Ana Paula Motta

Dr. Ana Paula Motta is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Kiel University's Institute of Prehistory and Protohistory and an Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Western Australia. Funded by a Gerda Henkel Stiftung fellowship, her current research examines jaguar representations in material culture across northwestern Argentina and the Brazilian Amazon, bridging archaeological theory with Indigenous knowledge systems.

Her academic training includes:

• PhD in Archaeology from The University of Western Australia (2022), focusing on Pleistocene human-animal relationships in Kimberley rock art
• MSc in Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology from University College London (2016) with First Class Distinction
• BSc in Anthropological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires (2014)

Motta's research critically explores intersections between Indigenous epistemologies, the ontological turn, decolonial methodologies, and multispecies ethnographies. She investigates how rock art and material culture encode social identity through human-animal relationships, particularly emphasizing performative aspects of heritage conservation and the political dimensions of archaeological interpretation. Her work actively challenges Western-centric frameworks by centering Indigenous knowledge in understanding Pleistocene hunter-gatherer societies.

Analysis of her publication record reveals strong thematic continuity in decolonial rock art studies, with increasing emphasis on jaguar symbolism in South America and birds of prey in Australian contexts. Her collaborative approach with Indigenous communities—especially the Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation—shapes methodologies that treat rock art as living heritage rather than static artifacts.

Key recognitions include:

• Gerda Henkel Stiftung Fellowship (2024-present)
• Semi-Finalist FameLab Australia (2020)
• UCL Dean's List (2017)
• UCL Institute of Archaeology Master's Prize (2016)

Motta directs fieldwork across five continents, including Pleistocene excavations in Argentina's Antofagasta de la Sierra, Upper Palaeolithic research in France's Ardèche region, and Kimberley rock art recording with Australian Aboriginal communities. Her consultancy for PKKP Aboriginal Corporation integrates archaeological practice with anthropological mediation, while the Rock Art India Project demonstrates her cross-cultural data management expertise. Current involvement in Kiel University's Cluster ROOTS and ERC initiatives expands her focus on transnational heritage dynamics.