Save the date for the next Webinar:

on Wednesday the 27 July 2022 at 18.00 CET Ariadna Nieto Espinet and Ada Torra Burgués will talk about the CENTAURO project:

Here is the link for the zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86292664953?pwd=Zjcrb0pDVUtQMUdsVDhpWm9GK25nUT09

CENTAURO project and the archaeology of the Equids 

Research into the origins of domestication and 

animal traction in the Western Europe

What does the study of equids contribute to our knowledge of the evolution of human societies? Is it possible to identify social and cultural changes from research into the evolution of equid interaction, perception and management? How can we contribute to our knowledge about these aspects from archaeology? What impact does archaeological research have on the challenges of today's society?

CENTAURO is an archaeological research project led by the Prehistoric Research Group (GIP) of the University of Lleida (UdL), which aims to assess the impact that the domestication of equids and animal traction had on the development of human economies throughout history. We believe that the integration of equids into human societies could have been a very important driver of change by facilitating greater connectivity between territories, cultures and technological innovations. For this reason the project aims to analyse the changes in the management of equids over time in order to better understand the political and economic transformations that took place in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula between the Neolithic period and Romanisation (2900 BCE - 50 BCE).

CENTAURO aims to establish a dialogue between past and present, and between science and society, to raise awareness of the biological, cultural and economic importance that equids have had for human societies. Today's native breeds are the result of centuries of genetic selection and ecological adaptation that have given rise to more efficient and resilient specimens. A genetic and cultural heritage of incalculable value that is currently under great threat, but that can be an alternative to face the current context of global energy crisis.

Ariadna Nieto Espinet

Grup d’Investigació Prehistorica (GIP)

History Department

University of Lleida

Catalonia

She is an archaeozoologist specialising in the study of changes in animal-human interactions (domestication, husbandry and ritual/symbolic practices) through the study of mammal remains from archaeological sites in Western Europe. She is a principal investigator of the CENTAURO project (PID2020-113369RJ-100) will evaluate the importance and impact of equids on the development of the prehistoric economies of the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. 

Ada Torra Burgués

Department of Animal Science

University of Lleida

Catalonia

She works as an equine veterinary clinician in the field working as a general practitioner in her own practice. She treats leisure, sport and meat horses all around north-west Catalonia. She works as an Associate Professor in the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agraria-Department of Animal Science, UdL and presides the Catalan Association of Equine Veterinarians (AVEEC). As anppasionate of equids, she owns a riding centre where she lives and teaches other people to know and love horses.