About
Francesco Berna is an Assistant Professor of Archaeological Science at Simon Fraser University's Department of Archaeology. He specializes in geoarchaeological methods, particularly Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR), applied to understanding human use of fire, ancient pyrotechnologies, and site formation processes. His research focuses on the origin of modern human behavior and prehistoric adaptations in Africa, the Near East, and the Mediterranean.
Education: BSc and PhD from the University of Florence, Italy, followed by postdoctoral research at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. His fieldwork spans excavations at Wonderwork Cave (South Africa), Manot Cave (Israel), and Beisamoun (Levant), investigating Early Stone Age, Middle Paleolithic, and Neolithic contexts.
Research interests include combustion feature analysis, lithic technology, and environmental archaeology. He has pioneered methodologies for studying prehistoric fire use through microstratigraphic and geochemical approaches, contributing to debates about hominin cognitive evolution and cultural innovation.
- Key Projects:
- Early human fire use at Koobi Fora (Kenya) and Wonderwerk Cave
- Manot Cave Upper Paleolithic chronology
- Pre-Pottery Neolithic cremation practices in the Levant
- Awards: Marie Curie Fellowships (2001, 2006)
- Teaching: Directs laboratory/field research courses for graduate students
Labs/Teams: Leads SFU's Archaeological Science lab focusing on microspectroscopy and experimental archaeology. Collaborates internationally with institutions in Israel, South Africa, and Italy.
