Dr. Dennis Sandgathe

Biography

Dennis Sandgathe is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. He holds a BA with honours from the University of Calgary, an MA from the University of Alberta, and a PhD from Simon Fraser University. His research interests are broadly centered on hominin evolution and the entire Palaeolithic/Stone Age period, with a specific focus on Neandertals during the Middle Palaeolithic in Western Europe. Over the past 20 years, he has directed excavations at historically significant Palaeolithic cave sites in Southwest France, including La Ferrassie, Pech de l’Azé, and Roc de Marsal, as well as Morocco's Grotte des Contrebandiers. Sandgathe has collaborated closely with colleagues in France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, and the United States. His main area of expertise is lithic analysis, through which he examines the variability of Neandertal stone tools over their 200,000-plus year existence. He studies how stone tool technology evolved over time, varied geographically, and differed from that of contemporary modern humans. Additionally, he explores Neandertal mortuary behavior, particularly the practice of intentionally burying the dead, a topic that has sparked debate for over a century. Sandgathe is also focused on understanding Palaeolithic fire use, especially during cold climatic periods, and is working on innovative lab-based micro-excavation techniques that apply geochemical analyses to sediment samples.

Research Interests