Developing Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Methods for Studying Archaeological Pastoral Sites: the CAMP project

Developing Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Methods for Studying Archaeological Pastoral Sites: the CAMP project

The paper presents the aims, methods, and some initial results of the project ‘(Re)Constructing the Archaeology of Mobile Pastoralism (CAMP)’, a multi-disciplinary investigation into anthropogenic deposits from pastoral contexts in dryland regions.
14.04.2026

Developing Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Methods for Studying Archaeological Pastoral Sites: the CAMP project

In the first stage of the project, research has focused on three distinct regions: Maitengwe, in the northern part of Botswana’s Northeastern District; Khor Rori in the coastal area of Dhofar, in southern Oman; and Loreamatet, located in Turkana County, Kenya (Fig. 1). Maitengwe is characterized by a semi-arid climate with low and unpredictable rainfall; Dhofar experiences a subtropical desert climate influenced by seasonal monsoons; while Loreamatet in Turkana is situated in a hot arid zone with extremely limited precipitation. These regions were selected for their ecological variability, cultural diversity, and long-standing pastoral traditions. In addition to these core study areas, supplementary test locations have been established to broaden the dataset and assess the wider applicability of the analytical protocol across diverse environmental and cultural contexts.

 

 

Reference work: Biagetti, S., Ruiz-Giralt, A., Rix, K. S., Koutroumpas, A., Ibañez-Insa, J., Lancelotti, C., Garcia-Tuset, N., Kerfant, C. E., Grillo, K. M., Hildebrand, E. A., Lonyala, J., Mvimi, M., Merlo, S., Lucarini, G., Lischi, S., & Madella, M. (2026). Developing Geo-Ethnoarchaeological Methods for Studying Archaeological Pastoral Sites: The CAMP project. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 33(3), 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-025-09759-9