Dr. Katrien Dierickx

I am a post-doctoral researcher on the FRESH project. My background is in biology and archaeology, focusing on ecology and diversity of animals. I became interested in zooarchaeology and the past relationship between humans, animals and the environment during my masters, when I had the opportunity to identify different fish species from an archaeological site using comparative osteology. My interest in fish was further sparked as a research assistant to the MbiSa-Congo project (2017-2019), working on the diversity and ecology of modern African freshwater fish. I completed a PhD (2019-2022) in archaeology at the University of York (on medieval flatfish exploitation) as part of the SeaChanges Innovative Training Network, using comparative osteology, geometric morphometrics, and collagen peptide mass fingerprinting to identify the individual species and stable isotope analysis to infer catch habitats. Afterwards, I continued my career in archaeozoology by studying human impacts on walruses during times of intense exploitation in various regions of their original distribution. My research is multidisciplinary, combining several methods, such as osteology, morphometrics, proteomics and stable isotope analyses, to understand the past relationship between humans and animals. 

Project:

Flanders' Riverine Exploitation and ecoSystems throughout History (FRESH)

Rivers in Western Europe have faced severe anthropogenic impacts, such as pollution and biodiversity loss, since the medieval and post-mediaeval periods. Despite historical records, the extent of these impacts remains largely unconfirmed through archaeological research. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FRESH project, focused on Flanders, aims to bridge this gap by examining how freshwater fish exploitation and ecosystem health evolved alongside socio-economic and environmental changes. By applying advanced bioarchaeological techniques like palaeoproteomics and isotope analysis to ancient fish bones, the project will offer insights into past biodiversity, pollution, and habitat degradation. These findings will provide pre-modern baselines to support conservation efforts, helping restore one of Europe’s most dynamic ecosystems.

Supervisor: 

Prof. Dr. Christophe Snoeck

Education: 

• Bsc Biology, KU Leuven, Belgium (2014)
• Msc Biology, KU Leuven, Belgium (2016)
• Academic Teacher Education, KU Leuven, Belgium (2018)
• PhD in Archaeology, University of York, United Kingdom (2023)

Keywords:

• Zooarchaeology
• Palaeoproteomics
• Isotope Analysis
• Fish
• Biodiversity
• History

Main Publications: 

• Dierickx K., Kersten O., van den Hurk Y., Frasier B., Sabin B., Star B., Barrett J., 2025. Ontogenetic changes and sexual dimorphism in the cranium and mandible of the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus L.). The Anatomical Record Early View. DOI: 10.1002/ar.70050
• Dierickx K., Wouters W., 2025. Comparative osteology of the North Sea flatfishes (Teleostei; Pleuronectiformes). Cybium 49: 29-64. DOI: 10.26028/CYBIUM/2025-001
• Dierickx K., Schauer P., Harland J., Pipe A., Oueslati T., Lehouck A., Ervynck A., Wouters W., Von Tersch M., Orton D., Alexander M., 2024. Finding the right plaice at the right time: Multi-molecular analysis of flatfish reveal historical catch habitats. Fish and Fisheries 25: 811-822. DOI: 10.1111/faf.12847
• Dierickx K., Oueslati T., Profico A., 2023. Geometric morphometric analysis of Pleuronectiformes vertebrae: a new tool to identify archaeological fish remains? Journal of Anatomy 243: 982-996. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13934
• Dierickx K., Presslee S., Harvey V.L., 2023. Rapid collagen peptide mass fingerprinting as a tool to authenticate Pleuronectiformes in the food industry. Food Control 148: 109680. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.109680
• Dierickx K., Presslee S., Hagan R., Oueslati T., Harland J., Hendy J., Orton D., Alexander M., Harvey V., 2022. Peptide mass fingerprinting of preserved collagen in archaeological fish bones for the identification of flatfish in European waters. Royal Society Open Science 9: 220149. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220149
• Van Neer W., Alhaique F., Wouters W., Dierickx K., Gala M., Goffette Q., Mariani G.S., Zerboni A., di Lernia S., 2020. Aquatic fauna from the Takarkori rock shelter reveals the Holocene central Saharan climate and palaeohydrography. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0228588. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228588