Smithsonian
Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Research
Training Program
Department
of Anthropology
About
the Department of ANTHROPOLOGY -
The
mission of the Department of Anthropology is to
record, study, collect and preserve artifacts representative
of world societies and disseminate that knowledge
widely through publications, exhibits, lectures,
teaching, and by providing opportunities for research
and study within the department.
Anthropology Collection Profile
- Number of Objects: 2.7 million
- New Acquisitions: 1,125 |
Research
in the Department of Anthropology encompasses the
entire range of human development, from the earliest
traces of our distant ancestors, more than five
million years ago, to today's complex societies.
The fundamental premise of anthropology, as reflected
in the department's research, is the conviction
that understanding humankind requires a holistic
perspective on the interconnected processes that
operate on human biological evolution as well as
cultural continuity and change.
Collections:
The Department of Anthropology preserves diverse
collections relating to world cultures and the history
of anthropological study, and makes them accessible
for a wide variety of research, education, and enrichment
activities. The Anthropology collections are comprised
of three main collections units: Archaeology, Ethnology
and Physical Anthropology Collections; National
Anthropological Archives; and Human Studies Film
Archives.
Anthropology
Collections - Archaeology:
The archaeology collections consist of more than
2 million objects derived primarily from Smithsonian-sponsored
excavations. From the mid-19th century survey of
Mississippian mound sites to the massive mid-20th
century River Basin Surveys Program to the current
Paleo-Indian research program, much of this work
has focused on North America. There are, however,
significant collections from other world areas,
including artifacts from the first excavations at
many locations in Central and South America and
rare materials from the Old World Paleolithic and
Mesolithic.
Among
the significant archaeology collections are the
Division of Mound Explorations by Cyrus Thomas in
the Eastern United States (1800s); the River Basin
Survey collections (1946-1969) that include prehistoric
and historical materials from the Missouri River
Basin and WPA survey's from the Southeastern United
States; as well as the southwest archaeological
materials excavated by Neil Judd from Chaco Canyon.
Anthropology
Collections - Ethnology:
The ethnology collections are comprised of approximately
265,000 objects representing 19th and 20th century
cultures from around the globe. Exploring expedition
collections document periods of early contact worldwide,
while the Bureau of American Ethnology materials
represent the results of large-scale, systematic
collecting as an integral part of in-depth research
in Native American communities by scholars such
as John Wesley Powell, James Stevenson, Jesse Fewkes,
and James Mooney. The collections include Japanese
material collected by Matthew Perry in the 1850s
and several thousand items from the Pacific islands
assembled by the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-42.
The collection is particularly strong in materials
from North America, but there are also significant
collections from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Central
America, Mexico, Oceania, and South America.
Anthropology
Collections - Physical Anthropology:
The physical anthropology collection includes a
diverse series of human anatomical specimens, primarily
osteological, that are used for studies in biological
anthropology with nearly 33,000 specimens representing
populations throughout the world. The majority of
the material was recovered during archaeological
investigations and represents over a millennium
of human experience. In addition, the collection
includes one of the premier anatomical research
collections, the Robert
J. Terry collection, consisting of more than
1,700 complete human skeletons from known individuals
assembled by Robert J. Terry between 1921 and 1946.
Because of the completeness of the information and
excellent preservation, it continues to be a fundamental
resource for research on bone pathology, skeletal
biology, and forensic anthropology.
National Anthropological
Archives: The National Anthropological Archives
was organized in 1965 as part of the Department
of Anthropology. It is the successor to the archives
of the former Bureau of American Ethnology. All
told, the archives' curate almost 410,000 objects
including 385,000 ethnological and archaeological
photographs (including some of the earliest images
of indigenous people worldwide); 21,000 works of
native art (mainly North American, Asian, and Oceanic);
3,700 audio recordings; plus over 17 million pages
of manuscripts.
NAA
collects and preserves historical and contemporary
anthropological materials that document the world's
cultures and the history of the discipline. Its
collections represent the four fields of anthropology
- ethnology, linguistics, archaeology, and physical
anthropology - and include manuscripts, field notes,
correspondence, photographs, maps, sound recordings,
film and video created by Smithsonian anthropologists
and other preeminent scholars. The collections include
the Smithsonian's earliest attempts to document
North American Indian cultures and the research
reports and records of the Bureau of American Ethnology
(1879-1964), the U.S. National Museum's Division
of Ethnology, its Division of Physical Anthropology,
and River Basin Survey archaeology. The NAA also
maintains the records of the Smithsonian's Department
of Anthropology and of dozens of professional organizations,
such as the American Anthropological Association,
the American Ethnological Society, and the Society
for American Archaeology.
Among
the earliest ethnographic collections are the diaries
of John Wesley Powell, which recount his exploration
of the Colorado and study of the region's Indians,
and the pictographic histories of Plains Indians
collected by U.S. military officers and BAE ethnographers.
Other significant manuscript collections include
the ethnographic and linguistic research of Franz
Boas, Frances Densmore, Albert S. Gatschet, John
Peabody Harrington, and J.N.B. Hewitt, as well as
the expedition logs, photographs, and film record
produced on Matthew Stirling's explorations in New
Guinea (1926-29). The Smithsonian's broad collection
policy and support of anthropological research for
over 150 years have made the NAA and HSFA unparalleled
resources for scholars interested in the cultures
of North America, Latin America, Oceania, Africa,
Asia and Europe.
Human Studies Film Archives:
The Human Studies Film Archives was established
in 1981 to collect, preserve, and make available
for research use anthropological film and video
records. The collection includes historic and contemporary,
edited and unedited, silent and sound, and black-
and-white and color film and video documents from
around the world. The growing collection totals
almost 34,000 holdings including 15,000 rolls of
original preserved film, 5,500 rolls of reference
film, 3,100 5-inch sound tapes, 5,670 7-inch sound
tapes, 608 snn tapes, 868 cassette tapes and 3,200
videocassettes representing over 8 million feet.
These records were created by a diverse group of
people including anthropologists, archaeologists,
Peace Corps volunteers, missionaries, teachers,
commercial and independent film-makers, and travelers.
Supplementary materials such as annotations, sound
recordings, field notes, photographs, and dissertations,
accompany many of the film projects. An active preservation
program ensures that the Film Archives' archival
moving image records are not lost due to neglect
and deterioration.
Facilities:
The Department of Anthropology maintains well-equipped
conservation laboratories, a collection processing
laboratory, a section for scientific illustration,
and a public information outreach office. The Department
has advanced x ray equipment including a Siemens
Somatom CAT scanner. The CAT scanner is used extensively
to study objects in a non destructive and non invasive
manner. Recently studied objects and specimens include
human skeletal remains, mummies, ethnographic objects,
forensic objects, and archaeological items. The
CAT scanner is available to other departments and
organizations within the Smithsonian and collaborations
related to scanner use include institutions worldwide.
Fieldwork equipment includes Ashtec/Magellan GPS
(Global Positioning System), Topcom electronic total
station, and Geonics electromagnetic equipment.
Use of the CAT scanner and surveying equipment may
be offered to researchers and advanced students
when available.
Fieldwork:
Department of Anthropology scientific staff members
conduct extensive field research throughout the
world including archaeological, ethnological, linguistic,
and physical anthropological research in Argentina,
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brazil, China, Cuba, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, England, Greenland, Greece, Indonesia,
Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Labrador,
Mali, Myanmar, Mexico, Mongolia, Pakistan, Polynesia,
Peru, Syria, and Tanzania, as well as in various
parts of the United States. Unique opportunities
exist for research in paleoindian, paleofauna, and
paleoclimatology of the Western Hemisphere; paleopathology
and skeletal biology; ecological studies of the
aboriginal cultures in the tropical forests and
the Arctic; performance studies; and the aesthetics
of arts, crafts, and household industries in various
regions of the world.
Publications:
Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, Handbook
of North American Indians (William C. Sturtevant,
general editor; twenty volumes: 13 have been published
to date), AnthroNotes (a periodical for teachers
and anthropologists), the Arctic Studies Newsletter
and Contribution to Circumpolar Anthropology.
Education
and Outreach:
Anthropology Department staff engages in outreach
and education with community-based archaeology programs
with at-risk indigenous students in Labrador, in
working with Mayan cooperatives in Mexico, in providing
forensic expertise to federal, state and local law
enforcement agencies, in hosting interns and fellows,
in giving public lectures, and in working with Native
American tribes in various parts of North America.
The Anthropology Outreach Office promotes the public
understanding of anthropology and the research conducted
in the Department. Its outreach efforts include
producing publications, including the award-winning
AnthroNotes, the only pre-college publication in
North America that covers the field in general and
which is sent to 9,000 educators. The Outreach office
also prepares and distributes bibliographies, leaflets,
and resource packets; organizes teacher symposia;
and responds to an average of 3,000 public inquiries
a year.
Libraries:
The Anthropology Library, officially known as the
John
Wesley Powell Library of Anthropology, consists
of approximately 85,000 volumes, including more
than 400 serials, a large number of microfilm, and
smaller collections of CD's, audiocassettes, etc.
The core of the collection is the library of the
Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) established by
Congress in 1879 within the Smithsonian to conduct
"anthropologic researches among the North American
Indians". In 1965, when the BAE was abolished,
its library was joined with those of the NMNH Anthropology
divisions.
The
coverage of today's library collection is broad,
including all four sub-fields of American anthropology,
and is research-oriented with an emphasis on material
culture. Holdings are especially strong in Native
American culture, history, and linguistics for all
of North America and the Arctic Rim, with additional
materials focusing on indigenous cultural development
in Central and South America. The history of anthropology,
especially during its early years in the United
States, is also well represented. The last several
decades have seen significant growth in Asian cultural
history. A diverse body of literature supports research
in physical anthropology, especially in skeletal
biology, paleopathology, forensics, human origins,
and human variation and biocultural adaptation.
In addition, the Anthropology Library has research
materials on the Near East, Oceania, Africa and
the New World diaspora.
Programs
& Affiliates
American
Indian Program:
The American Indian Program was established in 1986
to encourage participation of Native Americans in
Smithsonian activities and to support research,
exhibitions, and public programming as they relate
to Native peoples. The program has hosted many fellows
and welcomes inquiries from interested individuals,
tribal and other museums, colleges, and other cultural
and educational institutions. Internships and research
grants are available from the Smithsonian's Office
of Fellowships and from the American Indian Program.
Contact: Joallyn Archambault.
Archaeobiology
Program: The Archaeobiology Program was founded
in 1992 to investigate human impact on past ecosystems
through the study of plant and animal remains from
archaeological sites. Program research focuses on
the initial domestication of plant and animal species,
and the environmental and social impact of early
agricultural economies based on domesticated species.
The program curates over 4,000 cubic feet of world-class
archaeobiological collections. These collections
boast some of the earliest examples of domesticated
plants and animals in the Old and New Worlds, as
well as important archaeobiological collections
from early hunter-gatherer to early urban societies
around the world. The archaeobiology laboratory
is located at the NMNH Museum Support Center in
Suitland, Maryland. Contact: Bruce D. Smith.
Arctic
Studies Center: The Arctic Studies Center (ASC)
was organized in 1988 to establish programs in Arctic
and Sub-arctic anthropology, archaeology, and biology.
The Arctic Studies Center explores cultures, history
and environments of the northern part of the globe,
and conducts research throughout the circumpolar
region. ASC anthropologists specialize in archaeology,
ethnology, ethnohistory and aspects of human-environmental
interactions from the Ice Age to modern times. The
ASC also investigates modern processes of culture
contact and transformation from the perspectives
of history, contemporary affairs, demography, geography
and ecology. Contact: William W. Fitzhugh.
Arctic
Studies Center - Alaska Office: In 1993 a branch
office of the Arctic Studies Program was opened
at the Anchorage Museum of History and Art in Anchorage,
Alaska. The NMNH cares for many thousands of items
that represent the cultural heritage of Alaska's
diverse Native peoples, including clothing, tools,
basketry, carvings and ceremonial art. The Alaska
Office was opened to make these resources more accessible
to Alaskan scholars, artists, educators, students
and the general public. In addition to exhibitions
and field studies, the Alaska office works with
the University of Alaska and with Alaskan museums
and culture centers to offer lectures, workshops
and courses in cultural research and museum skills.
Contact: Dr. Aron L. Crowell, Alaska Region Director,
Arctic Studies Center, 121 W. 7th Ave., Anchorage,
AK 99501, Tel 907-343-6162, Fax 907-343-6130, E-mail
acrowell@alaska.net
Asian
Cultural History Program:
Since 1985, the Asian Cultural History Program has
carried out research on the cultural and ecological
history of Asia's diverse peoples and has worked
to preserve and make more accessible existing Smithsonian
resources for the study and appreciation of Asian
heritage. This program has been funded entirely
through corporate and private donations, and its
projects carried out in collaboration with Asian
counterpart institutions. Contact: Paul M. Taylor.
Human
Origins Program: The Human Origins Program was
established in 1985 to investigate the evolution,
paleoecology, and behavior of early humans. The
program is based on field excavation of hominid
sites in Africa and Asia, and seeks to test the
effects of ancient environmental variation on hominid
activities and geographic distribution. Through
international collaboration, data on paleontological
and archaeological sites worldwide are brought together
to better understand the ecological factors involved
in human evolution. An excellent collection of hominid
fossil casts and Paleolithic artifacts are maintained
for study. Contact: Richard Potts.
Latin
American Archeology Program:
The Latin American Archeology Program (LAAP) has
the goal of facilitating international collaboration
on archeological investigations in Latin American
countries by encouraging a holistic approach that
includes recognition of general ecological, climatic,
and adaptive constraints as well as external influences.
During the past four decades, the LAAP has sponsored
fieldwork in Brazil and Peru; multi year seminars
in the Caribbean area and Brazil; workshops in ceramic
analysis in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Puerto Rico,
and Cuba; international symposia in the US, Ecuador,
and Chile; and hosted numerous archeologists. Ancillary
activities include translation of articles, exchange
of publications and publication subsidies. As a
consequence of these activities, the Smithsonian
is the world center of collaboration in Latin American
archeology. There is growing interest among climatologists,
geneticists, and ecologists in the contribution
of archeological data to climatic reconstruction,
Pre Columbian transpacific introductions, and other
global concerns that offer great potential for multi
disciplinary research. Contact: Betty J. Meggers.
Mexico-North
/ Mexico-Norte Program: The Mexico-North Program
promotes and facilitates innovative programs in
research, education, and outreach focused on northern
Mexico and the southwestern United States. Contact:
William L. Merrill.
Paleo
Indian Program:
The Paleoindian/Paleoecology Program investigates
the arrival, dispersal and development of the earliest
human groups in the Americas in the context of global
and local environmental change. Established in 1972,
the program is multi-disciplinary in scope, involving
teams of scholars from institutions around the world.
The Paleo-Indian collections represent one of the
premier education and research collections of Paleo-Indian
artifacts, archival records and comparative study
casts in North America. Internships, field training,
and public programs are integral components of the
research program. Current projects focus on the
Rocky Mountains, northwestern Alaska, and northern
Spain. Contact: Dennis J. Stanford.
Repatriation
Office: The Repatriation Office was established
in 1991 in response to the National Museum of the
American Indian Act. This legislation mandates that
the Smithsonian inventory its Native American and
Hawaiian collections for human remains and funerary
objects and return them to culturally affiliated
groups. Staff members document the physical remains
and objects in order to assess their origin, identity
and affiliation, and provide recommendations for
action. An amendment to the NMAI Act in 1996 broadened
the repatriation mandate to include sacred objects
and objects of cultural patrimony (as defined in
the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act passed in 1990). Contact: William T. Billeck.
For
more information about the NMNH Department of
Anthropology, including a complete staff listing
and research initiatives, visit the Anthropology web site
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