19-20 June, 2026
Unravelling the Palaeolithic
University College London
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18/03/26
We are delighted to announce that Dr Annemieke Milks will be giving the keynote lecture at the 2026 Unravelling the Palaeolithic conference. Through her brilliant published Doctoral and postdoctoral research, Dr Milks has transformed how we think about early weapon systems, from simple wooden spears to stone-tipped projectiles. Alongside this work she is pioneering how we bring the hidden Palaeolithic record into the light, whether by considering and studying the use of wood in tool manufacture, or exploring the record we have for children in Prehistory. Combining ambitious experimental rigour with a profound intent to get beyond tools and into the minds and society of prehistoric people, her work is truly interdisciplinary and transformative. Having directed successive projects, with funders including the British Academy, the Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the AHRC, Dr Milks has made a big impact across archaeological and anthropological discipline boundaries. An alumni of the Institute of Archaeology’s PaPa MSc and Doctoral programmes, we are delighted to welcome Dr Milks back to UCL to deliver the UTP conference keynote lecture on the 19th June.
Welcome to the website for the Unravelling the Palaeolithic conference 2026!
Unravelling the Palaeolithic is an ECR and student-led conference with a history of showcasing excellence in research in Palaeolithic archaeology, early human origins and related fields. Since the inaugural UTP at the University of Southampton in 2011, the conference has taken place at various UK institutions (Liverpool, Cambridge, Durham, Oxford and York).
This year we are delighted to be hosting Unravelling the Palaeolithic for the first time at UCL! The conference will take place in our very own Institute of Archaeology.
Keeping the ethos from previous years we strongly encourage attendance and paper submissions by students and early career researchers. UTP is always a friendly and supportive environment, especially for those who might not have much experience with presenting their research. We are also hoping the conference this year can act as a showcase for Palaeolithic work being undertaken in developer funded archaeology and encourage submissions from those working in the area.
On the website you can find information about the 2026 conference, ticket sales, paper submissions, and links to past conferences. We will be continually updating the website over the next few months with new information about hotels/hostels, travel, food and many other things, so please visit again.
Early Bird tickets available before 24th April!
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