Cornell University Anthropology Collections

This may help to see how the Andean textiles in the Collections might have looked in use very different from lying flat in a display mount!

Although often referred to as "arrowheads", and by archaeologists as "projectile points", it has long been suggested that many of these stone points were more like Swiss Army knives: multi-purpose tools that might have been hafted and used in a variety of ways. Here's a complete recovered example from a site in Texas.

A good and timely reminder from the JANM!

I neglected to photograph a suitable Halloween monster when I was in the Collections, so here’s one from my own collection that has been known to visit friends there - carved head of a demon on the hilt of a golok (a machete-like sword) from the Philippines, late 19th or early 20th century. Stay safe out there, everyone!

Today is the day. Check out the Anthropology booth at the Cornell Grad School Virtual Fair...

Visitors to the Collections have heard me making this argument for years in fact I argue for an aesthetic sensibility going back to the Acheulean but here's another argument for it, including some relatively recent findings.

Some very specialized conservation discussed here!

The power of objects....

I was on campus today for a meeting to begin formalizing plans to teach in person in the Collections next semester - it’s going to mean a lot of adjustments, but I’m going to do everything I can to have students working with real objects. I’ll probably offer two sections since the number of students will have to be dramatically reduced to allow spacing....

Cornell is holding a virtual graduate student recruiting fair on 27 October, 11am-3pm prospective students are encouraged to stop by, look through information, and chat with faculty and current students

A survey from the Field Museum in advance of an exhibit they're planning on death I answered it, but as an anthropologist and archaeologist my responses are probably not very typical of their audiences. If you have a few minutes, give them some thoughts.

This new book may appeal to Collections visitors who have been interested in my discussions of Neanderthals and other hominins and their abilities. I haven't read it yet, but from this review it sounds like the author may push a bit further than I do but most of us have pushed our thinking over the past few decades, with findings and interpretations from new research, and continuing creative re-analysis is always good!

Young goes to the NMAAHC from the Schomburg this is a good move for the Smithsonian, and I hope the Schomburg has good success replacing him

Very important challenge to business-as-usual in the museums world