Biography
Rhayth Benoutiq is a Ph.D. student in the Integrative Anthropological Sciences program at the University of Central Florida, where he conducts doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Freidline. He earned his Master’s degree in Prehistoric Archaeology in 2024 from the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage (INSAP) in Rabat, Morocco. Rhayth’s doctoral research offers a holistic, bioarchaeological perspective on the protohistoric necropolises of Morocco, focusing specifically on the burial monuments “tumuli” and human remains of the Oriental and Sahara plains. His work aims to reconstruct the demographic profiles, health status, and funerary behaviors of these ancient populations while evaluating regional migratory, local ancestry and cultural connectivity across North and West Africa through the study of human remains. Rhayth has extensive fieldwork experience coordinating excavations of prehistoric funerary sites, Neolithic necropolis, and Middle Stone Age burials. He has completed specialized international training in Archeothanatology in Bordeaux, France, and his research has been presented at international assemblies.
Research Interests/Specializations
• Bioarchaeology & Paleopathology: Reconstructing demographic profiles, age, sex, physical stature, and health markers of prehistoric and protohistoric populations to understand ancient nutritional stress markers and environmental adaptations.
• Archeothanatology & Funerary Landscape: Documenting variations in tumular necropolises and structural architecture to analyze ancient mortuary practices, taphonomy, and expressions of local identity.
• Digital Archaeology & Spatial Mapping: Applying Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS, QGIS), 3D modeling, and photogrammetry for high-resolution spatial recording, mapping, and documentation of funerary complexes.
• North & West African Protohistory: Investigating broader regional connectivity, cultural sequences, and migratory patterns by comparing Moroccan funerary complexes with data from North of Africa and Sub-Sahara.