Helen Fewlass

Dr. Helen Fewlass is a Lecturer in Archaeology at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol. She specializes in archaeological science, with a focus on radiocarbon dating, palaeoproteomics, and the study of ancient biomolecules to investigate human evolution and prehistory. Her research has significantly contributed to our understanding of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe, particularly regarding the migration of Homo sapiens into Europe and interactions with Neanderthals.

Dr. Fewlass completed her Msci and earned her PhD (2015-2019) at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Following her doctoral studies, she held postdoctoral research positions at the same institute (2019-2021) and later at the Ancient Genomics Lab at the Francis Crick Institute in London (2021-2024).

Dr. Fewlass's research focuses on innovative methods in archaeological science. She specializes in radiocarbon dating ancient bone with minimal sample requirements, having developed protocols to reduce the amount of material needed from precious specimens. Her work with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) allows for non-destructive pre-screening of bone protein preservation, significantly reducing destructive sampling of valuable archaeological material. She applies palaeoproteomics techniques like ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry) for species identification of ancient bone fragments, which has revolutionized Palaeolithic archaeology by increasing the identification of human remains from archaeological sites.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the chronology of human evolution during the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe (~50,000-40,000 years ago). Her work combines multiple methodologies including radiocarbon dating, ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, and proteomics to investigate crucial questions about human migration, adaptation to cold climates, and interactions between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. A significant trend in her research is the development and application of minimally destructive analytical techniques that preserve precious archaeological specimens while extracting maximum scientific information.

Dr. Fewlass has received notable recognition for her research contributions:

• EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022)
• Otto Hahn Medal (2022)

Dr. Fewlass is actively involved in several major research projects. She is part of the Horizon-funded COEXIST project (2024-2029) investigating late Middle Palaeolithic sites across southeastern and central Europe, the Horizon-funded MAMBA project (2022-2027) focused on Gravettian mammoth bone accumulations in Central Europe, and a Polish National Science Centre-funded project (2021-2026) on Palaeoclimate reconstruction using directly dated micromammals. Her work frequently involves large interdisciplinary collaborations with archaeologists, palaeoanthropologists, geologists, geneticists, and climate specialists.

Her laboratory work spans multiple institutions, including the University of Bristol, where she continues her research on ancient biomolecules, and previously at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Francis Crick Institute. She has developed specialized protocols for collagen extraction and radiocarbon dating of small bone samples, as well as NIR spectroscopy models for protein preservation screening that can be implemented in museums and archaeological field settings.