Department of Anthropology Professor Dr. Gabriel Wrobel has been awarded the Fulbright Specialist Award to complete a project with the Institute of Archaeology in Belize. At the Belize Institute of Archaeology, Dr. Wrobel will be giving talks about archaeology, cultural heritage, bioarchaeology, and digital heritage for high school and college students with the goal of generating interest in the Institute’s work and spreading awareness of volunteer opportunities with the Institute.
The Fulbright Specialist Program pairs U.S. academics and professionals with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while networking at their overseas host institutions. Fulbright Specialist Program projects generally last between two and six weeks and are approved to take place all throughout the year.
Click here for more information on the Fulbright Specialist Program: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/
Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Dr. Mara Leichtman published an article in Ethnography, in part of a special journal issue titled “Transnational Giving: Evolving Religious, Ethnic and Political Formations in the Global South.” The article title is “Humanitarian Sovereignty, Exceptional Muslims, and the Transnational Making of Kuwaiti Citizens.” This article explores the changing relationship between Kuwaiti Islamic humanitarian missions abroad and the Kuwaiti state.
Abstract: What is the role of transnational non-state philanthropic actors in the Kuwaiti humanitarian mission abroad? How does humanitarian aid reinforce and (re)conceptualize Kuwaiti notions of citizenship? A key provider of foreign assistance, this small, at times vulnerable, Gulf country has given generously to other nations as part of a strategic foreign policy. Kuwait’s humanitarian sovereignty involves coordinated efforts at multiple levels of state policy, civil society organizations, and pious individual donors who fund the work of international Islamic charities – which have increasingly become more connected to the state. Exceptional Muslim humanitarians donate their time along with their money, and youth in greater numbers are volunteering with transnational missions. An honorable endeavor—sanctioned by the government—volunteering brings religious rewards and leads to professional development. Bridging state, civil society, and private domains, transnational giving from Kuwait merges religious and national forms of community and shapes moral citizens.
Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis from the Michigan State department of Anthropology recently coauthored a chapter in the journal Chemistry in the Service of Archaeology: Dating and Materials Analysis, part of the American Chemical Society Symposium Series. Lovis and his team of researchers from Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Eastern Michigan, Sherbrooke (Canada) and Muhlenberg College presented their findings from recent analysis done on beads found alongside an ancient Andean funeral site.
Funerals have existed for centuries as an opportunity to celebrate and memorialize someone’s life, and the ancient world is full of examples of the cultural practice of individuals being buried alongside objects that were sacred or important to them during their lives. Some believed including these special items would bring the individual comfort in the afterlife and, in some cases, would be of use to them in the next world. Common funerary objects included in these burials were items such as jewelry, weapons, figurines and tools. These items are extremely valuable to anthropologists in piecing together the story of a person’s life and culture at that given time in history.
The researchers took a specific look at red and black beads found in the funerary assemblage of a young Andean girl. Through the use of chemical analysis, they hoped to discover information on the manufacturing and origin of the beads, such as whether they were made of European glass or a different material.
“Analysis of the raw materials used for beads found in Andean funerary assemblages employing advanced chemical and imaging characterization techniques is becoming more common,” Lovis explained. “In this instance, our approach employed a large battery of such techniques to independently evaluate and corroborate individual results, and refine our interpretation.”
The team found that the beads were made of stone, likely shale or slate, and had been locally manufactured. They had also apparently been treated with coating oils either during their production and use, for their use as funerary objects, or at some point during museum curation. The researchers were able to share their findings with the National Archaeological Museum (MUNARQ) in LaPaz, Bolivia, benefitting archaeological research across the globe.
Images of the black (left) and red (right) beads as viewed with light microscopy.
“In some respects this paper acts as a primer in how such approaches can be used in tandem, and how multiple individuals and institutions with different disciplinary capabilities can coalesce on a problem and collectively solve it. I certainly hope our colleagues engaged in archaeological materials analysis find this a useful contribution.”
The chapter may be accessed at: doi 10.1021/bk-2023-1446.ch003, by ACS subscription, or by contacting the authors.
Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Dr. Kurt Rademaker and Ph.D. Candidate Emily Milton, along with lead author Ph.D. Candidate Sarah Meinekat of the University of Tübingen, M.A. Student Brett Furlotte of the University of Saskatchewan, and Dr. Sonia Zarrillo of the University of British Columbia, published in Quaternary Science Reviews. The article is titled “Fire as high-elevation cold adaptation: An evaluation of fuels and Terminal Pleistocene combustion in the Central Andes.” This article explores the use of fire as a method of human adaptation to the cold in high-elevation environments, and details the methods employed by the authors to determine which fuels may have been used for creating fire in the Andes by early occupants.
Read the full article at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379123002925
Abstract: The use of fire constitutes an essential cultural adaptation to cold, and archaeological evidence for fire can be expected in high-latitude and high-elevation regions successfully inhabited by modern humans. At Cuncaicha rockshelter (4480 m above sea level, or masl) in the southern Peruvian Andes, evidence for fire is present from the earliest occupation, dating to the Terminal Pleistocene (∼12,500–11,200 cal BP). Yet, the site contains relatively few identifiable carbonized macrobotanical remains useful for identifying plants employed as combustible fuel. Based on a comprehensive review of nearly 40 early Andean archaeological sites above 2500 masl, little is known about fuels used for combustion. To understand fuel selection strategies at Cuncaicha, we conducted a combustion field experiment, evaluating the three highland plant taxa most likely to have been used as combustible fuels: Polylepis rugulosa (queñua) tree branches, Parastrephia spp. (tola) woody shrubs, and Azorella compacta (yareta) cushion plants. Temperature measurements informed on the combustion characteristics and efficiency of each fuel. We then compared the experimentally-produced fire residues to the geoarchaeological evidence from Cuncaicha. The resinous cushion plant yareta, endemic to the high Andes, may have been the primary fuel used at Cuncaicha based on the experiment outcome and the geoarchaeological evidence. Due to its high-temperature and complete combustion, yareta leaves little to no macrobotanical evidence, thus its identification at other Andean sites may require a multi-methodological approach. Because the geographic range of this plant corresponds with most early archaeological sites in the high Andes, yareta may have been a key resource enabling early settlement throughout the region.
Michigan State is home to a diverse group of students from hundreds of different backgrounds and lifestyles, and nearly as many campus organizations exist to support these students. The MSU Indigenous Graduate Student Collective is one such group.
The Indigenous Graduate Student Collective is a group of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous graduate students dedicated to Indigenous studies and issues while also offering support and encouragement to help uplift Indigenous voices at MSU. The mission of the Collective is to build connections across campus and the community, expand learning opportunities and support for graduate students and to discuss and address issues relating to global Indigeneity.
One of the main objectives of the IGSC is to forge partnerships and community ties with MSU faculty and students. By coming together with other programs and departments throughout campus, the Collective is able to bring programming and events to Michigan State that center around the Indigenous community. The group has hosted new moon gatherings, sugarbush, Indigenous-focused movie nights and book clubs, and volunteer events at Giitigan, a local Anishinaabe community garden.
Recent national statistics show that around 22 percent of the 18-24 year-old American Indian population were enrolled in college compared to 40 percent of the overall US population. At Michigan State, around 0.3 percent of students in Fall 2022 identified as American Indian, a 15 percent increase from Fall 2021. Upon arriving at college, students may struggle with feeling disconnected from their cultural roots and finding others who understand their backgrounds. The IGSC is committed to the spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, and academic well-being of these graduate students attending MSU.
Michael Polk (MA ‘79), along with his co-authors, was recently recognized by the United States Department of the Interior for the publication of their book, “Rails East to Ogden: Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad Story.” The group received the DOI’s Environmental Achievement Award on behalf of their efforts to promote and preserve cultural resources including archaeological sites, historic buildings and landscapes.
“Rails East to Ogden” chronicles the history of the Transcontinental Railroad in Utah, specifically the now abandoned 87-mile portion of track converging at Promontory Summit. Originally a significant portion of the railroad, the location where efforts by Union Pacific and Central Pacific to unite East and West via rail culminated in 1869, the line was downgraded to a branch line in 1904 when a more straightforward cutoff route was introduced. The branch line was fully abandoned in 1942. The Promontory line is open to the public and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a “Backcountry Byway” and is a great example of the preserved history of a former railroad operation.
Polk, a pioneer and veteran of the cultural resource management industry, has been interested in archaeology since his early college days, which developed into a more specific research interest in railroad history and anthropology with a specialization in archaeology. The career field had limited paths to take when he was first starting out, but after a number of years in college and a few field work stints, he found himself the co-owner along with his wife of his own cultural resource consulting firm.
Cultural resource management firms play a large role in protecting the balance between construction and development of new projects with preservation of important cultural sites and artifacts, including prehistoric and historic era resources. They contract with federal, state and local government agencies and with private development companies in industries such as oil and gas, mining, renewable energy, and construction. They study the prehistory and history of proposed project locations to better understand the cultural resources, and to sometimes help avoid their destruction or mitigate the effects to them through documentation and, sometimes, excavation and analysis. That helps projects proceed and enhances our knowledge of the past. It also often protects important resources in our society.
Polk and Utah BLM archaeologist Michael Sheehan receiving the award from Secretary Haaland in D.C.
“When [my wife, Ann, and I] were young, the field that we went into didn’t even really exist; the options for archaeologists were to either to teach at a university or work in a museum,” Polk explained. “While I was in graduate school at MSU in the late 1970s, things began to open up in the cultural resource management field, which is the industry that most archaeologists in this country work in now.”
Before beginning his full-time gig, Polk earned his master’s degree in anthropology from Michigan State. The College of Social Science and the Anthropology Department, in particular, holds a special place in Polk’s heart, and he counts his advisor, Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis, and Professor Emeritus Charles Cleland as two of his biggest supporters in the development of his professional life.
During the 30 years of operation of Sagebrush Consultants with Ann in Utah (1983-2013), Polk had been involved in several projects surrounding the history of Chinese railroad workers, and shared his interests with Utah’s’ State Historic Preservation Officer, Chris Merritt. With the assistance of several other colleagues, the pair began work on a book that would delve in depth into the history of the Promontory Line of the Transcontinental Railroad, writing it in tandem with the 150th anniversary of the completion of the railway.
Decorated Chinese porcelain bowl base found at railroad station site on transcontinental railroad in Utah Desert.
“Over the years I worked on a number of projects in the Intermountain area (Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada) some involving Chinese railroad workers and other projects including Chinese gold miners. Railroad workers really came to the forefront in 2015, around the 150th anniversary of the Central Pacific Railroad’s hiring of a lot of Chinese laborers to come to the United States,” Polk said.
The book covers extensively the 87 miles and 53 rail stations along the Central Pacific line between the Nevada state line and Ogden, Utah, looking into the geophysical, architectural, social and operational history of the railroad. With the line ending operations in 1942, being in an extremely remote location, and being protected by the BLM ever since, there is a wealth of intact cultural features and artifacts left behind for the archaeologist to discover, some described in the publication and others remaining to be discovered during ongoing excavations.
“We’re looking at a lot of what the Chinese, in particular, left behind from their work on the railroad. Their artifacts have a very signature look and stand out from those left by European Americans,” Polk said. “The pottery, coins, opium tins, and other ethnic artifacts immediately tell us that the people who used these materials were Chinese. All of these materials were imported from China and have very distinct designs.”
Polk and his co-contributors – Chris Merritt, Utah State Historic Preservation Officer, Salt Lake City; Michael Sheehan Utah Bureau of Land Management; Molly Boeka Cannon, Executive Director and Curator at the Museum of Anthropology, Utah State University; Ken Cannon, President of Cannon Heritage Consultants, Inc., Logan, Utah.
Polk also studies the layout of rail stations and bunkhouses and hopes to better understand the relationship between the location of Chinese workers’ bunkhouses and the section houses of the white, European foremen.
“We have found that Chinese workers would always be set apart from the white workers. Whether the Chinese chose to stick to themselves and live some distance away to better practice their culture, or if racism played a part by railroad management is not clear.”
Polk and his co-authors hope to help readers better understand the breadth of work and effort it took for laborers from a range of diverse cultures to come together and build one of the largest manmade projects in history. They also wanted to tell the story of the following thirty to forty years when most railroad maintenance stations on the Promontory line were populated by Chinese nationals, many having been there since the original construction.. They explain that cultural features and artifacts are not just material items left behind, they are links to the past that can give meaning and purpose to those who used them. All of this serves to educate readers on the benefits of archaeology and the ways it can enhance our understanding of our world and appreciate its past.
Stone culvert on transcontinental railroad grade in Utah desert. Built by Chinese laborers in 1869.
On being chosen to receive the Environmental Achievement Award in Washington, D.C., Polk said, “I’m very, very honored to have been able to [write] this and have it recognized. Sometimes cultural resource management gets bundled up into environmental, biological, climate discussions and is overlooked. So it was really nice to see that we could be recognized for something like this, and especially since I’ve loved railroads, as well as Chinese [history] and archaeology my whole life, being acknowledged for my work on it was pretty exciting.”
Michael would like to give a special thanks to William Lovis, Ph.D, Charles Cleland, Ph.D, Larry Robbins, Ph.D, and Don Weir, all mentors and colleagues of his at Michigan State, for their endless support and inspiration.
Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis, an environmental archaeologist, coauthored an article in Quaternary Science Reviews with Alan Arbogast, Professor of MSU Spatial, Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Dr. Kevin McKeehan of the US Geological Survey, and the late Dr. G. William Monaghan of Indiana University and Indiana University/Purdue University Indiana.
Their collective interdisciplinary research addresses the evolution of coastal sand dune systems along the eastern and northern shores of Lake Michigan, addressing one of Lovis’ primary interests in coastal archaeological site taphonomy and preservation.
“There are lots of archaeological sites right along the coast of Lake Michigan,” Lovis said. “And those sites are either preserved or not preserved, based on when the dunes are growing and when they are less active or quiescent.”
The question Lovis and his colleagues were trying to answer? What dynamic natural processes make the dunes active and what processes make them relatively inactive or “quiet” now?
The research team’s collective research focused on the movement, growth, and stabilization of dunes in the Lake Michigan coastal zone area. Preservation of ancient archaeological sites, some going back five thousand years or more, along dunes in the coastal zone isn’t always guaranteed, Lovis said.
“There is always this assumption that somehow, almost all the human occupation sites from all time periods in the past – the places where people lived, are going to persevere. But that’s not necessarily true. So, the results of this interdisciplinary research collaboration really do enlighten us quite a bit about what we can expect the past to yield to us today, and how best to manage that record.” Lovis said.
“If the dunes are formed during certain times and human occupation sites rapidly get covered by sand, then those sites are going to be preserved, and with the right techniques can be relocated. On the other hand, if anyone was living in a sand dune that was regularly being churned up and disturbed, then there’s very little evidence that might remain to reveal that anyone lived there.”
According to Lovis, the research he and his colleagues conducted was challenging as they had to comb through more than 75 years’ worth of data.
The research presented in QSR is a broad and robust meta-analysis of radiocarbon and optical dating of dune activation and quiescence cycles over the past 5000 or more years based on collaborative research between archaeologists and earth scientists.
“We collected and analyzed data from around the Lake Michigan basin in Michigan. Then, we pulled together all the archeological data and the geographical dune data, you know, the OSL or the optical age data, from the dunes and the radiocarbon data from archaeological sites. That’s what really makes this a very comprehensive and robust analysis.”
According to Lovis, this work is a rare example of the full integration of data derived from coastal archaeological sites and dune geomorphological research.
“We tried to solve a problem and answer some big questions that had been lingering for a long time, and we came up with what’s probably a pretty good model for people to test,” Lovis said.
“The sand in coastal dunes can be activated in a lot of different ways … it can result from a drought, or it can be the lake level getting lower,” Lovis added. “It can be because the process of isostatic rebound or “uplift”, as it is called, is bouncing the coastal landforms higher and moving the dunes away from the water and exposing the sand. There’s a complex relationship there that we were trying to decipher.”
Lovis said that, in the long run, “The real proof of this is going to be if other people can somehow either confirm, or potentially reject, some of the ideas that we came up with in the paper. But, so far, you know, this is the most robust analysis that’s been done of the area.”
The results of this multidisciplinary analysis provide a strong foundation through which archaeologists can understand where, when and why evidence of early human occupation is preserved in coastal dune contexts, and for coastal dune geomorphologists narrows down the range of possible hemispheric climate drivers impacting regional aeolian processes.
The Michigan State University (MSU) Museum is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Ethan Watrall as Curator of Archaeology, effective August 15, 2023. Dr. Watrall’s expertise as an anthropological archaeologist coupled with his scholarly focus on the use of digital methods and computational approaches in archaeology and heritage will significantly enhance the Museum’s strategic priorities.
In his new role, Dr. Watrall will take the lead in developing, researching, interpreting, and stewarding the archaeological collections housed by the MSU Museum. With a deep passion for the power and purpose of museum collections, Dr. Watrall aims to ignite enthusiasm and engagement around the archaeological collections among students, faculty, and the broader community.
Known for his innovative work in digital heritage and archaeology, Dr. Watrall’s efforts will enhance the Museum’s mission by exploring the application of cutting-edge digital approaches such as collections digitization, augmented reality, physical computing, and mobile and place-based digital experiences. By applying this knowledge and expertise at the MSU Museum, he will enable creative and thoughtful approaches to making the archaeological collection more accessible and engaging for everyone.
“Like most archaeologists, I’ve spent much of my career working in and with museums,” said Dr. Watrall. “To play a more central role in my own campus museum is wildly exciting, and I am very much looking forward to bringing my own work, perspective, and experience to the space.”
Dr. Watrall’s appointment comes during a transformative shift for the MSU Museum, transitioning from being a repository of knowledge to becoming a catalyst for enriched teaching, learning, and research. With his expertise and vision, Dr. Watrall will play a key role in helping to shape the Museum’s dynamic future.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Watrall to the MSU Museum,” said MSU Museum Director Devon Akmon. “His expertise and forward-thinking approach will undoubtedly enrich our efforts in advancing teaching, learning, research, and community outreach.”
As Associate Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Watrall will continue to fulfill his teaching, research, service, and outreach responsibilities in the Department of Anthropology, further strengthening the ties between the MSU Museum and the campus community.
Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Heather Howard has been named the College of Social Science’s recipient of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who plays a leadership role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion by demonstrating activities which may include serving underrepresented populations, developing or implementing innovative programs that enhance participation and opportunity, or enhancing the ability and effectiveness of the College to be an inclusive and welcoming environment.
The Office of the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers the Dean’s Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards once every two years. On even years, staff and graduate students receive awards. On odd years, faculty and undergraduate students receive awards.
“I think the award really brings attention to something that’s even more important than ever, to amplify the value of diversity,” Howard said.
“It’s due to our diversity and our capacity to learn from our diversity that has led us to be where we are. I think if we weren’t adaptable to change, and exercising our capacity to learn, we wouldn’t be around right now. Diversity is so fundamental to the flourishing of human beings, and we need to really play to that human strength.”
Howard has been a faculty member in the department of Anthropology since 2009. Before that, she was a visiting Ph.D. fellow and instructor from 2002 to 2004 and was an adjunct faculty member from 2007 to 2008. She has dedicated her career and research to advancing DEI efforts. She was recognized with the College of Social Science Diversity Champion Award in 2021. Howard was previously recognized as an Exemplary Diversity Scholar, National Center for Institutional Diversity in 2010 and was the Outstanding Faculty Award recipient from the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities in 2008.
“I have a genuine interest and honesty in wanting to learn from other people, no matter what their background, and to really elevate that in the classroom as something that all the students understand so that they can learn from each other, and that everybody has something important to contribute,” Howard said.
Howard primarily works with Indigenous communities and her research focuses on addressing social and structural inequities. Her research is carried out in a variety of settings including community centers, museums, clinics, and schools.
“My commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) excellence are integrated across my research, teaching, and service, which are centered on Indigenous community-identified priorities that cohere around decolonizing well-being and intersectional justice,” Howard said.
“My career centers on collaborative, Indigenous community-driven scholarship firmly grounded in Indigenous knowledge frameworks, solid relationship building, and the advancement of research meaningful to communities. This service to Indigenous communities is fundamental to every dimension of my work as a scholar, not because it sustains the trust needed to carry out research with Indigenous communities, but because it informs my responsibilities to serve the transformation of environments to be inclusive, value diversity, advance social justice, and support others in the realization of their full potential. This therefore extends to my work beyond Indigenous communities to the systems of social and cultural services, healthcare, and education that are usually the sites of my research.”
Howard hopes she can inspire other professors and colleagues to be more inclusive while diversifying their research.
“There is so much work that needs to be done to help people open their minds and realize how their work can be diversified, how they can be inclusive, how their work can be oriented towards social justice.”
Within the Department of Anthropology, Howard has recommended that professors create their own DEI statements, so students feel more included and welcome.
“I thought this might serve as a personal guide for individuals to identify how they might strive to meet DEI goals in their research, teaching, and service, and encourage conscious integration and personal reflection to get there.”
Discovery gives insight into campus history, provides educational opportunities
In summer of 2023, workers from Michigan State University Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, or IPF, were installing hammock posts close to student residence halls near West Circle Drive when they encountered a hard, impenetrable surface under the ground.
Believing it to be either a large rock or building foundation, IPF called MSU’s Campus Archaeology Program, or CAP. After cross-checking old maps, campus archaeologists determined that it was the foundation of the first observatory on MSU’s campus, constructed in 1881.
“The campus archaeology program is designed to protect and mitigate our below ground heritage here at MSU,” said Stacey Camp, director of CAP and associate professor of anthropology at MSU, “We collaborate with IPF on construction projects and we are involved in preplanning stages to ensure that if they potentially hit an archaeological site, we can protect it in some manner.”
The observatory discovery gives insight into how scientific observation, as well as life on campus, has changed over the last 140-plus years.
“It gives us a sense of what early campus looked like in the late 19th century,” said Ben Akey, MSU campus archaeologist and anthropology doctoral student. “The original campus observatory was built and used at a time when Michigan Agricultural College — what would become MSU — was a radically different institution with only a handful of professors and a relatively small student body.”
Akey’s role entails collaborating with IPF to keep up with campus construction projects, researching any discoveries and supervising crews of students participating in on-campus archaeological dig sites. Working closely with MSU Archives, Akey conducted most of the research to confirm that IPF’s discovery was indeed the foundation of the first campus observatory. They also drew on the book “Stars Over the Red Cedar” by Horace A. Smith, professor emeritus in the MSU Department of Physics and Astronomy for additional information.
“I did a lot of reading to learn more about the first observatory: its history, how it was used and what the building itself might have looked like,” Akey said.
Astronomical observation at MSU: Then and now
Located just behind what is now Wills House, the first observatory on MSU’s campus was built by Professor Rolla Carpenter. An 1873 graduate of Michigan State Agricultural College, Carpenter returned as a professor and taught a wide variety of courses, including mathematics, astronomy, French and civil engineering.
“In the early days of MSU’s astronomy program, Carpenter would take students to the roof of College Hall and have them observe from there, but he didn’t find it a sufficient solution for getting students experience in astronomical observation,” Akey said. “When MSU acquired a telescope, Carpenter successfully argued for funding for a place to mount it: the first campus observatory.”
Individuals pose outside of MSU’s first observatory, circa 1888. The observatory is located behind where Willis House now stands on MSU’s campus, just south of Grand River in North Neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections.
Today, the MSU observatory is located just south of campus at the intersection of Forest and College roads. It boasts a 24-inch telescope and is used for undergraduate and graduate education and research, as well as faculty research. It also hosts free public observation nights.
Levi Webb is a fourth-year astrophysics and anthropology major who works at MSU’s current campus observatory and participated in the archaeological dig of the first on-campus observatory.
“It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come from a little 16-foot circular building to a large building with a high-quality telescope and an electric dome,” Webb said. “Seeing the difference between how observing used to be versus how it is now is very interesting to me and makes me appreciative of the observatory we have now.”
Real-world experience: Field school and summer digs
While most students who work with campus archaeology are anthropology majors, some — like Webb — have backgrounds in other areas of study. In addition to Webb, the observatory dig crew included students majoring in classical and romance studies and forensics.
“Having students from majors outside anthropology gives us a different perspective on what we’re finding in the ground,” said Camp. “We feel really lucky to have a wide variety of knowledge on our dig sites.”
Akey said working on a dig site, such as the first campus observatory, helps prepare students for careers in archaeology.
“CAP provides an essential venue of professional training for both graduate students and undergraduates in archaeological fieldwork in analysis,” Akey said.
One training opportunity is an undergraduate field school led by CAP. Most archaeology and anthropology programs require fieldwork, which is often done overseas and can often be costly. Every other summer, MSU hosts a field school that gives Michigan students who are interested in archaeology, but may not have the financial resources to travel abroad, an opportunity to do hands-on work on an actual site.
For the upcoming field school in 2024, CAP is planning to focus on the first observatory site.
“Next summer, we’re planning to run an undergraduate archaeological field school where students can enroll for credit and get experience excavating the foundation of the first observatory on campus,” Camp said. “We anticipate having 18 to 20 students work on the project and get great experience doing archaeology.”
Camp said seeing students develop an interest in connecting the past with the present energizes her.
“I love watching students connect with artifacts and try to tell a bigger story about humankind with those objects,” she said.
Connecting past and present
Akey said they appreciate the unique opportunity to learn more about MSU’s campus history while developing skills that will serve them beyond the completion of their Ph.D.
“One of the things I value most about archaeological work is kind of building a sense of connection to landscapes and people,” they said. “With a campus this old, there’s a lot of historic materials, archaeological materials that would be disturbed by all the ongoing construction on campus. Because of our partnership with IPF, those objects are not disturbed, and we get a chance to document and analyze some of them. It’s a pretty cool job.”
Camp was initially drawn to archaeology as a tactile way to interact with history and gain new perspectives.
“Archaeology gives us a bit more knowledge about how people lived in the past, how they did things differently and how maybe we could do things differently in the contemporary world as well,” she said.
Webb sees this firsthand through his work at the observatory and on archaeological dig sites.
“In my job working outreach at the observatory, I meet people who graduated from MSU many, many years ago who come and see the work that we’re doing, and they’re very proud to see how campus has grown,” he said. “I have even more insight into the campus’ evolution after learning about the first observatory and the history of scientific observation on campus.”
Camp said she feels honored to connect MSU’s past to its present through her work with CAP.
“MSU is a passionate and dedicated community,” she said. “Spartans are very invested in this campus and its history, and being able to share a little bit of my knowledge with people is very rewarding.”
