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Bacara Spruit

@bacaraspruit.bsky.social
1.5K followers 327 following 23 posts

South African archaeologist specialising in ZooMS, stable isotopes, and zooarchaeology. Current chair of the Southern African Archaeology Student Society www.saassarchaeology.com bsky.app/profile/saassociety.bsky.s…

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Reposted by Bacara Spruit
SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The thylacine wasn't a wolf mimic: its skull was a unique mix of canine and marsupial traits, plus features that echo crocs and Spinosaurus. Built for fast, high-impact bites on small prey. medium.com/science-spec... #Paleontology #Science #Evolution #Tasmania
medium.com
Not a Wolf After All: How the Thylacine Bit More Like a Croc and Spinosaurus Than a Canine
New study finds the thylacine’s skull was a mosaic of traits with no analogue among living mammalian carnivores
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SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
New luminescence dating suggests South Dakota's Mammoth Site sinkhole trapped Columbian mammoths 232,000-160,000 years ago, way older than the 42-23k radiocarbon dates once suggested. #Archaeology #Paleontology #Mammoths #Science #SouthDakota archaeologyteahouse.com/stories/mamm...
archaeologyteahouse.com
Mammoth Deathtrap: New Study Pushes South Dakota's Mammoth Trap Back Over 100,000 Years — Archaeology Teahouse
New luminescence dating of sinkhole sediments suggests The Mammoth Site's Columbian mammoths died around 232,000–160,000 years ago, far earlier than radiocarbon indicated
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Last week I gave my talk at UISPP2026 in Poznań 🇵🇱: "From Fragmented Remains to Faunal Reconstruction," on NIR pre-screening and minimally destructive ZooMS at Boomplaas Cave. Grateful to my co-authors and funders for making this work possible 🔬🏛️ #UISPP2026 #FemalesInMS
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
At the XXI UISPP World Congress in Poznań this week. Grateful for the support of Adam Mickiewicz University and Females in Mass Spectrometry (FeMS) in making my participation possible. Looking forward to great talks and connecting with fellow archaeologists 🏛️🔬 #UISPP2026 #FemalesInMS
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SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I've started a free archaeology and palaeontology blog: Archaeology Teahouse. New research written up for anyone who's curious, posted there first, plus notes and small finds you won't see anywhere else: archaeologyteahouse.com
archaeologyteahouse.com
Archaeology Teahouse
Field notes, finds, and long reads on archaeology — served warm.
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SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
A tooth mistaken for an animal tooth bead sat unnoticed in a museum for years. Turns out it's a 6,700-year-old human canine, drilled and probably worn as a Neolithic pendant in Serbia. archaeologyteahouse.com/stories/neck...
archaeologyteahouse.com
Necklace of the Dead: Archaeologists Discover a Neolithic Pendant, and It Was Made From a Human Tooth — Archaeology Teahouse
A modified maxillary canine from the Late Neolithic site of Jablanica offers rare evidence of human remains used as personal ornaments in the Vinča culture
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Travel back in time with this week's Fieldwork Spotlight! ⏳🦴 The Cave of Hearths Research Project combines archaeology and cutting-edge science to uncover South Africa's deep past while providing hands-on research opportunities for postgraduate students. Discover more!
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SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Ancient DNA from four cemeteries near Lake Baikal reveals lethal plague outbreaks 5,500 years ago, pushing the origin of Yersinia pestis back thousands of years to Siberia. Children were hit hardest... medium.com/science-spec...
medium.com
Plague Is Thousands of Years Older Than We Thought, And It Started in Siberia
Ancient DNA from four hunter-gatherer cemeteries near Lake Baikal reveals lethal Yersinia pestis outbreaks 5,500 years ago, predating known…
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
🧬 Molecules & Meaning: New Frontiers in African Archaeology From poisoned arrows and pottery residues to ancient diets, climate change, and fragmentary animal remains, discover how ancient molecules are revealing new stories from Africa's past. #ASAPA2026 #AfricanArchaeology #ArchaeologicalScience
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Fantastic insights into lithic miniaturisation
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MAEASaM @maeasamproject.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
📢 Fort Bullen of The Gambia Part of #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite of Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites, Fort Bullen is in Barra, near the Gambia River mouth and built in 1826 as part of the abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade. #AfricanHeritage #Archaeology #DefenceStructure
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Celebrating global heritage on International Museum Day #AfricanHeritage #InternationalMuseumDay #SAASS
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
🔬Spotlight Meet Prof. Justin Bradfield (UJ), specialising in use-wear on bone tools—revealing how tools were made and used. A powerful method uncovering past human behaviour 🔍 🔗 www.saassarchaeology.com/specialities...
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SandeeOster @sandeeoster.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Recent study reveals Singapore's only known ancient shipwreck carried the world's largest assemblage of Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, dating the vessel to between 1340–1352. medium.com/science-spec...
medium.com
Sunken Treasure: Inside Singapore’s Only Known Ancient Shipwreck
Recent study analyzes the cargo of Singapore’s only known ancient shipwreck
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Reminder: Session on Biomolecular Archaeology in African Archaeology. Abstracts using biomolecular and scientific methods are welcome. 🗓 Deadline: 31 Jan 2026 🔗 Submit: asapa2026.co.za/submissions.... #CallForAbstracts #Archaeology #AfricanArchaeology #BiomolecularArchaeology
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Calling all researchers using biomolecular tools to answer archaeological questions in southern Africa 👇 Join our #ASAPA2026 session Molecules and Meaning: New Frontiers in African Archaeology. Submit on the ASAPA website: asapa2026.co.za
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
⏳ SDW 2025 extended deadline: 7 Nov 2025! Apply for the Student Development Workshop (6–10 Dec, SSLI Mpumalanga). ✈️ Limited travel grants available — apply by 11 Nov 2025. 👉 www.saassarchaeology.com/2025-sdw #SDW2025 #SAASS #Archaeology #Heritage
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
Amazing feature on Maritime Archaeology Great to hear from Cezar Mahumane on such an important aspect of archaeology
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
🐾 New blog post! The first-ever dassie (hyrax) trace fossils—including a fossilised butt-drag mark—have been found on SA’s southern Cape coast 🪶 Read Sandee Oster’s take on this unique discovery: 👉 www.saassarchaeology.com/blog #Archaeology #Fossils #SAASS
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Amazing opportunity to be involved
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
🔍 Careers in Archaeology & Heritage This month’s spotlight: Wouter Fourie, Principal Heritage Specialist at PGS Heritage 🏛✨ Heritage Specialists balance conservation & development, ensuring the past is protected for the future. 👉 www.saassarchaeology.com/careersinarc... #ArchaeologyCareers #Heritage
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Amazing work
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
🔦 #FieldworkFriday 🔦 This #FieldworkFriday we’re highlighting the Wonderboom Archaeological Project! 🪨✨ Led by Drs. Matt Caruana 🇺🇸 & Matt Lotter, the team is uncovering the rich Stone Age history of the Wonderboom Valley in Tshwane. Proudly supported by NRF and PAST 🙌
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
🔍 Careers in Archaeology and Heritage Meet Dr Keneiloe Molopyane — a dynamic Principal Investigator making groundbreaking contributions to the field! share.google/H07JkPTODApA...
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Happy #FieldworkFriday! 🎉 This week we’re highlighting the REMA Project — Exploring Stone Age lithic and ochre resource management at Rose Cottage Cave and surrounding areas in the eastern Free State (🇿🇦) and western Lesotho (🇱🇸)!
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
🌍📣 Exciting News! 📣🌍 The Southern African Archaeology Student Society (SAASS) is heading to SAfA 2025 in Faro, Portugal! 🗓 Wednesday, 23 July 2025 ⏰ 10:45 – 11:00 Session 8: Community Outreach and Public Engagement in Africa Come join us if you're heading to SAfA too!
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Wrapping up my first month in Italy! From exploring collagen yields using NIR, to examining bone surface modifications, running modern specimens through the MALDI-TOF, and learning to interpret collagen signatures—it's been full-on. @leakeyfoundation.org @National Museum, Bloemfontein
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
🎓 Careers in Archaeology and Heritage Spotlight Meet Precious Chiwara-Maenzanise, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow making waves in the field of archaeology and heritage! share.google/QqBAbWEVKtLZ...
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
🚀 New Blog Post Alert! Ready to turn your research idea into a funded project? 💡💰 📚 Tips, tools & lessons from experience 🎓 For students, early-career researchers & beyond 📝 Available now on our blog! share.google/7Y4tAvDoFpdX...
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
🌍 Join us for an inspiring webinar! 🌍 "Volunteering for World Heritage: Educational and Cultural Perspectives from Madagascar" 🗓 Date: 3 July 2025 ⏰ Time: 3 PM (CAT) 💻 Platform: Zoom (link to be shared) 🔗 Save the date & spread the word!
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
🔬 Ever wondered where science meets heritage? Meet Patricia Groenewald, a Senior Scientific Officer. 👩‍🔬 Careers in archaeology and heritage aren’t just about digging—science plays a key role too! www.saassarchaeology.com/scientific-o...
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
🎉 FREE to join! 🎉 SAASS connects archaeology students across the SADC region. Talks, workshops, networking & more! Join us: www.saassarchaeology.com/join-saass 📩 officialsaasc@gmail.com #SAASS #Archaeology #StudentSociety #SouthernAfrica
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Kicked off Boomplaas faunal sample work in Cape Town with Christina Ryder 🦴✨ Then to Turin with Christina and joined by Alia and Matt Sponheimer for round two. Using NIR to assess collagen yields – first steps toward unlocking their full potential. Grateful for the collab @leakeyfoundation.org
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
Get ready for an unforgettable week of growth, connection, and discovery! The 11th annual SAASS Student Development Workshop is happening 1–5 December 2025 🎉 ✨ Stay tuned for more details and how to apply! #SAASS2025 #StudentWorkshop #SaveTheDate #ArchaeologyCommunity #HeritageMatters
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
🌍 Africa Day 2025 🌍 Today, we celebrate the unity, strength, and vibrant diversity of our continent. On this day in 1963, the Organisation of African Unity was founded—laying the foundation for the African Union and our shared vision for freedom, dignity, and development.
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Palaeoanthropology CDF @palaeocdf.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
We are hosting a free online ‘Ask Us Anything’ event as part of the Integrating ZooMS and Zooarchaeology workshop series. For more info and to submit questions: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... 📅 Date: June 30, 2025 🕒 Time: 15:00 CET 📍 Location: Online (link: univ-tlse2.zoom.us/j/9775805212...)
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
🗓️ Date: Friday, 30 May 2025 🕒 Time: 15:00 – 16:00 📍 Venue: The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, Yale Road, Braamfontein Campus East
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 18/05/2025
🖼️ Today we celebrate International Museum Day! 🎉 Museums are more than buildings — they’re spaces for connection, curiosity, and community. Whether preserving the past or inspiring the future, museums help us understand our shared heritage.
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
🔍 Careers in Archaeology and Heritage Meet Dr. Tim Forssman, a Senior Lecturer making strides in the field and inspiring the next generation of archaeologists. Whether in the classroom or the field, his work helps uncover the rich tapestry of human history. www.saassarchaeology.com/careersinarc...
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Are you a student or early career pro in archaeology or heritage with a passion for Southern Africa’s past? Join the Southern African Archaeology Student Society All membership information available here: www.saassarchaeology.com/join-saass Join us and grow your network, skills, and impact!
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
🌍 NEW BLOG POST 🌍 What can two 12th-century bronze coins tell us about African trade? 🪙 Discover how Swahili coast currency reveals vast and sophisticated trade networks stretching across the continent and beyond. 🔎 Read the full story by Sandee Oster now! www.saassarchaeology.com/blog
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Proclaimed by the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO (November 2015), African World Heritage Day (5 May) is an opportunity for people around the world, and particularly Africans, to celebrate the Continent’s unique cultural and natural heritage.
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
🌍 Happy Earth Day 2025! 🌱 Today we celebrate our planet and reflect on the steps we can take—big and small—to protect it for future generations. Every action counts. Let’s keep working together to build a greener, more sustainable world. 💚🌿 #EarthDay2025 #RestoreOurEarth #SustainableFuture
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
✨ Careers in Archaeology and Heritage: Regional Heritage Officer Meet Kavenaa Tijuoro, a passionate regional heritage officer dedicated to managing and protecting our heritage resources! 🔗Learn more: www.saassarchaeology.com/copy-of-muse...
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
Amazing week working at Florisbad Quaternary Research Station. Excited to work on some samples for my PhD #leakeyfoundation #nationalmuseumofbloemfontein #florisbad #archaeology #museum #2025goals #phdlife #goals #research #accademia
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Bacara Spruit @bacaraspruit.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Amazing week working at Florisbad Quaternary Research Station. Excited to work on some samples for my PhD @leakeyfoundation.bsky.social @National Museum of Bloemfontein and very joined by the amazing Rania Richard
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
🌍 Unearthing the Past: Rare Aardvark Trace Fossils Discovered! 🦴 Exciting new research has uncovered rare aardvark trace fossils along South Africa’s coast. 🔗 www.saassarchaeology.com/blog #Archaeology #Paleontology #Aardvark #FossilDiscovery #SouthAfrica #ScienceNews
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
✨ Careers in Archaeology and Heritage: Museum Curator Meet Kaarina Shagwanepandulo Efraim, a passionate museum curator dedicated to preserving and sharing our rich history!🏛️ 🔗 Learn more: www.saassarchaeology.com/museumcurator (click on our Linktree in our bio and visit our website)
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Happy #fieldworkfriday! 📢 Exciting Archaeological Research in KwaZulu-Natal! 🏺🔍at Holley Shelter led by Dr. Gregor Bader and Dr. Manuel Will
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SAASSociety @saassociety.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Our 2025 newsletter is here, featuring highlights from 2024 from our incredible student community, exciting archaeology projects, and our amazing sponsors who make it all possible. 📜🏺 Visit our website to read the newsletter www.saassarchaeology.com/newsletters
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