This National Science Foundation (NSF) Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (CFDA 47.075) Project Grant award of $321,936 to Texas A&M University supports archaeological research on early human adaptation and ecology in high-altitude environments. The project investigates multiple archaeological sites to determine the resilience of small-scale foraging societies before the advent of agriculture and complex civilizations. Key research activities include constructing detailed radiocarbon records to establish occupation timelines, analyzing artifacts and faunal remains to understand subsistence patterns and behavioral changes over time, and comparing these with local paleoenvironmental data. The project also provides hands-on field and laboratory training for over 10 graduate and undergraduate students, and produces educational materials for school children and the public, including an informative site plaque, artifact display, and illustrated booklet. This research aims to advance understanding of how past environmental changes impacted early human societies and their adaptive capacities in challenging high-altitude landscapes.
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