Loyola Undergraduates Participate in Archaeological Research on Three Continents

During the summer of 2006, several Loyola undergraduates took part in archaeological research in Africa, Europe, and North America. Much of this work built upon the ongoing research of Loyola's anthropology faculty. According to Dr. Fred Smith, chair of Loyola's anthropology department, "In most institutions, research opportunities are reserved for graduate students, but one of Loyola's great strengths is that undergraduates also benefit from these experiences."

Four students were involved in the archaeological studies of early humans in Africa and Europe. Zachary Cochran journeyed to South Africa, where he worked at the early site of Swartkrans, which has yielded fossil evidence, dating between one and two million years ago, of early humans and their behaviors. Katie Vogel spent the summer excavating with the Paleolithic archaeology department of the University of Tübingen in Germany, documenting the transition to early modern humans.

L-R: Jenny Stierman, project director, Ivor Karavanic of the University of Zagreb, and Jena Adachi, at Zala Cave in Croatia

L-R: Brooke Morgan, Marie Wencel and Nicholas Smith in North Dakota

Also working in Europe were Jena Adachi and Jen Stierman, who participated in Dr. Smith's collaborative project with the University of Zagreb in Croatia. Adachi and Stierman were part of a team that began excavations on the site of Zala, a promising new Paleolithic site in western Croatia. Adachi captured the importance of such hands-on experiences, "Discovering pottery, bones and remains that are being unearthed for the first time in thousands of years was even more of a learning experience than I had thought it would be. There is nothing like doing such unique work and knowing that you are contributing to the growth and expansion of the record of human history."

Several undergraduate anthropology students also participated in archeological research in North America. Brooke Morgan, Nicholas Smith, and Maria Wencel took part in the excavation of an 11,750-year-old Paleoindian site in North Dakota. Located on Lake Sakakawea, the site was, at one time, a kill site of the Agate Basin peoples. Dominant findings at the site included delicate bison bones and Agate Basin point fragments. Loyola professor Dr. Dan Amick arranged for the students' participation in this project. At the site of Teotepec in Veracruz, Mexico, Luisa Caro and Iain Perdue assisted Dr. Philip Arnold in preparing for a major excavation funded by the National Science Foundation. The excavation is seeking to uncover evidence of foreign influence, including a possible late take-over from lowland groups.

Many of the students who participated in these summer research projects continued their archeological studies in Dr. Arnold's ANTH 365: Archeological Laboratory Analysis course this fall.

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