The Laboratory for Evolutionary and Experimental Archaeology and Prehistory (LAPEEX - Laboratório de Arqueologia e Pré-História Evolutiva e Experimental), headed by EXARC Member Prof. Dr. João Carlos Moreno de Sousa, is the newest laboratory for experimental archaeology in Brazil.
LAPEEX integrates the Institute of Humanities and Information at the Federal University of Rio Grande, located in Rio Grande city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.
Beyond experimental archaeology, LAPEEX is also currently developing the lines of research of lithic technology, bone tool technology, zooarchaeology, evolutionary archaeology, digital archaeology and early occupation of the Americas. Current studies including the application of experimental archaeology are mostly focused on hunter-gatherers from the countryside of meridional Brazil, the earth-mounds and shell-mounds in the Southern coast of Rio Grande do Sul state, and cultural transmission between early Homo.
Current associate researchers include Prof. Dr. Alex Martire, who coordinates the studies regarding digital archaeology; EXARC Member Msc. Gabriela Mingatos, who coordinates studies regarding bone tools, diet research and rock art; Msc. Vanderlise Barão, who coordinates studies regarding shell-mounds and extensions projects. Prof. Dr. João Carlos Moreno de Sousa is the head of LAPEEX and coordinates studies on lithic industries, human evolution, hunter-gatherers and science communication.
Regarding experimental archaeology, LAPEEX is already developing research, teaching and extension projects, and it will, from time to time, promote events, including experimental workshops and public demonstrations.
People Behind
Prof. Dr. João Carlos Moreno
Function: Head-of-lab / Professor
E-mail: jcmoreno@furg.br
Expertise: Lithic technology; experimental archaeology; early occupation of the Americas; science communication; human biocultural evolution
Mini bio: João Carlos Moreno (Bogotá, 1989) studied archaeology at Institute of Prehistory and Anthropology of Goiás, in the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás (BR). He obtained a Master’s Degree at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, University of São Paulo (BR). In 2019, he obtained a PhD at the National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (BR), and part of his PhD was carried out in the University of Exeter (UK), working closely with Bruce Bradley at the Laboratory of Experimental Archaeology. The Masters’ Degree and the PhD projects were both funded by CAPES.
From 2010 to 2022, he held a postdoctoral position at the Laboratory for Human Evolutionary Studies, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo (BR), were he keeps being a collaborator. His research project is funded by the São Paulo Foundation for Research (Fapesp). In 2022 he got a professor position at the Federal University of Rio Grande and created the Laboratory for Evolutionary and Experimental Archaeology and Prehistory.
His research focus is lithic technology and replication of lithic collections, through experimental archaeology.
Most of his research is centered on the Paleoamerican/Paleoindian cultures, although he has been regularly part of projects dealing with lithic industries from different periods in the Americas and Europe. Regarding teaching at the Federal University of Rio Grande, he is responsible for the following chairs: Methodology of Archaeological Research 1 (Survey); Methodology of Archaeological Research 2 (excavation and rock art); Lithic Technology; Brazilian Precolonial History; Regional Pre Colonial Histories; Science Communication and Archaeology; Experimental Archaeology.
He is currently involved in the analysis and replication of lithic tools from hunter-gatherers from Southeastern and Southern Brazil.
Gabriela Sartori Mingatos (MA cand. PhD)
Function: Associate researcher
E-mail: gabriela.mingatos@gmail.com
Expertise: zooarchaeology; experimental archaeology; bone tools technology; evolutionary Archaeology
Bio: Gabriela Mingatos (São Paulo, 1986) studied History at UNINOVE University and Social Sciences at the Federal University of São Paulo. She obtained a Master's Degree at the National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (BR), the same institution where she is carrying out her current PhD project, but part of her PHD was carried out in the University of Paris Nanterre (FR). The MPhil and the PhD projects were both funded by CAPES and FAPERJ.
In 2022 she became an associate researcher at LAPEEX. Her research focus is Zooarchaeology (diet and bone technology), and replication of bone collections, employing experimental archaeology.
Most of her work is centered on the Paleoamerican/Paleoindian cultures, especially in diet and taphonomy, but regularly deals with bone industries and faunal remains from distinct periods in Brazil.
She is currently involved in the analysis of diet and bone industry changes through time and replication of bone tools from hunter-gatherers, shell mound builders, and agriculturist groups from Southeastern and Southern Brazil.
Professor Dr. Alex da Silva Martire
Function: Associate researcher
E-mail: alexmartire@furg.br
Expertise: Cyber-archaeology; digital archaeology; archaeogaming; roman archaeology
Bio: Alex Martire (São Paulo, 1983) graduated in History at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences of the University of São Paulo (BR). He obtained a master's degree at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of the University of São Paulo (BR) on mining techniques in Ancient Rome. In 2017, he obtained a PhD at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of the University of São Paulo, establishing the field of Cyberarchaeology in Brazil. The master's and doctoral projects were financed by FAPESP.
From 2019 to 2020, he held a post-doctorate at the Archeology Laboratory of the Federal University of Pará (BR), with a CAPES scholarship. Between 2020 and 2021, he held a postdoctoral position at the Laboratory of Antarctic Studies in Human Sciences at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (BR), funded by CNPq. In 2022, he became an Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande and created the Laboratory of Interactive Archaeology and Electronic Simulations (ARISE) and became associate researcher of LAPEEX.
His research focus is interactive digital technology applied to archaeological studies.
He is an associate researcher at the Provincial Roman Archaeology Laboratory and coordinator of the research group Interactive Archaeology and Electronic Simulations, both at the University of São Paulo. He is a researcher responsible for the digital part at the Laboratory of Antarctic Studies in Human Sciences at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He has been developing digital games with an archaeological background that are used in schools in Brazil. Regarding teaching at the Federal University of Rio Grande, he is responsible for the following courses: Methodology of Archaeological Research 1 (digital archaeology); Methodology of Archaeological Research 2 (digital applications on excavation); Law and ethics in archaeology; Precolonial American Societies 1; Precolonial American Societies 2.
He is currently involved in digitizing and three-dimensional printing of the archaeological collection of the Federal University of Rio Grande.
Vanderlise Machado Barão (MA cand. PhD)
Function: Associate researcher / Technician
E-mail: vandermbya@gmail.com
Expertise: Indigenous education; Cultural Heritage Management and Politics; Precolonial Archaeology; Collaborative Archaeology
Bio: Vanderlise Barão studied History at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. She obtained a Master's Degree at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul.
In 2022 she became an associate researcher at LAPEEX. Her current research focus is the pre colonial occupation of the coastal zones of meridional Brazil, especially shell midden sites from the Middle and Late Holocene.
