Magnus Haaland is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Bergen, Norway and an affiliated researcher at the University of Tübingen, Germany.  He specializes in geoarchaeology and archaeological micromorphology. His current research focuses on evaluating site formation processes at Middle Stone Age cave sites dated to between 50 000 and 100 000 years. While knowledge of these processes is useful both for the reconstruction of paleolandscapes, assessment of local taphonomy and evaluation of stratigraphic integrity, Magnus is particularly interested in how depositional events can inform us about prehistoric human campsite practices and behaviours.  His interest in stratified archaeological deposits comes from his extensive fieldwork experience in southern Africa.

During the last ten years, Magnus has participated in excavations at sites such as Blombos Cave, Klipdrift Complex, Sibudu, Diepkloof Rockshelter, Bushman Rockshelter and Pomongwe Cave. During his fieldwork, Haaland has also been developing and implementing digital systems for more systematic, efficient and comprehensive data collection, including the use of high-resolution 3D photogrammetry and GIS. In the laboratory, his efforts have been geared towards integrating and contextualizing geochemical results (e.g. from XRF, FTIR, XRD, RAMAN) within the spatial framework of oriented and geo-referenced thin sections.

When Magnus is not in the field or in the lab, he enjoys hiking in the mountains, photographing and watching chess TV.

KEYWORDS:

• Intra-site spatial analysis
• Geoarchaeology
• Soil micromorphology
• Site formation processes
• GIS
• Photogrammetry
• Image based 3D reconstruction
• Archaeological data collection strategies
• African Middle Stone Age and early Homo Sapiens
• Human behavioral evolution
• Microanalytical integration
• FTIR and micro-FTIR
• micro-XRF, micro-RAMAN
• SEM-EDS, XRD

2024

• Walsh, Ella Victoria; Armitage, Simon James; Miller, Christopher et al. (2024). Palaeolandscape evolution during the period of Middle Stone Age occupation of Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Miller, Christopher; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Armitage, Simon James et al. (2024). Geoarchaeological investigations of Klipdrift Shelter, de Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Unhammer, Ole Fredrik; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Armitage, Simon James et al. (2024). Reconcilable differences: Using retrospective photogrammetry to bridge the divide between analogue and digital site data collected during long-term excavation projects. (ekstern lenke)

2023

• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Nel, Turid Hillestad (2023). Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Nel, Turid Hillestad; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2023). Klipdrift Shelter, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)

2022

• Velliky, Elizabeth Catherine; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Mentzer, Susan M. et al. (2022). New insights into ochre features and their associated behaviours from the Howieson’s Poort layers at Klipdrift Shelter. (ekstern lenke)
• Bentsen, Silje Evjenth; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Milic, Jovana et al. (2022). Pilot fires: Preliminary Report from Interdisciplinary Actualistic Fire Experiments. (ekstern lenke)

2021

• Velliky, Elizabeth Catherine; Hodgskiss, Tammy; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2021). The MAMOR Database: Measuring Anthropogenic Markings on 3D Ochre Surface Renderings. (ekstern lenke)
• Velliky, Elizabeth Catherine; Hodgskiss, Tammy; Straffon, Larissa Mendoza et al. (2021). Ochre Across Deep Time: A conversation exploring ochre's enduring role in human behavior and evolution, and in protecting Earth-systems knowledge. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Mentzer, Susan M; Velliky, Elizabeth Catherine et al. (2021). Characterizing microscopic ochre fragments at Middle Stone Age sites: Implications for evaluating in-situ ochre processing and use. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2021). Ochre Across Deep Time: A geoarchaeological perspective. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2021). Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour presents: An experimental field season (Short Movie). (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2021). Investigating the effect of systematic hearth maintenance (ash removal) on the size, morphology and microstratigraphy of long-duration fires. . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Mentzer, Susan M; Velliky, Elizabeth Catherine et al. (2021). Characterizing microscopic ochre fragments at Middle Stone Age sites: implications for evaluating prehistoric ochre use and deposition. (ekstern lenke)

2020

• Porraz, Guillaume; Chiwara, Precious; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen et al. (2020). Les sous-sols de l’art rupestre à l’abri Pomongwe (Matobo, Zimbabwe). (ekstern lenke)
• Unhammer, Ole Fredrik; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Armitage, Simon James (2020). Comprehensive 3D reconstruction of an archaeological site based on archive images . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Strauss, André M.; Velliky, Elizabeth et al. (2020). Hidden in plain sight: A microanalytical study of a Middle Stone Age ochre piece trapped inside a micromorphological block sample. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Unhammer, Ole Fredrik et al. (2020). Geoarchaeological investigation of occupation deposits in Blombos Cave in South Africa indicate changes in site use and settlement dynamics in the southern Cape during MIS 5b-4. (ekstern lenke)

2019

• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). What is an archaeological site? . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). Multi-scale and interdisciplinary study of prehistoric occupation deposits: a case study from Blombos Cave, South Africa . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher E.; Unhammer, Ole Fredrik et al. (2019). What's in that black layer? A report on a 85 000 year old dark sedimentary feature in Blombos Cave, South Africa . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). Geoarchaelogical investigation of prehistoric site use, occupation intensity and settlement patterns in Blombos Cave, South Africa . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). De første menneskene var smarte, spiste sjømat og brukte smykker. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). A report on recent investigations of Pomongwe Cave: a Middle Stone Age Site in Zimbabwe . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2019). NRK Hordland Radiointervju - Om arkeologisk feltarbeid i Sør-Afrika. (ekstern lenke)

2018

• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Henshilwood, Christopher; Miller, Christopher E. (2018). Geoarchaeological and micro-contextual investigations of Middle Stone Age occupation deposits at Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Porraz, Guillaume; Val, Aurore; Tribolo, Chantal et al. (2018). The MIS5 pietersburg at 28' bushman rock Shelter, Limpopo Province, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Czechowski, Matthias; Carpentier, Frank et al. (2018). Documenting archaeological thin sections in high-resolution: A comparison of methods and discussion of applications. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher E.; Unhammer, Ole Fredrik et al. (2018). Investigation of Middle Stone Age occupation deposits in Blombos Cave, South Africa: evidence for changes in site-use and settlement dynamics in the Southern Cape during the MIS 5b-4 (94 – 72 ka). (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher E. (2018). Geo-archaeological investigations of the MSA contexts within the SapienCE project: current status and future potential. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher E.; Henshilwood, Christopher (2018). Doing site-oriented depositional experiments? This is why you should consider taking a micromorphological block sample!. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2018). Utvikling og spreiing av moderne menneske dei siste 2-300 000 år . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2018). Geoarchaelogical investigation of prehistoric site structure, occupation intensity and settlement patterns in Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2018). Utvikling og spreiing av moderne menneske dei siste 200 000 år . (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Strauss, André; Miller, Christopher E. et al. (2018). The 3D-reconstruction of a modified ochre fragment trapped inside a micromorphological block sample from the Middle Stone Age levels of Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)

2017

• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). Hvordan har ild gjort oss til mennesker?. (ekstern lenke)
• Czechowski, Matthias; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Mentzer, Susan et al. (2017). Distribution and spatial analysis of heat in thin-sections. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). Røyk, eld og flammar – korleis pyroteknologi har gjort oss til menneske. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Friesem, David; Miller, Christopher et al. (2017). Investigating burnt deposits in Blombos Cave, South-Africa: a multi-proxy and multi-scale approach. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Henshilwood, Christopher (2017). Investigating site formation processes in Blombos Cave, South-Africa – a geo-archaeological and micro-contextual approach. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Friesem, David; Miller, Christopher et al. (2017). Heat-induced alteration of glauconitic minerals in the Middle Stone Age levels of Blombos Cave, South Africa: Implications for evaluating site structure and burning events. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). Microcontextual investigation of Blombos Cave, South Africa: Development of Methods and Preliminary Results. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Van Niekerk, Karen Loise et al. (2017). Evaluating the nature and behavioral implications of laterally extensive occupation deposits in the Middle Stone Age levels of Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Unhammer, Ole et al. (2017). Middle Stone Age ochre contexts in Blombos Cave, South-Africa: a macro- and micro-contextual background. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). NRK Hordaland, Intervju om nytt Senter for Fremragende Forskning.. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). NRK Ytring P2: Debatt om kulturminneforvaltning. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). Nokon må tale dei daudes sak. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2017). Intervju i studio hos NRK Hordaland P1 i forbindelse med åpning av SapienCE SFF.. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Henshilwood, Christopher Stuart (2017). Blombos cave. (ekstern lenke)

2016

• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2016). Meininga i det nedgravne. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Henshilwood, Christopher (2016). Geoarchaeological and micromorphological investigations of Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Henshilwood, Christopher (2016). Multi-scale and micro-contextual investigation of the Middle Stone Age sequence in Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Czechowski, Matthias (2016). Multi-disciplinary and multi-scalar investigations of archaeological sites - A geoarchaeological approach. . (ekstern lenke)
• Rifkin, Riaan; Linda C., Prinsloo; Laure, Dayet et al. (2016). Characterising pigments on 30 000 year-old mobiliary art form Apollo 11 Cave, Karas Region, southern Namibia.. (ekstern lenke)

2015

• Rifkin, Riaan; Henshilwood, Christopher; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2015). Pleistocene figurative art mobilier from Apollo 11 Cave, Karas Region, Southern Namibia. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Rifkin, Riaan F.; Henshilwood, Christopher (2015). Late Pleistocene figurative art mobilier From Apollo II Cave, southern Namibia. Poster Session. and Workshops, 30 Jan - 7 Feb, 2015, , Cape Town, South Africa.. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2015). Tynnslip. Fotoserie basert på arkeologiske funn frå Blombos-hola.. (ekstern lenke)
• Rifkin, Riaan; Prinsloo, Linda C.; Dayet, Laure et al. (2015). Elemental and technological analyses of 30 000 year-old mobiliary art form Apollo II Cave, Namibia. (ekstern lenke)
• Hop, Henriette Maria Børslid; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2015). Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Hop, Henriette Maria Børslid. Innberetning fra utgravning av boplasspor (id 108528-1) på Bjorvollen, Stend 2014 (Fana), 97/54, Bergen k., Hordaland. B. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Miller, Christopher; Czechowski, Matthias et al. (2015). High-resolution 3D documentation of micromorphological block samples: bridging the gap between micro-scale and macro-scale investigation of archaeological sites.. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Friesem, David; Miller, Christopher et al. (2015). Heat-induced alteration of glauconitic minerals in the Middle Stone Age levels of Blombos Cave, South Africa: implications for evaluating site structure and burning events.. (ekstern lenke)

2014

• Henshilwood, Christopher; Van Niekerk, Karen Loise; Wurz, Sarah Jacoba Deborah et al. (2014). Klipdrift Shelter, southern Cape, South Africa: preliminary report on the Howiesons Poort layers. (ekstern lenke)
• Melvær, Knut; Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). En arkeologisk bløtkake. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Microarchaeological investigation of archaeological deposits. A geo-archaeological and micromorphological approach. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Unhammer, Ole (2014). Applying image-based 3D modelling techniques to prehistoric cave contexts: implementing and evaluating photogrammetric reconstruction methods at Blombos Cave, South Africa. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Skjelvik, May-Britt; Brandseth, Arnt et al. (2014). Southern Cape Sapiens. Prosjektledelse: May-Britt Skjelvik, UiB. Foto: Magnus Haaland, UiB & Frode Ims, UiB. Redigering: Arnt Brandseth, UiB. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Dette bør du vite om arkeologar. BT-Innsikt artikkel. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Etterforskar 70.000 år gamal forsvinning. BT-Innsikt artikkel. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Contributions to UiB's Instagram account 2014. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Blombos Cave. Wikipedia entry rewritten and added updated content. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Contributions to photo-gallery for the ERC project TRACSYMBOLS 2014. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). En arkeologisk bløtkake. Gjest: Magnus Haaland. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Archaeological excavation methods at Blombos Cave and Klipdrift Shelter. Current practice & suggestions future developments. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen (2014). Geo-archaeological investigations of Blombos Cave, South-Africa. Micromorphological observations. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Hop, Henriette Maria Børslid (2014). Innberetning fra utgravning av boplasspor (id 108528-1) på Bjorvollen, Stend (Fana), 97/54, Bergen k., Hordaland. (ekstern lenke)
• Haaland, Magnus Mathisen; Skjelvik, May-Britt; Brandseth, Arnt (2014). Et arkeologisk reisebrev fra Sør-Afrika. Prosjektledelse: May-Britt Skjelvik, UiB. Foto, forteller og intervju: Magnus Haaland, UiB. Redigering: Arnt Brandseth, UiB. (ekstern lenke)

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