Archaeology at Memorial
Archaeologists study past and contemporary human cultures, across a variety of spatial and temporal scales, through the material left behind. Our objects of study encompass artifacts (e.g. tools and other objects modified or created by humans), features (e.g. architectural remains, hearths, artistic depictions), ecofacts (e.g. plant, animal and human remains, as well as sediments), archaeological sites and their associated landscape settings.
In the Department of Archaeology, our students engage in practical training and experiential learning in classroom, laboratory and fieldwork settings that provide a comprehensive education and transferable skills. We have begun to develop and expand our distance learning options through the development of online courses and remote teaching offerings that allow students from all over the world and different walks of life to join and learn with us and discover different aspects of archaeology. State of the art laboratories specializing in applied archaeological sciences, environmental archaeology, archaeological conservation, and artifact analysis integrate students into community-university research initiatives from Northern Labrador to French Guiana and from Alaska to Northwest Europe.
As one of the largest Archaeology departments in the country, we train our students to become effective researchers, critical thinkers, and active stewards for our shared archaeological heritage.
News
Check out Robyn Lacy's (PhD Candidate, Archaeology) upcoming book:
Daisy Wheel, Hexfoil, Hexafoil, Rosette: Protective Marks in Gravestone Art.
Description: The use of protective symbols, also known as apotropaic marks, are often part of folk magic traditions, appearing in homes, churches, on personal items, and even graves, across Europe, Australia, and North America. The most common and well-known of these marks is the hexfoil, otherwise known as the daisy wheel, witch hex, or rosette. Hexfoils have a history of use for personal protection and were carved both intentionally or graffitied into church pews and walls, bed frames, doors, and gravestones. This research sheds light on the use of this historic symbol to protect the bodies and souls of the deceased, across several thousand years and multiple countries.
Order directly from the publisher, Berghahn Books.
Congratulations to Archaeology student Heather Tough on receiving the Pro Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for the winning essay titled ‘Battles in the Cemetery: Power Structures Acting Upon African-American Mortuary Landscapes in the United States’!
Well done, Heather!
The Dept. of Archaeology is hosting a job talk by Bryn Tapper on Tues., Apr. 2, 2024, starting at 4 pm in QC 2013, as part of the Department's Maritime Archaeology Job Search. Members of the department (undergraduate students, graduate students, etc.), stakeholders, and members of the public are welcome to attend. For more information on Samantha's presentation, please see the poster below.
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