I am interested in the reconstruction of archaeological site formation processes and human behaviour through the study of archaeological sediments, particularly using micromorphological and microcontextual techniques. My current focus is on human adaptation to coastal environments during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. I’ve been developing my research in the coastal areas of the Cantabrian region and Portugal, where I have the chance of working at cave and open-air sites and look for sedimentary evidence of human actions and environmental changes, applying microscopic techniques of analysis to Mesolithic shell middens, that are excellent archives of these processes. Since I graduated I’ve also developed work in the field of geoarchaeology of mountain environments related to the first prehistoric farmers and early medieval communities in central Portugal.

I am a geoarchaeologist currently finishing my PhD thesis at the University of Cantabria, thanks to a fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Economy in 2013. I have a BA in Archaeology (Nova University of Lisbon) and a Master’s in Quaternary Science (University of the Basque Country). I have a solid training at some of the most outstanding geoarchaeology groups in Europe (University of Tübingen, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and UCL Institute of Archaeology) and South America (University of São Paulo). I was awarded with a Graduation Award from the Nova University of Lisbon and a “Young Researchers Grant” from the Centre for Iberian Studies. I have extensive experience in archaeological fieldwork including co-directions in Portugal and published work in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, proceedings and communications in several international conferences. As a researcher at the Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistoricas de Cantabria between 2013 and 2017, I have co-organised international scientific meetings and several EU-funded outreach activities in the field of Prehistory. My teaching experience consists in having conducted seminar and laboratory classes on environmental Archaeology to the degree in History at the University of Cantabria. I presently collaborate with multidisciplinary projects in Portugal and Spain.

For my complete CV please click HERE

Peer-reviewed & International papers
• Duarte, C., E. Iriarte, M. Diniz and P. Arias (2017). The microstratigraphic record of human activities and formation processes at the Mesolithic shell midden of Poças de São Bento (Sado Valley, Portugal). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. doi: 10.1007/s12520-017-0519-0.  Link

• Carvalho, A.F., V. Pereira, C. Duarte and C. Tente (2017). Neolithic archaeology at the Penedo dos Mouros rock-shelter (Gouveia, Portugal) and the issue of primitive transhumance practices in the Estrela Mountain range. ZEPHYRVS 79: 19-38.

• Arias, P., M. Diniz, M. Cubas, C. Duarte, E. Iriarte, C. Salzmann, F. Teichner and L. Teira (2017). Looking for the traces of the last hunter–gatherers: Geophysical survey in the Mesolithic shell middens of the Sado valley (southern Portugal). Quaternary International, 435(Part B): 61-70.  Link

• Bolado del Castillo, R., M. Cubas Morera, J. Tapia, E. Álvarez-Fernández, M. Cueto, C. Duarte and I. López-Dóriga (2015). El poblamiento en el valle del Asón durante la Prehistoria: la cueva del Aspio (Ruesga, Cantabria). Férvedes, 8: 133.

• Duarte, C. (2012). Estudio geoarqueológico del Abrigo de Pena d’Água (Torres Novas, Portugal) en el contexto de la neolitización de la vertiente atlántica meridional peninsular. CKQ - Estudios de Cuaternario / Kuaternario Ikasketak / Quaternary Studies, 2: 49-96.

Book sections
• Tente C. and C. Duarte (in press). Capítulo 14: Estudo geoarqueológico e micromorfológico dos socalcos do vale do Tua. In Estudo Histórico e Etnológico do Vale do Tua, EDP, pp 139-145.

• Duarte, C., Iriarte E., Diniz, M. and Arias, P. (2015). Chapter XXIV: High resolution XRF Chemostratigraphy of the Poças de São Bento shell midden (Sado Valley). In N. Bicho, C. Detry, T. Douglas Price and E. Cunha (eds.), Muge 150th: The 150th Anniversary of the Discovery of Mesolithic Shellmiddens, pp 333-345. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

• Duarte, C. and S. Gens (2013). (Celorico da Beira) e o seu vale: uma abordagem geoarqueológica. Iberografias 24. Centro de Estudos Ibéricos.

Proceedings
• Duarte, C., A. Costa and V. Aldeias (2017). Reconstruir atividades humanas e formação de contextos conquíferos: microfácies sedimentares do Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge) e das Poças de São Bento (Sado) e o seu potencial interpretativo nos padrões de comportamento humano no Mesolítico. In Arqueologia em Portugual - Estado da Questão. Lisboa: Associação dos Arqueólogos Portugueses.

• Pérez Fernández, A.J., C. Duarte Simões, M. Gutiérrez Rodríguez and N. Égüez (2016). The application of micromorphology on anthropogenic deposits in Iberian Peninsula: current research and future perspectives. In I.P. Coelho, J.B. Torres, L.S. Gil and T. Ramos (eds.), Entre ciência e cultura: da interdisciplinaridade à transversalidade da arqueologia. Actas das VIII Jornadas de Jovens em Investigação Arqueológica, pp 355-361. Lisboa: CHAM, IEM (Colecção ArqueoArte, 4).

• Arias, P., M. Cubas, M.A. Fano, E. Álvarez Fernández, A.C. Araújo, M. Cueto, C. Duarte, P. Fernández Sánchez, E. Iriarte, J.E. Jordá Pardo, I.L. López-Dóriga, S. Núñez, C. Salzmann, J. Tapia, F. Teichner, L.C. Teira, P. Uzquiano and J. Vallejo (2016). Une nouvelle approche pour l’étude de l’habitat mésolithique dans le nord de la Péninsule Ibérique: Recherches dans le site au plein air d’El Alloru (Asturies, Espagne). In C. Dupont and G. Marchand (eds.), Archéologie des chasseurs-cueilleurs maritimes. De la fonction des habitats à l’organisation de l’espace littoral. Actes de la séance de la Société préhistorique française de Rennes, 10-11 avril 2014. Société Préhistorique Française, pp. 159-190.

Currently active projects as responsible for conducting geoarchaeological and micromorphological research:

• Since 2016: Archaeological Project at El Pendo Cave. P.I.: Dr. E. Camarós. Funding: Government of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria, and local public administrations.
•  Since 2016: Archaeological Project at La Garma Cave. P.I.: Prof. P. Arias, Dr. R. Ontañon. Institution: IIIIPC, Government of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria. Funding: Government of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria.
• Since 2016: Archaeological Project at La Chora Cave. P.I.: Dr. I. Gutiérrez Zugasti. Institutuion: IIIPC
• 2017-2020: QuaterReal: O Quaternário na Bacia de Drenagem do Rio Real. P.I.: Dr. M. Évora, C. Manso. Institution: ICArEHB, CM Bombarral.
• 2016-2020: LAFÕES: Estudo do Património Histórico-Arqueológico de Vouzela. P.I.: Dr. M. Real, Dr. A. F. Carvalho, Dr. C. Tente. Institution: IEM-NOVA, UAlg. Funding: Local public administration.
• 2016-2020: TRANSAIRE: Ocupação humana na transição Pleistocénico-Holocénico no NE da Serra d’Aire. P.I.: Dr. J. Marreiros. Institution: MONREPOS.
• Since 2015: EcoPLis - Human Ocupations in the Pleistocene Ecotones of River Lis. P.I.: Dr. T. Pereira. Institution: ICArEHB. Funding: Wenner Grenn Foundation, local public administrations.
• Since 2014: Archaeological Project at El Mazo rockshelter. P.I.: Dr. I. Gutiérrez Zugasti, Prof. Manuel Ramón González Morales, Dr. David Cuenca Solana. Institution: IIIPC.