink, J., Neveling, J., Rossouw, L. & Pereira, L. 2006. Large mammal mass death accumulation in the Holocene of South Africa. Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa Meeting, Albany Museum and Rhodes University, Grahamstown. 7-10 September.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2005. The earliest use of elephant bone. A reappraisal of the Olduvai evidence. “The World of Elephants” 2nd International Congress, Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA. 22-25 September.

Pole, S., Cukrowska, E., McCarthy, T.S., Backwell, L.R. & Steininger, C. 2005. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones from the Cradle of Humankind. Fifth International Bone Diagenesis Conference. University of Cape Town. 28-31 August.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. Reassessing early hominid bone tool traditions through experimentation and microscopic analysis. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa 43rd Annual Conference. University of Pretoria. 30 November-3 December.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2004. New data on the early hominid bone tools from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, GeoScience Africa Conference, Johannesburg. 12-16 July.

Pole, S., Cukrowska, E., McCarthy, T. S., Backwell, L.R. & Steininger, C. 2004. The chemical removal of manganese dioxide coatings from fossil bones from the Cradle of Humankind, GeoScience Africa Conference, Johannesburg. 12-16 July.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2003. The origin of bone tool technology and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions. From Tools to Symbols. From Early Hominids to Modern Humans conference. Johannesburg. 16-18 March.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 2002. What the bones tell us. New information on the Swartkrans early hominid bone tools. Palaeontological Society 12th Biennial Meeting. Bloemfontein. 3-7 October.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2001. Early hominid cultural traditions and technical systems: the full picture. Possible evidence of bone tool shaping from Swartkrans, South Africa. Knapping stone. A Unique Hominid Behaviour? International Workshop, Abbaye des Prémontrés, Paris. 21-24 November.

d’Errico, F. & Backwell, L.R. 2000. Bone tool use and the identification of early hominid cultural traditions. New data from Swartkrans and Sterkfontein. 11th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of southern Africa. Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. 4-8 September.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 1999. A reassessment of ‘bone tools’ from the early hominid sites of Swartkrans and Sterkfontein. Archaeological Sciences 99 Conference, University of Bristol, United Kingdom. 20-22 September.

Backwell, L.R. & d’Errico, F. 1999. The application of SEM, confocal microscopy and image analysis to assess the first use of bone by early hominids. Microscopy Society of Southern Africa 38th Annual Conference. University of the Free State, South Africa. 1-3 December.

Backwell, L.R. 2021. Permit Report on Archaeological excavations conducted at Border Cave 2018-2021. Submitted to South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).

Backwell, L.R. 2018. Final Permit Report on Archaeological excavations conducted at Border cave 2015-2018. Submitted to South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA).

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.

2022
San elders speak: Ancestral knowledge of the Kalahari San VIDEO ARCHIVE.

2014
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.

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).

2001
Discovery Channel (Canada).
Technologic (Summit TV).
Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

2001
Odyssey of Mankind (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen).

Year	Course	Core items		Free choice		Science Faculty
Lecturer		Lecturer		rating
2015	GEOL1000	9.00	7.81	8.44	7.86	Top 5%
2014	GEOL1000	8.99	7.77	8.84	7.83	Top 10%
2013	APES3029	8.98	7.75	8.86	7.82	Top 15%
2013	GEOL1000	9.05	7.73	8.93	7.75	Top 15%
2012	GEOL1000	8.79	7.66	8.59	7.74	Top 20%
2011	APES3029	9.30	7.65	9.35	7.67	Top 5%
2011	GEOL1000	9.14	7.64	9.22	7.87	Top 5%
2010	GEOL1000	8.72	7.61	8.54	7.67	Top 10%
2009	GEOL1000	9.20	7.61	9.25	7.67	Top 5%
2009	APES3029	8.58	7.61	8.86	7.66	Top 15%
2008	GEOL1000	8.84	7.59	8.80	7.88	Top 5%
2007	APES3029	9.10	7.57	9.02	7.85	Top 5%
2007	GEOL1000	8.98	7.56	8.81	7.56	Top 5%
2006	APES301T	9.10	7.53	9.24	7.82	Top 5%
2006	GEOL104	9.10	7.53	9.24	7.82	Top 5%
2005	GEOL122	8.68	7.51	8.68	7.79	Top 10%
2004	GEOL122	8.65	7.48	8.63	7.71	Top 10%

2014
Voted “Best 1st year Lecturer” by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society.

2012
Journal of Archaeological Science Top cited article 2007-2011.

2011
NRF rating: C1 (valid 2012 – 2017).
Promoted to Senior Researcher.

2010
Voted “Best Lecturer for 1st year”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society.
Voted “Coolest Lectures for 1st year”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society.

2009
Voted “Best 1st year Lecturer”, by Wits University School of Geosciences Geological Student Society.
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.”
Science Direct 6th most downloaded paper in first quarter for Journal of Archaeological Science.

2008
Top 100 Science Stories, Discover Magazine.
Certificate of Appreciation, Life Sciences Educators,
Teaching and Learning Services, Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

2004
First South African woman to be awarded a PhD. in Palaeoanthropology at a local institution.

2003
University Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship.

2002
University Council Postgraduate Scholarship.
University Postgraduate Merit Award.

2001
S2A3 Medal. Presented by the South African Association for the Advancement of Science:
Most distinguished Masters Degree in the Faculty of Science for 2000.
Top 100 Science Stories Discover magazine: “Evidence of termite foraging by Swartkrans early hominids”.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
University Council Postgraduate Scholarship.
Postgraduate Merit Award.

2000
MSc. in Palaeoanthropology (cum laude), University of the Witwatersrand Medical School.
Postgraduate Local Merit Scholarship.
University Postgraduate Merit Award.
Category A Award for 2000.

Lystrosaurus Shield: Best student paper presented at the 11th Biennial Conference of the Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa.