Ursula Thun Hohenstein was born in Venice (Italy) in 1968. In 1995 she graduated in Natural Science (M.Sc. equivalent) at the University of Ferrara with a degree thesis in Anthropology, concerning the hominins subsistence strategies applied at Isernia La Pineta (Molise, southern Italy) using an experimental archaeological and taphonomic approach. Also in 1995 she held an Erasmus fellowship at the Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Museum national histoire naturelle in Paris, where she began studying faunal remains and trained in excavating the Grotte du Lazaret site in Nice, southern France. In 1996 she obtained a pre-doctoral fellowship at the University Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain, financed by the European Programme “Human Capital and Mobility” - Project “Early migrations”, for training in taphonomic and archaeozoological analysis of faunal assemblages, as well as field excavations at Atapuerca and Abric Romani. From 1997/98 to 2000 she attended the doctoral programme with a grant from the Italian Ministry (MURST) and frequented the laboratory of archaezoology of several institution (Hebrew University - Israel; University of Tarragona - Spain; University of Turin - Italy; MNHN, Laboratoire du Lazaret e Museum of Tautavel - France) gaining experience in archaezoological studies and taphonomic bone surface modifications (both edaphic and anthropic).
In 2001 she obtained a PhD in Anthropological Science (curriculum Human Palaeontology) with a thesis entitled “Subsistence strategies and Neandertal behaviour. Archaeozoological analysis of the Mousterian levels of Riparo Tagliente, Grotta della Ghiacciaia (Italy) e Abric Romaní (Spain)”, which won the “Best thesis” prize from the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria. From 2001 to 2006, she conducted five years of postdoctoral research at the University of Ferrara, focusing on archaeozoological analysis, spatial distribution using GIS, and taphonomy using SEM analyses. In 2007, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at the SISS of the University of Ferrara, working on a project to develop educational pathways dedicated to disseminating knowledge of human evolution. In 2007, she was recruited as a research fellow in anthropology (Ricercatore confermato BIO/08) at the University of Ferrara's Faculty of Science and then at the Department of Humanities. In 2014 she obtained the National Academic Qualification as an Associate Professor in the Scientific Sector L-ANT/10 – Methodologies for archaeological research (now ARCH-10/G). On 1 April 2018, she will take up a position as an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities at the University of Ferrara. She has been teaching Bachelor's and Master's students since 2004, first as a lecturer (Professore aggregato) and then as an Associate Professor, focusing on archaeozoology, human ecology, human palaeontology, and scientific and naturalistic museology. From 2001 to 2008, she taught at the School of Specialisation for Secondary Education, supervising theses on human evolution. She has carried out research, excavations and dissemination as part of national projects (COFIN, FAR and l.6/2000) and European programmes (HCM, Loredemo, Leader + and Erasmus Mundus), focusing on the peopling of the Mediterranean basin and analysing the fauna of important Pleistocene sites. As a member of the scientific board, she coordinates field excavations and the research and analysis of faunal remains at Riparo Tagliente (Verona), Guado San Nicola and Isernia La Pineta (Molise) and Campestrin (Grignano Polesine, Rovigo) sites. She collaborates closely with the Soprintendenze per i Beni Archeologici di Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Molise, Trento and Etruria Meridionale, conducting archaeozoological and taphonomic analyses of faunal remains from prehistoric, protohistoric, Roman and Late Antique sites. Since 2008 in agreement with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Veneto is leading researches on faunal remains from Bronze Age sites in Polesine, aimed at analyzing management and exploitation of animal resources and focusing on hard animal tissues manufacturing.
Since 2008, she has been conducting research on faunal remains from Bronze Age sites in Polesine in collaboration with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Veneto. This research focuses on analysing the management and exploitation of animal resources, with a particular focus on the manufacture of hard animal tissues.
In 2012, she began an innovative research project on amber processing at the Campestrin site, the only site in the Mediterranean basin with such evidence. She established protocols for analysis and experimental archaeology. She collaborates with the Laboratory of Archeo-Anthropology, headed by Prof.ssa Emanuela Gualdi, conducting taphonomic analyses of human remains. She has also collaborated with Professor Maysoon Al Nahar of Jordan University on faunal analysis of Tell Abu Suwwan (PPN-N site).
From 1991 to 2020, she analysed many faunal assemblages from the following sites: - Palaeolithic: Isernia La Pineta, Monteroduni and Guado San Nicola (IS, Molise); Atapuerca (Spain); Biqat Quneitra (Israel); Abric Romanì (Spain), Grotta Reali (IS, Molise), Grotta della Ghiacciaia (VR),
- Mesolithic: Mondeval de Sora (Belluno), Riparo Gaban (Trento), Le Mose (Bologna), Collecchio (Bologna);
- Neolithic: Casalecchio (Bologna), Fornace Capuccini (Faenza), Scolo Gelmina (Gazzo Veronese), San Biagio (Mantova), Casa Gazza (Travo, PC), Ponte Ghiara (Fidenza, PR), via Guidorossi (Bologna), Le Mose (Bologna);
- Bronze Age: Larino (Termoli); Povegliano, Bovolone-via Crosare, via Pascoli, Tombola, Le Vallette (Verona); Larda I e Larda II, Narde I e II, Campestrin, (Rovigo), Amolara (Adria, RO);
- Iron Age: abitato di Spina (Ostellato, FE); Verrucchio (Rimini); via d’Azeglio (Bologna);
- Roman age: Chiunsano (Rovigo), Verdello (Bergamo), Parco Novisad (Modena);
-Late Antiquity: Necropoli di Vicenne-Campochiaro, analisi dei cavalli inumati.
She is currently studying:
Paleolithic: Isernia La Pineta, Guado San Nicola (IS, Molise); Fontana Ranuccio (Anagni, FR); Riparo Mezzena, Riparo Tagliente, Vajo Salsone (Verona); Riparo Mochi (Ventimiglia, IM);
Mesolithic: Mondeval de Sora (Belluno), Riparo Gaban (Trento);
Neolithic: Colmaggiore di Tarzo (Vittorio Veneto);
- Bronze Age: Campestrin, Frattesina (Rovigo);
- Iron Age: Santuario di Ercole a Campochiaro (CB), Tempio sannitico a Pietrabbondante (Molise), Verucchio (RN); Spina (Ostellato, FE);
She has been the director of the University of Ferrara's Museum of Palaeontology and Prehistory "Piero Leonardi" since 2012, and the president of the SMA (University Museum System) board since 2013. In this role, she organises dissemination activities concerning prehistory and, more broadly, the university's scientific collections. Since 2017, she has been Pro-Rector for SMA. She is the local coordinator of two projects (ACPR12_00312 and ACPR14T4_00249), which are financed by MIUR (l.6/2000) and are coordinated by the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (http://www.pomui.unimore.it/site/home/).
In 2016, she was the scientific co-director alongside Profs. A. Massarente and C. Vaccaro of the 'Eridanus' project, which was announced by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism as part of the MuSST (Musei e sviluppo dei sistemi territoriali) programme. She has edited seven volumes (proceedings, pre-prints and journals), published 50 papers (19 of which were peer-reviewed in international ISI journals, six in Classe A journals and 25 in non-ISI but peer-reviewed journals), contributed to 33 books and published 59 congress proceedings. She serves as a reviewer for several international ISI journals and national journals, as well as for PhD commissions abroad. She is a member of the Scientific committee of Preistoria Alpina (https://www.muse.it/home/ricerca-e-collezioni/editoria-muse/riviste-e-collane/preistoria-alpina/). She is a member of the Editorial board of Padusa (https://padusa.jimdo.com/), Annali dell’Università di Ferrara – sezione di Didattica e Formazione docente (ANVUR - Rivista di classe A per i settori 11/D1 e 11/D2; http://annali.unife.it/adfd) and chief-editor of Museologia scientifica e naturalistica degli Annali dell’Università di Ferrara (http://annali.unife.it/museologia/).
She has supervised 14 PhD theses, (two of which received the best thesis prize), and 65 degree theses (Bachelor's and Master's), two of which received academic awards or prizes. She was a member of the PhD Board for the Doctorate in Human Sciences, Quaternary and Prehistory curriculum at the University of Ferrara, and she is currently a member of the Doctorate in Environment, Sustainability and Wellbeing. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish. She is a member of the Italian Archaeozoological Society (AIAZ) Executive Board, serving as treasurer, and is an ordinary fellow of the UISPP, ICAZ, ESHE, IIPP, AAI and AIAZ. She is a member of the INR 'European Network for Quaternary Taphonomy' (TaphEN) (director: J. P. Brugal, LAMPEA).
In 2001 she obtained a PhD in Anthropological Science (curriculum Human Palaeontology) with a thesis entitled “Subsistence strategies and Neandertal behaviour. Archaeozoological analysis of the Mousterian levels of Riparo Tagliente, Grotta della Ghiacciaia (Italy) e Abric Romaní (Spain)”, which won the “Best thesis” prize from the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria. From 2001 to 2006, she conducted five years of postdoctoral research at the University of Ferrara, focusing on archaeozoological analysis, spatial distribution using GIS, and taphonomy using SEM analyses. In 2007, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at the SISS of the University of Ferrara, working on a project to develop educational pathways dedicated to disseminating knowledge of human evolution. In 2007, she was recruited as a research fellow in anthropology (Ricercatore confermato BIO/08) at the University of Ferrara's Faculty of Science and then at the Department of Humanities. In 2014 she obtained the National Academic Qualification as an Associate Professor in the Scientific Sector L-ANT/10 – Methodologies for archaeological research (now ARCH-10/G). On 1 April 2018, she will take up a position as an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities at the University of Ferrara. She has been teaching Bachelor's and Master's students since 2004, first as a lecturer (Professore aggregato) and then as an Associate Professor, focusing on archaeozoology, human ecology, human palaeontology, and scientific and naturalistic museology. From 2001 to 2008, she taught at the School of Specialisation for Secondary Education, supervising theses on human evolution. She has carried out research, excavations and dissemination as part of national projects (COFIN, FAR and l.6/2000) and European programmes (HCM, Loredemo, Leader + and Erasmus Mundus), focusing on the peopling of the Mediterranean basin and analysing the fauna of important Pleistocene sites. As a member of the scientific board, she coordinates field excavations and the research and analysis of faunal remains at Riparo Tagliente (Verona), Guado San Nicola and Isernia La Pineta (Molise) and Campestrin (Grignano Polesine, Rovigo) sites. She collaborates closely with the Soprintendenze per i Beni Archeologici di Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Molise, Trento and Etruria Meridionale, conducting archaeozoological and taphonomic analyses of faunal remains from prehistoric, protohistoric, Roman and Late Antique sites. Since 2008 in agreement with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Veneto is leading researches on faunal remains from Bronze Age sites in Polesine, aimed at analyzing management and exploitation of animal resources and focusing on hard animal tissues manufacturing.
Since 2008, she has been conducting research on faunal remains from Bronze Age sites in Polesine in collaboration with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Veneto. This research focuses on analysing the management and exploitation of animal resources, with a particular focus on the manufacture of hard animal tissues.
In 2012, she began an innovative research project on amber processing at the Campestrin site, the only site in the Mediterranean basin with such evidence. She established protocols for analysis and experimental archaeology. She collaborates with the Laboratory of Archeo-Anthropology, headed by Prof.ssa Emanuela Gualdi, conducting taphonomic analyses of human remains. She has also collaborated with Professor Maysoon Al Nahar of Jordan University on faunal analysis of Tell Abu Suwwan (PPN-N site).
From 1991 to 2020, she analysed many faunal assemblages from the following sites: - Palaeolithic: Isernia La Pineta, Monteroduni and Guado San Nicola (IS, Molise); Atapuerca (Spain); Biqat Quneitra (Israel); Abric Romanì (Spain), Grotta Reali (IS, Molise), Grotta della Ghiacciaia (VR),
- Mesolithic: Mondeval de Sora (Belluno), Riparo Gaban (Trento), Le Mose (Bologna), Collecchio (Bologna);
- Neolithic: Casalecchio (Bologna), Fornace Capuccini (Faenza), Scolo Gelmina (Gazzo Veronese), San Biagio (Mantova), Casa Gazza (Travo, PC), Ponte Ghiara (Fidenza, PR), via Guidorossi (Bologna), Le Mose (Bologna);
- Bronze Age: Larino (Termoli); Povegliano, Bovolone-via Crosare, via Pascoli, Tombola, Le Vallette (Verona); Larda I e Larda II, Narde I e II, Campestrin, (Rovigo), Amolara (Adria, RO);
- Iron Age: abitato di Spina (Ostellato, FE); Verrucchio (Rimini); via d’Azeglio (Bologna);
- Roman age: Chiunsano (Rovigo), Verdello (Bergamo), Parco Novisad (Modena);
-Late Antiquity: Necropoli di Vicenne-Campochiaro, analisi dei cavalli inumati.
She is currently studying:
Paleolithic: Isernia La Pineta, Guado San Nicola (IS, Molise); Fontana Ranuccio (Anagni, FR); Riparo Mezzena, Riparo Tagliente, Vajo Salsone (Verona); Riparo Mochi (Ventimiglia, IM);
Mesolithic: Mondeval de Sora (Belluno), Riparo Gaban (Trento);
Neolithic: Colmaggiore di Tarzo (Vittorio Veneto);
- Bronze Age: Campestrin, Frattesina (Rovigo);
- Iron Age: Santuario di Ercole a Campochiaro (CB), Tempio sannitico a Pietrabbondante (Molise), Verucchio (RN); Spina (Ostellato, FE);
She has been the director of the University of Ferrara's Museum of Palaeontology and Prehistory "Piero Leonardi" since 2012, and the president of the SMA (University Museum System) board since 2013. In this role, she organises dissemination activities concerning prehistory and, more broadly, the university's scientific collections. Since 2017, she has been Pro-Rector for SMA. She is the local coordinator of two projects (ACPR12_00312 and ACPR14T4_00249), which are financed by MIUR (l.6/2000) and are coordinated by the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (http://www.pomui.unimore.it/site/home/).
In 2016, she was the scientific co-director alongside Profs. A. Massarente and C. Vaccaro of the 'Eridanus' project, which was announced by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism as part of the MuSST (Musei e sviluppo dei sistemi territoriali) programme. She has edited seven volumes (proceedings, pre-prints and journals), published 50 papers (19 of which were peer-reviewed in international ISI journals, six in Classe A journals and 25 in non-ISI but peer-reviewed journals), contributed to 33 books and published 59 congress proceedings. She serves as a reviewer for several international ISI journals and national journals, as well as for PhD commissions abroad. She is a member of the Scientific committee of Preistoria Alpina (https://www.muse.it/home/ricerca-e-collezioni/editoria-muse/riviste-e-collane/preistoria-alpina/). She is a member of the Editorial board of Padusa (https://padusa.jimdo.com/), Annali dell’Università di Ferrara – sezione di Didattica e Formazione docente (ANVUR - Rivista di classe A per i settori 11/D1 e 11/D2; http://annali.unife.it/adfd) and chief-editor of Museologia scientifica e naturalistica degli Annali dell’Università di Ferrara (http://annali.unife.it/museologia/).
She has supervised 14 PhD theses, (two of which received the best thesis prize), and 65 degree theses (Bachelor's and Master's), two of which received academic awards or prizes. She was a member of the PhD Board for the Doctorate in Human Sciences, Quaternary and Prehistory curriculum at the University of Ferrara, and she is currently a member of the Doctorate in Environment, Sustainability and Wellbeing. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish. She is a member of the Italian Archaeozoological Society (AIAZ) Executive Board, serving as treasurer, and is an ordinary fellow of the UISPP, ICAZ, ESHE, IIPP, AAI and AIAZ. She is a member of the INR 'European Network for Quaternary Taphonomy' (TaphEN) (director: J. P. Brugal, LAMPEA).
