Publications
Publications in review
Ranhorn, K.L., Tryon, C.A., Sharp, W., Quinn, R., Porter, S., Patania, I., Ogutu, J., Niespolo, E., McNeil, J., Mollel, S., Mashaka, H., Mearn, C.W., Lewis, J.E., Laird, M., Hallet, E., Colarossi, D., Late Pleistocene-Holocene archaeology and paleoenvironments of the Kondoa region, Tanzania (in revision)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Ranhorn, K. L., 230Th/U burial dating of burnt ostrich eggshells from Kisese II, Tanzania
Pickering, R., Niespolo, E.M., Green, H., U-series dating. Contribution to Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology, Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series, A. Gilbert (Ed.), Springer Science + Business Media (in review)
Kovacevich, B., Niespolo, E.M., Neff, H., & Bishop, R.L., Compositional Characterization of Mesoamerican Jadeite: A Brief Review with Results Pertinent to the Mask of K’inich Janaab Pakal (in review)
Published
2024
Present, T.P., Niespolo, E.M., Clarke, C.E., Behrensmeyer, A.K., Leakey, L.N., Leakey, M.G., Mongle, C., Du Plessis, A., Northrup, P., Tappero, R.V., Rasbury, E.T., Grine, F.E., 2024, Nondestructive geochemical characterization of fossil hominin taphonomy and burial history, Quaternary Science Reviews 324, 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108525
Berke, M.A., Peppe, D.J., and the LVDP team, 2024, ICDP workshop on the Lake Victoria Drilling Project (LVDP): Scientific Drilling of the World’s Largest Tropical Lake, Scientific Drilling 11, 1-11, 10.5194/sd-33-21-2024
2023
Martinez-Navarro, B., Gossa, T., Carotenuto, F., Bartolini-Lucenti, S., Palmqvist, P., Asrat, A., Figueirido, B., Rook, L., Niespolo, E.M., Renne, P.R., Herzlinger, G., Hovers, E., 2023, The earliest Ethiopian wolf: Implications for the species evolution and its future survival, Nature Communications: Biology, doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04908-w (link)
2022
Marra, F., Pereira, A., Jicha, B., Nomade, S., Biddittu, I., Florindo, F., Muttoni, G., Niespolo, E., Renne, P., Scao, V., 2022, Terrestrial records of glacial terminations V and IV in central Italy and insights on deglacial mechanisms. Nature: Scientific Reports 12, n. 18770, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23391-7 (link)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., 2022, Ysterfontein 1, South Africa. Contribution to volume on Pleistocene Africa, Springer Nature
Gossa, T., Hovers, E., Resom, A., Asrat, A., Niespolo, E., Renne, P.R., Martinez-Navarro, B., 2022, Melka Wakena (Ethiopia), Handbook on Pleistocene Africa, Ed.s D. Olszewki, D. Wright, J. Wilkins, A. Bouzouggar and A. Beyin, Springer Nature
Ranhorn, K.L., Colarossi, D., Molel, S., Laird, M., Lewis, J., Mashaka, H., Niespolo, E., Porter, S.T., Sawchuk, E., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Patania, I., 2022, Kisese II rockshelter in Kondoa (Tanzania), Contribution to volume on Pleistocene Africa, Springer Nature
Patania, I., Porter, S.T., Keegan, W.F., Dihogo, R., Frank, S., Lewis, J., Mashaka, H., Ogutu, J., Skosey-Lalonde, E., Tryon, C.A., Niespolo, E.M., Colarossi D., Ranhorn, K.L., 2022, Geoarchaeology and heritage management: identifying and quantifying multi-scalar erosional processes at Kisese II Rockshelter, Tanzania, Frontiers in Earth Science, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.665193
Mackay, A., Armitage, S., Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Stahlschmidt, M., Blackwood, A., Boyd, K., Kaplan, C.F., Low, M.A., Martisius, N., McNeil, P., Moffat, I., Rudd, R., Steele, T.E., 2022, Innovative technological and subsistence responses to marginal environments indicate complex cultural dynamics in southern Africa ~90,000 years ago, Nature: Ecology & Evolution, doi: 0.1038/s41559-022-01667-5 (pdf)
2021
Niespolo, E.M., WoldeGabriel, G., Hart, W.K., Renne, P.R., Sharp, W.D., Shackley, S.M., Ambrose, S., Asfaw, B., Beyene, Y., Brasil, M.F., Carlson, J.P., Sahle, Y., White, T.D., 2021, Integrative Geochronology Calibrates the Middle and Late Stone Ages of Ethiopia's Afar Rift, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118 (50) e2116329118; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2116329118
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Avery, G., Dawson, T.E., 2021, Reply to Klein: Ysterfontein 1 shell midden (South Africa) and the antiquity of coastal adaptation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108794118 (pdf)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Avery, G., Dawson, T.E., 2021, Early, intensive marine resource exploitation by Middle Stone Age humans at Ysterfontein 1 rockshelter, South Africa, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2020042118 (pdf)
Marra, F., Cardello, G.L., Gaeta, M., Jicha, B.R., Montone, P., Niespolo, E.M., Nomade, S., Palladino D.M., Pereira, A., De Luca, G., Florindo, F., Frepoli, A., Renne, P.R., Sottili, G., 2021, The Volsci Volcanic Field (central Italy): an open window on continental subduction processes, International Journal of Earth Sciences, DOI: 10.1007/s00531-021-01981-6 (pdf)
Hovers, E., Gossa, T., Asrat, A., Niespolo, E.M., Resom, A., Renne, P.R., Ekshtain, R., Herzlinger, G., Ketema, N., Martínez-Navarro, B., 2021, The expansion of the Acheulian to the Southeastern Ethiopian Highlands: Insights from the new early Pleistocene site-complex of Melka Wakena, Quaternary Science Reviews v.253, 106763 (pdf)
Kirch, P.V., Molle, G., Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., 2021, Coordinated 14C and 230Th dating of Kitchen Cave rockshelter, Gambier (Mangareva) Islands, French Polynesia: Comparing 230Th coral dates with Bayesian model ages,Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports v. 35, 102724 (pdf)
2020
Schaen, Allen J., Jicha, Brian R., Hodges, Kip V., Vermeesch, Pieter, Stelten, Mark E., Mercer, Cameron M., Phillips, David, Rivera, Tiffany A., Jourdan, Fred, Matchan, Erin L., Hemming, Sidney R., Morgan, Leah E., Kelley, Simon P., Cassata, William S., Heizler, Matt T., Vasconcelos, Paulo M., Koppers, Anthony A. P., Mark, Darren F., Niespolo, Elizabeth M., Sprain, Courtney J., Benowitz, Jeff A., Hames, William E., Kuiper, Klaudia F., Turrin, Brent D., Renne, Paul R., Ross, Jake, Nomade, Sebastian, Guillou, Hervé, Webb, Laura E., Cohen, Barbara A., Calvert, Andrew T., Joyce, Nancy, Ganderød, Morgan, Wijbrans, Jan, Ishizuka, Osamu, He, Huaiyu, Ramirez, Adán, Pfänder, Jörg, Lopez-Martínez, Margarita, Qiu, Huaning, Singer, Brad S., 2020, On the reporting and interpretation of 40Ar/39Ar geochronologic data, Geological Society of America Bulletin, DOI: 10.1130/B35560.1 (pdf)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Faith, J.T., Lewis, J., Ranhorn, K.L., Mambelli, S., Miller, M.J., Dawson, T.E., 2020, Ostrich eggshell stable isotopes record site-specific paleoenvironmental changes during the Middle to Later Stone Age transition in Eastern Africa, Quaternary Science Reviews v. 230, DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106142 (pdf)
2019
Giaccio, B., Leicher, N., Mannella, G., Monaco, L., Regattieri, E., Wagner, B., Zanchetta, G., Gaeta, M., Marra, F., Nomade, S., Palladino, D.M., Pereira, A., Scheidt, S., Sottili, G., Wonik, T., Wulf, S., Zeeden, C., Ariztegui, D., Cavinato, G.P., Dean, J., Florindo, F., Leng, M., Macrì, P., Niespolo, E.M., Renne, P.R., Rolf, C., Sadori, L., Thomas, C., Tzedakis, C., 2019 Extending the tephra and palaeoenvironmental record of the Central Mediterranean back to 430 ka: A new core from Fucino Basin, central Italy, Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 225, DOI: j.quascirev.2019.106003 (pdf)
Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Niespolo, E.M., Fylstra, N., Tripathy-Lang, A., Faith, J.T., Peppe, D.J., 2019, 230Th/U Burial Dating of Ostrich Eggshell, Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 219, 263 - 276, doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.06.037 (pdf)
Albert, P.G., Giaccio, B., Isaia, R., Costa, A., Niespolo, E.M., Nomade, S., Pereira, A., Renne, P.R., Hinchliffe, A., Mark, D., Brown, R., Smith, V.C., 2019, Evidence for a large magnitude eruption from Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy) at 29 ka, Geology, doi: 10.1130/G45805.1 (pdf)
Mannella, G., Giaccio, B., Zanchetta, G., Regattieri, E., Niespolo, E.M., Pereira, A., Renne, P.R., Nomade, S., Leicher, N., Perchiazzi, N., Wagner, B., 2019, Palaeoenvironmental and palaeohydrological variability of mountain areas in the central Mediterranean region: a 190 ka long chronicle from Fucino palaeolake (central Italy), Quaternary Science Reviews v. 210, 190 – 210, doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.02.032 (pdf)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., & Kirch, P.V., 2019, 230Th dating of coral abraders from stratified deposits at Tangatatau Rockshelter, Mangaia, Cook Islands: Implications for building precise chronologies in Polynesia, Journal of Archaeological Science v. 101, 21-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2018.11.001 (pdf)
2018
Tryon, C.A., Lewis, J.E., Ranhorn, K.L., Kwekason, A., Alex, B., Laird, M., Marean, C.W., Niespolo, E., Nivens, J., & Mabulla, A., 2018, Middle and Later Stone Age Chronology of Kisese II Rockshelter (UNESCO World Heritage Kondoa Rock-Art Sites), Tanzania. PLoS One, 13(2): e0192029. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192029 (pdf)
Giaccio, B., Niespolo, E., Pereira, A., Nomade, S., Renne, P.R., Albert, P.G., Arienzo, I., Regattieri, E., Wagner, B., Zanchetta, G., Gaeta, M., Galli, P., Mannella, G., Peronace, E., Sottili, G., Florindo, F., Leicher, N., Marra, F., & Tomlinson, E.L., 2017, First integrated tephrochronological record for the last ~190 kyr from the Fucino Quaternary lacustrine succession, central Italy, Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 158, p. 211–234, DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.01.004 (pdf)
2017
Niespolo, E.M., Rutte, D., Deino, A.L., & Renne, P.R., 2017, Intercalibration and age of the Alder Creek sanidine 40Ar/39Ar standard, Quarternary Geochronology, v. 39, p. 205 – 213, DOI: 10.1016/j.quageo.2016.09.004 (pdf)
Before 2017
Giaccio, B., Regattieri, E., Zanchetta, G., Wagner, B., Galli, P., Mannella, G., Niespolo, E., Peronace, E., Renne, P.R., Nomade, S., Cavinato, G. P., Messina, P., Sposato, A., Boschi, C., Florindo, F., Marra, F., & Sadori, L., 2015, A key continental archive for the last 2 Ma of climatic history of the central Mediterranean region: A pilot drilling in the Fucino Basin, central Italy, Scientific Drilling, v 20, p. 13-19 (pdf)
Niespolo, E., 2014, Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Stable Isotopes of Guatemalan Jadeitites: A New Method to Determine the Provenance of Meosamerican Jade Artifacts: Master of Science Thesis, California State University, Long Beach
Presentations and Posters
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Tissot, F.L.H., Miller, G.H., 2024, 230Th/U burial dating of Australian megafaunal eggshells, Paleoanthropology Society Meeting, Los Angeles
#Weldeghebriel, M., Murphy, J.G., Jurikova, H., Lowenstein, T.K., Rae, J., Niespolo, E.M., Higgins, J., 2023, Reconstructing secular evolution of Lithium isotope composition of seawater from marine halite, Geological Society of America Connects, Pittsburgh, PA; and at Goldschmidt Conference, Lyon, France
Niespolo, E.M., Renne, P.R., Morgan, L.E. Sharp, W.D. Hart, W.K., WoldeGabriel, G., 2023, Roles of tephra composition and landscape evolution on building a chronostratigraphic framework in the Middle Awash, Ethiopia, Gordon Research Conference in Geochronology, Mt. Snow, Vermont
Porter S.T., Mashaka, H., Ranhorn, K.L., & the Kondoa Deep History Partnership* (*includes Niespolo, E.M.), 2023, In with the Old, In with the New: Integrating Archival and Modern Digital Methods at Kisese II, Tanzania, Paleoanthropology Society Meeting, Portland, Oregon
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Fylstra, N., +Aguirre-Palafox, L.E., Tryon C.A., Lewis, J., Ranhorn, K., 2022, Expanding the applications of 230Th/U burial dating of ostrich eggshells to burnt samples and by laser ablation methods, Geological Society of America, Denver, Colorado
+Silverman, S.N., Wijker, R.S., Weiss, G.M., Niespolo, E.M., Sessions, A.L., 2022, Accounting for N-bound H in amino acid D/H measurements, Gordon Research Conference in Geobiology
Niespolo, E.M., Miller, G.H., Tissot, F.L.H., 2020, Testing Australian megafaunal avian eggshells for 230Th/U burial dating, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Avery, G., Dawson, T.E., Klein, R.G., 2020, Ysterfontein 1 midden records use of marine resources and millennial-scale paleoenvironmental change after the Last Interglacial, Paleoanthropology Society Meeting
Sharp, W.D., Niespolo, E.M., Tryon, C.A., Van Niekerk, K.L, Blegen, N.T., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., 230Th/U Burial Dating of Ostrich Eggshell: a New Geochronometer for Pleistocene Archaeological Sites, Paleoanthropology Society Meeting
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Glass, R., Crow, C., Jacobsen, B., Weisz, D., Tryon, C.A., Avery, G., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., Klein, R., Lewis, J., Mackay, A., Ranhorn, K., Steele, T., Van Niekerk, K., & WoldeGabriel, G., 2019, Patterns of U uptake and implications for diagenesis and trace element records in biomineral eggshell American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (Invited)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Fylstra, N., Armitage, S., Avery, G., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., Klein, R., Lewis, J., Mackay, A., Ranhorn, K., Steele, T., Van Niekerk, K., White, T., & WoldeGabriel, G., 2019, Evaluating 230Th/U burial dating of ostrich eggshell, a new chronometer for Pleistocene terrestrial strata, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (Invited)
Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Niespolo, E.M., Fylstra, N., Tripathy-Lang, A., Faith, J.T., Peppe, D.J., 2019, 230Th/U Burial Dating of Ostrich Eggshell: Initial Tests of a Novel Pleistocene Geochronometer, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Avery, G., Dawson, T.E., Klein, R.G., 2019, Ysterfontein 1 Middle Stone Age shell midden records rapid deposition, brief human occupation, and millennial-scale paleoenvironmental change shortly after MIS 5e, Gordon Research Conference in Geochronology
Niespolo, E.M., Renne, P.R., Hart, W.K., White, T.D., WoldeGabriel, G., 2018, Toward a chronostratigraphic framework for the last million years of environmental and human evolution in the Middle Awash, Ethiopia: 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and tephra chemistry, Geological Society of America Fall Meeting, Talk
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Faith, J.T., Lewis, J., Ranhorn, K.L., Mambelli, S., Miller, M.J., Dawson, T.E., 2018, Site-specific paleoenvironmental records during the Middle-to-Later Stone Age transition at Kisese II and Lukenya Hill using light stable isotopes of ostrich eggshells, Geological Society of America Fall Meeting, Poster
Albert, P.G., Giaccio, B., Isaia, R., Costa, A., Niespolo, E.M., Nomade, S., Pereira, A., Renne, P.R., Smith, V.C., 2018, Constraints on a large magnitude phreatomagmatic eruption at 29 ka from Campi Flegrei caldera and its widespread ash dispersal (Y-3 tephrostratigraphic marker), Cities on Volcanoes 10, Poster
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Fylstra, N., Avery, G., Blegen, N., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., Klein,R., Van Niekerk, K., Weisz, D.G., Tryon, C.A., 2018, U-Th burial dating of ostrich eggshell beyond the 14C limit, Goldschmidt Conference, Talk
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Fylstra, N.D., Aguirre-Palafox, L.E., Avery, G., Klein, R.G., 2018, U-Th burial dating of ostrich eggshells from Ysterfontein 1 Middle Stone Age Rock Shelter, South Africa, African Quaternary Association
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Fylstra, N., Tryon, C.A., Tripathy-Lang, A., Weisz, D.G., Blegen, N., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., Lewis, J., Mackay, A., Steele, T., Van Niekerk, K., & WoldeGabriel, G., 2017, U-Th burial dating of ostrich eggshells: a novel approach to dating African archaeological sequences beyond the 14C limit, Geological Society of America National Conference, Poster (DOI: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-307769)
Paces, J.B., Niespolo, E.M., & Sharp, W.D., Speed dating with a young, diverse crowd: U-Th geochronology using hydrogenic and biogenic materials: Geological Society of American National Conference, Talk (DOI: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-302021)
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Fylstra, N., Tryon, C.A., Weisz, D.G., Faith, J.T., Henshilwood, C.S., Lewis, J., Mackay, A., Steele, T., & Van Niekerk, K., 2017, Patterns of secondary U in ostrich eggshell: Application to U-Th dating of Quaternary terrestrial strata, Goldschmidt Conference, Talk (abstract)
White, T., WoldeGabriel, G., Asfaw, B., Beyene, Y., Hart, W., Renne, P.R., & Niespolo, E., 2017, Challenges and opportunities in managing and preserving paleoanthropological heritage in the Middle Awash study area, Sixth Conference of the East African Association of Paleoanthropology and Paleontology, Talk
Gossa, T., Asrat, A., Martinez-Navarro, B., Niespolo, E.M., Renne, P.R., Riesom, A., Ekshtain, R., Herzlinger, G., Ketema, N., Zeigen, C., & Hovers, E., 2017, The Newly Discovered Early Stone Age site of Melka Wakena, Ethiopia, Sixth Conference of the East African Association of Paleoanthropology and Paleontology, Talk
Niespolo, E.M., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Faith, J.T., Lewis, J., & Dawson, T.E., 2017, C and N stable isotopes in Late Pleistocene-Holocene ostrich eggshells reveal distinct local paleoenvironments in East Africa during the MSA-LSA transition, Paleoanthropology Society Annual Meeting, Talk
Niespolo, E.M., Rutte, D., Deino, A.L., & Renne, P.R., 2016, Intercalibration and age of the Alder Creek sanidine 40Ar/39Ar standard, Geological Society of America National Conference 2016, Talk
Giaccio, B., Regattieri, E., Zanchetta, G., Wagner, B., Niespolo, E., Nomade, S., Pereira, A., Renne, P.R., Arienzo, I., Albert, P., Gaeta, M., Galli, P., Mannella, G., Peronace, E., Cavinato, G.-P., Messina, P., Sposato, A., Ariztegui, D., Boschi, C., Florindo, F., Marra, F., Neubauer, T., Sadori, L., Tzedakis, P.C., 2016, Towards a ~1.5 Ma-long record of the central Mediterranean climatic and explosive volcanism history: first results from a pilot drilling in the Fucino Basin, central Italy, Congresso della Società Geologica Italiana.
Niespolo, E., Sharp, W.D., Tryon, C.A., Faith, J.T., Miller, M.J., & Dawson, T.E., C and N Isotopes in Ostrich Eggshell as Proxies of Paleovegetation and Paleoprecipitation: Extraction, Preservation, and Application to Pleistocene Archaeological Samples, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015, Poster
Scarlett, T.J., Drelich, J., Lipo, C., Niespolo, E., & Zhao, S., Multi-Lab Collaborative Experiments with Rehydroxylation (RHX) Dating, Society for American Archaeology National Conference 2015, Poster
Niespolo, E., Holk, G., & Neff, H., The fluid history of jadeitites near the Motagua Fault, Guatemala, as revealed by stable isotope and elemental geochemistry, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2014, Poster
Neff, H., Garfin, T., Burger, P., & Niespolo, E., Plumbate ceramic ecology, International Symposium on Archeometry Conference 2014, Talk
Niespolo, E., Neff, H., Holk, G., & Kovacevich, B., Geochemistry of jadeitites to link Maya artifacts and geologic sources in Guatemala, International Symposium on Archeometry Conference 2014, Poster
Niespolo, E., Holk, G., Neff, H., & Kovacevich, B., Using stable isotopes to link Maya jade artifacts and geologic sources in the Motagua Valley, Guatemala: a refined method to determine artifact provenance, Society for American Archaeology National Conference 2014, Poster
McGill, S., Warbritton, M., Onderdonk, N., Nelson, W., Niespolo, E., & Rockwell, T., New trenching extends previous record of paleoseismic events on the Claremont Fault at Mystic Lake, San Jacinto Fault Zone, Geological Society of America National Conference 2013, Poster
Niespolo, E., Harlow, J., Lipo, C., & Sakai, S., Thermal Properties and Functional Advantages of Olivine-Tempered Moapa Ware: a Comparative Study, Geological Society of America National Conference 2013, Poster
Peña, T., Cheung, C., & Niespolo, E., The Pompeii Artifact Life History Project: Aims and First Season’s Results, Archaeological Institute of America: Winter Conference 2013, Talk
Niespolo, E. & Andrews, B., Quantitative Textural Analysis of Phenocryst Zoning Patterns, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2011, Poster