Dr. G.H.J. (Geeske) Langejans
Dr. G.H.J. (Geeske) Langejans
Profile
Background
As a researcher-lecturer in archeological materials I am affiliated with the Materials Science & Engineering department (Faculty of 3mE). I work primarily with stone, shell and glues from the European and African Palaeolithic (250.000 – 15.000 years old). I characterise materials using a range of methods, and through experimental archaeology I validate how prehistoric objects were produced, used and preserved. I have done a lot of research into early hunter-gatherers and the interaction between climate and behavioural changes in southern Africa.
Research
I am fascinated by prehistoric adhesives, they are a wonderful example of very early "garden-variety chemistry" where the end product cannot be predicted from the initial ingredients. The core of my current project
(ERC Ancient Adhesives) also touches on another major interest: the development of technology. My team and I characterise glue ingredients and we examine the material choices. We are also developing a computer method to measure the complexity of adhesive technology. To compare the technological capabilities and unique solutions of Neandertalers with those of modern people.
Other projects and interests:
- Finding resolution for the Middle to Later Stone transition
- NWO Veni: What’s in a Plant: Tracking Early Human Behaviour tracking through Plant Processing
- Unprocessed Paleolithic stone
- Preservation of organic residue on tools
- Shells / shellfish in the Paleolithic
- Climate change and human adaptation
Studentprojects
- Why is birch tar a better glue than pine resin in an Ice Age?
- What does ocher do in a prehistoric composite glue?
- Can you identify tar with SEM-EDS?
Take a look behind the scenes of the Ancient Adhesives Project
Expertise
Publications
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2024
Complicating the debate
Evaluating the potential of gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry for differentiating prehistoric aceramic tar production techniques
Rivka Chasan / Liliana Iwona Baron / Paul R.B. Kozowyk / Geeske H.J. Langejans -
2024
Traditional adhesive production systems in Zambia and their archaeological implications
Sebastian Fajardo / Jelte Zeekaf / Tinde van Andel / Christabel Maombe / Terry Nyambe / George Mudenda / Alessandro Aleo / Martha Nchimunya Kayuni / Geeske H.J. Langejans
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2023
Identifying Palaeolithic birch tar production techniques
challenges from an experimental biomolecular approach
Paul R.B. Kozowyk / Liliana I. Baron / Geeske H.J. Langejans -
2023
Measuring ancient technological complexity and its cognitive implications using Petri nets
Sebastian Fajardo / Paul R.B. Kozowyk / Geeske H.J. Langejans
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2023
Scaling Palaeolithic tar production processes exponentially increases behavioural complexity
Paul R.B. Kozowyk / Sebastian Fajardo / Geeske H.J. Langejans
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Courses 2023
Media
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2020-10-02
How to make 200,000 year old glue
Appeared in: BBC, CrowdScience
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2019-10-22
Neanderthalers maakten hun eigen 'aardappelschilmesjes'
Appeared in: De Volkskrant
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2018-02-15
Stone Age Adhesives
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2017-09-07
Starting Fires to Unearth How Neanderthals Made Glue
Appeared in: New York Times, Trilobites Science Blog
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2017-09-06
Zo maakten Neanderthalers teer uit berkenbast