Current Position

Assistant Professor (Wissenschaftliche Assistentin)

Head of the Material Culture Laboratory (MCL)

Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology
University of Tübingen

Rsearch Interests

• Paleolithic Archaeology
• Human Behaviour
• Human Evolution
• Use-wear Analysis
• Experimental Archaeology
• Residue Analysis
• Lithic Technology

Education

Previous employment

2017-2020  Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Archeology, Tel Aviv University (Israel)

Publications - Monograph

1. Venditti, F. 2019. Understanding Lithic Recycling at the Late Lower Palaeolithic Qesem Cave, Israel. A Functional and Chemical Investigation of Small Flakes. Archaeopress, Oxford.

1.    Venditti, F., Falcucci, A., Schürch, B. 2026. On the exploitation and significance of bivalve shells at the Magdalenian site of Petersfels (Southwestern Germany) using an integrated approach. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 33:1.

2.    Venditti, F., Unrath, G., Pawlick, A., Conard, N.J. (in publication). Celebrating 50 years of research in prehistoric material culture and traceology in Tübingen. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte.

3.    Wolf S., M.R. Weiss, Schmidt P., Venditti F. 2025. On a scientific assessment of the authenticity of two Paleolithic female figurines from the art market. Heritage, 8(3), 104.

4.    Venditti F., McCartin M.J., Ostermann L.M., Conard N.J., Wolf S. 2023. Foxes in retrospect. Unraveling human-fox relationships through fox tooth ornaments in the Swabian Jura. Quaternary 6(3), 50

5.    Serangeli, J., Verheijen, I., Rodríguez-Álvarez, B., Altamura, F., Venditti, F., Van Kolfschoten, T., Urban, B., Conard, N.J. 2023. Schöningen: a reference site for the Middle Pleistocene and a nearly complete Palaeoloxodon antiquus in an archaeological context. Journal of Mediterranean Earth Sciences, 15. doi.org/10.13133/2280-6148/18154

6.    Venditti F., Rodríguez-Álvarez B., Serangeli J., Conard, N.C. 2023. A techno-functional investigation of the lithic assemblage at the Middle Pleistocene site Schöningen 13 II 3. Nachritchen aus Niedersachen Deutschland 92, 275-285.

7.    Schurch B., Venditti F., Wolf S., Conard NJ. 2023. Glycymeris molluscs in the context of the Upper Palaeolithic of Southwestern Germany. Quartär 68, 131-156.

8.    Venditti F., Rodríguez-Álvarez B., Serangeli J., Nunziante-Cesaro S, Walter R., Conard, N.J. 2022. Using microartifacts to infer Middle Pleistocene lifeways at Schöningen, Germany. Scientific Reports 12:21148, 1-15.

9.    Assaf E., Nunziante Cesaro S., Gopher A., Venditti F. 2022. Learning by doing: investigating skill through techno-functional study of recycled lithic items from Qesem Cave (Israel). Journal of Methods and Theories, 30(1), 64-102.

10.    Efrati B, Barkai R, Nunziante-Cesaro S., Venditti F. 2022. Cycle after cycle: Function, life histories and biographies of Lower Paleolithic flint tools from late Acheulian Revadim, Israel. Scientific Reports 12 (1), 1-21.

11.    Venditti, F., Barkai R., Nunziante-Cesaro S., Agam A. 2022. The role of side-scrapers and cortical flakes in Late Acheulian toolkits: Results of a techno-functional analysis from Revadim (Israel). Lithic Technology.

12.    Venditti, F., Agam, A., Tirillò, J., Nunziante-Cesaro S., Barkai, R. 2021. An integrated study discloses chopping tools use from Late Acheulean Revadim ( Israel )’, PLoS ONE, 16(1). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245595.

13.    Lemorini, C., Cristiani, E., Cesaro-Nunzinate, S., Venditti, F., Zupancich, A., Gopher, A. 2020. The use of ash at Late Lower Paleolithic Qesem Cave , Israel — An integrated study of use-wear and residue analysis. PLoS ONE. 2020;19: 1–30. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237502

14.    Nucara, A., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Venditti, F., Lemorini, C. 2020. A multivariate analysis for enhancing the interpretation of Infrared spectra of plant residues on lithic artefacts. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 33, 102526.

15.    Venditti, F., Agam, A., Barkai, R. 2019. Techno- functional analysis of small recycled flakes from Late Acheulian Revadim (Israel) demonstrates a link between morphology and function. Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 28, 102039. doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.102039

16.    Venditti, F., Cristiani, E., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Agam, A., Lemorini, C., Barkai, R., 2019. Animal residues found on tiny Lower Paleolithic tools reveal their use in butchery. Scientific Reports 9:13031, 1–14. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49650-8

17.    Claud, É., Thiébaut, C., Costamagno, S., Deschamps, M., Soulier, M. C., Brenet, M., ... & Venditti, F. (2019). The practices used by the Neanderthals in the acquisition and exploitation of plant and animal resources and the function of the sites studied: summary and discussion. Palethnologie. Archéologie et sciences humaines, (10).

18.    Costamagno, S.,. Claud, E., Soulier, M.-C., Thiébaut, C.,  Brenet, M., Coudenneau, A., Deschamps, M., Lemorini, C., Mourre, V., Venditti. F. (2019). Approaches to the acquisition and use of animal materials. In: Thiébaut C., Claud E., Costamagno S. (Eds). Procurement and processing of plants and animal materials by Neanderthals. Palethnologie. Archéologie et sciences humaines, (10).

19.     Claud, E.,  Thiébaut, C., Coudenneau, A:, Deschamps, M., Lemorini, C., Mourre, V., Venditti, F. (2019). The use-wear studies on the lithic industries. In: Thiébaut C., Claud E., Costamagno S. (Eds). Procurement and processing of plants and animal materials by Neanderthals. Palethnologie. Archéologie et sciences humaines, (10).

20.    Coudenneau, A., Venditti, F., Lemorini, C., Chacón-Navarro, G. (2019). The points reference collection. In: Thiébaut C., Claud E., Costamagno S. (Eds). Procurement and processing of plants and animal materials by Neanderthals. Palethnologie. Archéologie et sciences humaines, (10).

21.    Venditti, F. 2021. Flint Recycling in the Lower Paleolithic Levant: A Microscopic Investigation of Small Recycled Flakes at Qesem Cave (Israel), Feuerstein-Recycling im Altpaläolithikum der Levante: Eine mikroskopische Untersuchung Kleiner recycelter Abschlage aus der Qesem-Hohle (Israel). MfGu 29:15-52.

22.    Venditti, F., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Parush, Y., Gopher, A., Barkai, R., 2019. Recycling for a purpose in the late Lower Paleolithic Levant: Use-wear and residue analyses of small sharp flint items indicate a planned and integrated subsistence behavior at Qesem Cave (Israel). Journal of Human Evolution 131, 109-128. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.03.016

23.    Venditti, F., Lemorini, C., Bordigoni, M., Zampetti, D., Amore, M., Tagliacozzo, A., 2016. The role of burins and their relationships with art through traces analysis at the Upper Palaeolithic site of Polesini Cave (Latium, Italy), Origini XXXIX, Prehistory and Protohistory of ancient civilizations, 7-30.

24.    Venditti, F., Tirillò, J., Garcea, E.A.A., 2016. Identification and evaluation of mechanical wear traces on quartz assemblages: an experimental investigation, Quaternary International 424, 143-153. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.07.046

25.    Zupancich, A., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Blasco, R., Rosell, J., Cristiani, E., Venditti, F., Lemorini, C., Barkai, R., Gopher, A., 2016. Early evidence of stone tool use in bone working activities at Qesem Cave, Israel. Scientific Reports 6, 1-7. http://doi:10.1038/srep37686

26.    Lemorini, C., Venditti, F., Assaf, E., Parush Y., Barkai R., Gopher A., 2015. The function of recycled lithic items at late Lower Paleolithic Qesem Cave, Israel: An overview of the use-wear data. Quaternary International 361, 103-112. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2014.07.032 
 

Conference papers

1. Venditti, F., 2014. Use-wear analysis on quartz and quartzite tools methodology and application: Coudoulous I (Midi-Pyrénées, France). In: Marreiros, J.J., Bicho, N., Gibaja, J.F. (Eds.), International Conference on Use-Wear Analysis. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Faro, Portugal, pp. 124–137.

Grants/Scholarships/Prizes

2020 Tübingen Prize for Ice Age Research. University of Tübingen, Germany - € 5000.

2019-2020 Scholarship, Department of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

2018-2019 Scholarship, The Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute, Department of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

2017-2018 Scholarship, Department of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Israel

2018 Irene Levi Sala Care Archaeological Foundation: 3500$. Principal Investigator of the project: “Microscopic and experimental approaches towards understanding the use of small flakes produced by means of recycling at Acheulean Revadim site (Israel)”.

2015 Avvio alla Ricerca, Sapienza University of Rome: - € 1000. “Principal Investigator of the project: The recycling phenomenon during the late Lower Palaeolithic: the case study of Qesem Cave (Israel)”.

Academic Service

Reviewer for the following Journals
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences; Journal of Archaeological Science, Reports; Scientific Reports; Lithic Technology; Origini; Plos ONE; Quaternary Environments and Humans; Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte; Archeologie Sperimentali. Temi, Metodi e Ricerche.
Grant reviews
National Science Center (NCN; Poland)
Committee and Panel
•    Expert Evaluator for the European Research Council (ERC projects)
•    Study Commission of Archaeological Sciences and Human Evolution (MSc), University of Tübingen.

Coordination
•    Academic coordinator of the Civis ART-W Multiple Degrees Study Program in Palaeolithic Archaeology, University of Tübingen, Aix Marseille and Rome.
•    Head of the Material Culture Laboratory (MCL), University of Tübingen.
 

University of Perugia (Italy) 2018
•    School of Paleoanthropology
Workshop of Experimental Archaeology. Theory and Practice. Continuing education adult students (one two-hour lecture and one two-hour practical)

University of Tel Aviv (Israel) 2017-2018
•    Experimental archeology and Lower Paleolithic world. Undergraduate and graduate students in Experimental Archaeology (one two-hour lecture).

University of Rome Sapienza (Italy). 2015-2016
•    Interpreting archaeological contexts through experimental archaeology. Theoretical and practical aspects. Graduate students in Experimental Archaeology (one two-hour lecture and one two-hour practical).

•    Organization of an experimental protocol for the study of lithic material. Undergraduate students in Experimental Archaeology (one two-hour lecture).

University of Tübingen  Since 2020

•    Introduction to theory and methods in Archaeology. -Lecture- MA level. (WS 2024/2025). Co-Instructor.

•    The Gravettian tear-drop-shaped beads. An experimental and functional approach -Exercise/Laboratory- BA, MA, MSc level (WS2024/2025). Instructor

•    From theory to practice. Let the stones speak. -Seminar- BA, MA, MSc level (WS 2022-2023, WS 2024/2025). Instructor.

•    From Production to Use. Exploring Perforated Upper Paleolithic Animal Teeth. -Exercise/Laboratory- BA, MA, MSc level (WS2022/2023). Instructor.

•    Stone Age Technology. -Exercise/Laboratory- MSc level (SS2022, SS2023, SS2025) Instructor.

•    Stone Age Technology. -Lecture- MSc level (SS2022, SS2023, SS2025) Co-instructor.

•    Experimenting Ornaments in the Palaeolithic. -Exercise/Laboratory- BA, MA, MSc level (WS2021-2022). Instructor.

•    The Contribution of Experimental Archeology to the research of art, ornaments and music. -Seminar- BA, MA, MSc level (WS2021-2022). Instructor.

•    Experimental Archeology with Osseous Materials. -Lecture+Laboratory- BA and MA level (WS2020-2021, SS2021). Instructor

•    Experimental Archeology: A Scientific Method for the Analysis of the Material Culture. -Seminar- BA and MA(SS2021). Instructor.

•    Introduction to Experimental Archeology: principles and methods. -Lecture- BA and MA (SS2021). Instructor.
 

MSC Students

o    Natasha Singh. “Functional analysis of the late Lower Paleolithic lithic assemblage from Schöningen 12 II-1 (Lower Saxony, Germany). September 2023.
o    Hannah Huber. “Typo-techno-traceological analysis of the Neolithic lithic assemblage and limestone beads at Kohlhau Abri”. April 2024.
o    Qi Zeng. “Assessing standardization in backed bladelets from Vogelherd. A comparative study with optical observations using Low Power Approach”. April 2024.
o    Elena Moos. “Technological and Functional Insight into Gravettian Fléchettes of the Ach Valley. April 2025
o    Dorothea Dania. “The Edge Matters: A Techno-Functional Analysis of Middle Palaeolithic Scrapers from Hohle Fels, Germany”. October 2025.
o    Youke Lei. In progress
o    Neha Ati. In progress

Internship at the Material Culture Laboratory
o    Vera P. Antonopoulou. 2 months Erasmus Plus exchange student- Training in Experimental Archaeology and Functional Analysis of lithic tools. 
o    Nico Magliozzi, Training in Experimental Archaeology and Functional Analysis of lithic tools. 
 

-    Member of the Schöningen project directed by Nicholas Conard and Jordi Serangeli since 2020 as functional and residue analyst.University of Tübingen.

-    Member of the Qesem Cave project since 2012 as functional and residue analyst of the lithic industry. qesemcave.wix.com/qesem;
University of Tel Aviv.

-    Collaborator in the “PCR project, Des Traces et des Hommes,” directed by C. Thiébaut, E. Claud, and S. Costamagno as a functional analyst of the lithic industry. University of Bordeaux.

-    Member of the project “The First Global Culture: Lower Paleolithic Acheulean Adaptations at the Two Ends of Asia,” directed by Ran Barkai, as a functional and residue analyst of the lithic industry. Tel Aviv University.

-    Member of Project “Small tools, big problems. Production, action and function of smalls through prehistory” in collaboration with Roxane Rocca, Daniele Aureli, Laurance Bourguignon, Amelie Da Costa. University of Paris.

-    Collaborator in the project “Stone tools as digging implements: Archaeological, energetic, and biomechanical implications" directed by  Brian Wood. University of Yale.
 

Italian – native
English – good command (in speech, writing and reading)
French – fluent 
Spanish – basic
German – basic