Nicholas Gonzalez

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Program Entrance

2022

Advisor

Natalie Munro

Research Interests

Mediterranean island archaeology, Paleolithic Greece and Sicily, human evolution, zooarchaeology, large carnivores, subsistence strategies, paleoecology, taphonomy, and site formation processes.

About

Where are you/will you be conducting your research/fieldwork?

I work in Greece and Sicily. I focus on the zooarchaeology of Mediterranean islands.

What do you find most interesting about your field work/research location?

I’m interested in how Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene humans on Mediterranean islands adapted their subsistence strategies, and in their interactions with large carnivores.

What is your most memorable experience in the field so far, or most memorable lesson learned?

A few highlights: In 2022, I uncovered an intact fox skull at Nahal Ein Gev II (Israel). In 2023, I found multiple bear teeth at Hohle Fels and helped excavate fossilized elephant footprints at Schöningen (Germany). I also enjoyed excavating in Sicily in the summer of 2024.

What do you do in your downtime? Share something interesting about yourself!

I like to read in the sun, and I also like to bake cookies sometimes.