Nicolas Zwyns

Nicolas Zwyns is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Davis. He specializes in Paleolithic archaeology, with a focus on lithics and hominin adaptations in Asia. His research integrates paleoenvironmental, genetic, and physical anthropology data to study subsistence strategies and population dynamics during the Pleistocene.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Archaeology, Leiden University, Netherlands (2012)
• M.A., Archaeology, University College London, UK (2006)
• B.A./M.A., Art History & Archaeology, University of Liège, Belgium (2001-2004)

His fieldwork includes excavations in Mongolia, China, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Belgium. Since 2011, he co-directs the Ikh-Tulberiin Gol project in Mongolia and leads excavations at the Trou al' Wesse Cave in Belgium. His research emphasizes human dispersals, cultural transmission, and the interactions between hominins and their environments.

Key publications focus on Denisovan adaptations in Tibet, blade technology in East Asia, and Upper Paleolithic sites in Mongolia. His work bridges lithic analysis with broader evolutionary questions, such as the peopling of Asia and Neanderthal behavior.

• Awards:
• Fyssen Foundation Post-Doctoral Grant (2011)

Zwyns collaborates on international projects, including the Paleolithic of northern China and primate tool use in Panama. His fieldwork spans over two decades, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding human prehistory.