Ferran Borrell

Ferran Borrell is a Contract Scientist under the prestigious Ramón y Cajal Programme at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). His research focuses on the emergence and diffusion of agricultural systems in the Near East and western Mediterranean during the 9th to 5th millennia cal. BC. He co-directs projects at Neolithic sites in the Near East, including Nahal Efe in the Negev desert, and conducts research on Neolithic variscite mines in Gavà, Barcelona.

Borrell specializes in Lithic Analysis, particularly chipped stone tools, to investigate social complexity, exchange networks, social interaction, and craft specialization origins in Neolithic societies. His research spans Near Eastern and Mediterranean Archaeology, with a focus on the Neolithic Period and Agricultural Origins. Recently, he has expanded into assessing the impact of Early Holocene climate events on agricultural emergence.

His recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on lithic technology and Neolithic developments. Key themes include the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, ritual objects, trade networks, and the diffusion of agricultural practices across the Mediterranean basin, integrating fieldwork from Israel, Jordan, and northeastern Spain.

Scientific awards and fellowships:

• Ramón y Cajal Fellowship

Borrell is actively involved in international collaborative projects, including co-directing the Nahal Efe project with Dr. Jacob Vardi (Israel Antiquities Authority) and participating in projects at Beisamoun (Israel) and Kharaysin (Jordan). His research is supported by the Ramón y Cajal Programme.

He is part of research teams focused on Neolithic archaeology in the Mediterranean, with particular emphasis on the Near East and northeastern Spain. His work at the variscite mines of Gavà has provided insights into prehistoric mining and trade during the Middle Neolithic.