On February 10 at 13:00, a public lecture titled “RATTUS: The Spread of Rats in Europe and the Role of the Caucasus in Their Migration” will be held at the University of Georgia.
The lecture will be delivered by Professor David Orton, a zooarchaeologist from the University of York (UK). He will discuss the role of this species as highly adaptable organisms in world history.
Special attention will be given to contemporary zooarchaeological research focusing on the migration of various mammals—specifically rodents (rats). As one of the most widespread populations in the world, rats have coexisted with humans for centuries and therefore carry valuable information about past societies from nutritional, social, infectious, trade-economic, and other perspectives.
The lecture will present a model explaining how these rodents spread from the Far East toward Europe and the role the Caucasus played in this process. It is also noteworthy that within the framework of the same project, research on zooarchaeological materials discovered at the ancient settlement of Samshvilde will begin this year, providing important new insights and additional data for these studies.
Time: February 10, 13:00
Location: Tbilisi, 77a Kostava Street, University of Georgia, IV Building, 7th Floor, auditorium #719
