Zooarchaeology serves as a key perspective for understanding the co-evolution of humans, the environment and other organisms. In recent years, the number of zooarchaeologists in China has grown steadily. Systematic identification of animal remains has been conducted at hundreds of archaeological sites nationwide. Integrating taxonomic identification, taphonomy analyses with cutting-edge techniques such as ancient DNA and Palaeoproteomics, researchers have made remarkable achievements in exploring prehistoric human subsistence patterns, as well as the origins and expansion of animal domestication.
Nevertheless, interpretative capacity in domestic zooarchaeological research still needs improvement. Interdisciplinary collaboration across archaeology, biology and environmental science remains insufficient, and theoretical development lags behind empirical studies — these are major challenges hindering the advancement of zooarchaeology in China.
Against this backdrop, this workshop combines systematic lectures on theories and methodologies, as well as observation and discussion of archaeological specimens. It aims to strengthen participants’ theoretical foundation in zooarchaeology, equip them with essential analytical skills, and enhance their capabilities for interdisciplinary interpretation. The ultimate goal is to foster the continued growth and advancement of zooarchaeological research in China. Topics include cutting-edge theories and methodologies of zooarchaeology, interdisciplinary interpretation of zooarchaeological data, specimen observation, group discussions and research design for zooarchaeological projects.
1.Frontier Theories and Methodologies in Zooarchaeology
2. Data Collection and Core Analytical Methods for Zooarchaeology
3. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Interpreting Zooarchaeological Data
4. Animal Domestication and the Transition from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic
5. Research on Bone Artifacts and Ornaments
6. Hands-on Specimen Observation and Project Design
7. Participant Seminars & Discussions
Time: September 5 – 8, 2026
Venue: School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
Mary Stiner
Member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States; Regents Professor Emerita, Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona; Head of the Zooarchaeology Section, Arizona State Museum.
Professor Stiner is a leading scholar in zooarchaeology and prehistoric archaeology. Her methodological innovations in zooarchaeology and taphonomy, alongside her theoretical research on the subsistence and social dynamics of hunter-gatherer communities, have exerted profound influence on numerous academics. Her research focuses on the co-evolution of prehistoric humans, the environment and fauna. Over the past three decades, she has conducted fieldwork across the Mediterranean rim and West Asia.
She has made outstanding contributions to a wide range of research fields, including the Broad Spectrum Revolution, Paleolithic human subsistence strategies, the relationship between food resources and human evolution, comparative studies on hunting strategies of Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens, environmental adaptation in human evolution, and the transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture.
Professor Stiner is a prolific author. Her monograph Honor among Thieves: A Zooarchaeological Study of Neandertal Ecology adopted an innovative ecosystem-based approach to reveal the complexity of Neanderthal subsistence strategies, and won the inaugural Book Award of the Society for American Archaeology in 1996. She has published over a hundred papers in top international journals including Science, PNAS and Science Advances, putting forward influential theories on the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition, resource exploitation and the evolution of social structures.
Target Participants: Doctoral students from universities and research institutions
Quota: 10 – 15 participants
Application Period: From now until June 30
Application Procedure: Download the application form via the link in "Read More". Submit the completed form to shuxine@pku.edu.cn.
Email subject format: Full Name + Affiliation
Admission Notification: All admitted applicants will be notified via email by July 12, 2026, along with detailed workshop arrangements. No separate notification will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.
No tuition fee will be charged. Participants shall cover their own travel, accommodation and catering expenses.
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
Center for the Study of Chinese Archaeology, Peking University
Key Laboratory of Archaeological Science (Peking University), Ministry of Education
