Why should I take a class about archaeology?
This course is designed to build your skills in critical thinking, research design, organization, and creative problem solving. If you're a humanities major who is uneasy about hard sciences and math, the content will help you grow those skills in a familiar context. And if you're a science or math major who is uneasy about humanities, you'll get a chance to practice interpreting and writing about familiar types of data. Plus...pyramids!
How did you become an archaeologist?
I fell in love with archaeology when I was a kid from poring over the photographs of Tutankhamun's tomb, and when I was an undergraduate at Wellesley I got the chance to explore more. I liked how I didn't have to choose between anthropology, history, chemistry, biology, geology, writing, and art - archaeology combined them all! I excavated in an historical site in California and interned at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where I assisted with an object inventory of many major sites in Sudan. Then I earned my Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley, where I also excavated in Egypt and Sudan. I also worked with archaeological collections in museums, especially the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. My research looks at the socio-political use of object collection and display in ancient Nubia (Kerma), which greatly informs my approach to the creation of accessible and engaged museum resources for modern audiences.
I'm interested in participating in an archaeological field school, what should I do?
Check out the AIA Field School Bulletin, the Institute for Field Research, and Archaeologyfieldwork.com! Look for one that offers experience that helps grow your skill set, includes instructional trips along with hands on work, and is in an area of the world you are interested in. Then bring lots of sun screen, bug spray, and snacks (I live on wasabi peas).
Aren't there ethical concerns about excavation, collecting, and repatriation?
Yes, definitely - and we will spend a significant amount of time discussing all this in class. I encourage you to bring up questions and share your perspective as we go along. To start, here is the Society of American Archaeology Ethics Statement.
Can I ask you more questions?
Yes! Please email me at eminor [at} wellesley d0t edu