Homo sapiens was anatomically modern by c. 200,000 years ago in Africa, but there is no archaeological evidence to demonstrate that behaviour was modern at the time. Attributes of modern behaviour, inspired by changes in the human brain, are only recognisable after 100,000 years ago. Before we can study the process, we must critically define the criteria for the term 'modern behaviour' and then find a means to recognise such behaviour in the record. This seemingly simple research statement involves complex exploration by a team of specialists. In this highly competitive research field, our centre is rising rise to the challenge by combining the skills of cutting-edge scientists in archaeology, climate reconstruction and modelling, and the cognitive and social sciences. Currently we are synthesising approaches from different disciplines to contribute to a sophisticated understanding of early human behaviour. Our highly ambitious research programme focuses on rare, well-preserved archaeological sites occupied between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago, as these contain the 'keys' for unlocking the past. A major competitive edge is the SapienCE Director’s 30 years of archaeological experience and his long-term exclusive access, with permits, to a number of the best-preserved sites in the southern Cape, South Africa - a region regarded as a major locus for vital evidence that could inform on the behaviour of early humans. Our planned excavations at existing and new sites and our ground-breaking interdisciplinary approaches, including climate and cognitive research, to understanding the processes that shaped human cultures is consolidating Norway’s position as a world leader in early human origins research.