http://mercyhurst.edu\anth-arch
Undergraduate four-field approach with emphasis in archaeology, bioanthropology, forensic anthropology, and socio-cultural anthropology. Graduate concentrations in Archaeology, and Forensic and Biological Anthropology. Research links between departments of Anthropology/Archaeology, Applied Forensic Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and History provide multiple concentrations and research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. An undergraduate thesis requirement and multiple hands-on opportunities provide students with specialized training, mentored instruction, and tailored degree paths. Field and laboratory instruction at the graduate and undergraduate levels are highlighted through annual field training programs, forensic cases, and forensic and biological anthropology short-courses. Important research partnerships with local and regional organizations and entities provide students with opportunities for internships, outreach, and extracurricular training. Through professional contracts, the department offers field capabilities for archaeological excavations, geophysical survey, and materials analysis. https://mercyhurst.edu/academics/anthropology-archaeology
Support is available through work-study and summer employment opportunities. Mercyhurst Anthropology/Archaeology and Applied Forensic Science departments offer opportunities to participate in public and privately funded archaeological and research and contracts, and forensic anthropological research and projects for coroners and law enforcement agencies.
The Department of Anthropology/Archaeology in collaboration with the Applied Forensic Sciences and Geology Departments maintains twelve specialized research laboratories for the analysis and curation of archaeological, geoarchaeological, biological, and forensic materials, as well as GIS. HRAF files are available in the Main Library, and the department maintains an archaeological project archives room and a graphics and poster production facility. Specialized archaeology labs include: The Center for Perishable Analysis, an Archaeological Processing and Curation facility, and a Conservation & Preservation laboratory with a climate controlled storage facility. Four other laboratories are dedicated to ethnographic research, the analysis of lithic and groundstone artifacts, historic material culture, and historic cemeteries and grave markers. We have an instrumentation and Imaging facility housing a Polynomial Texture Mapping (PTM) imaging device, a Bruker Tracer III- V+ Portable XRF system, an Olympus Terra Field Portable XRF/XRD Instrument, a Breuckmann SmartSCAN-5MP Color 3-D Scanning System, small and medium format film and digital cameras, and photographic lighting systems. Three geological laboratories used by our archaeology students house a Beckman-Coulter LS 200 particle characterization system; a dedicated Regents Instruments WinDENDRO workstation with an LA 2400 scanner; thin sectioning and microscopy equipment, and a 24-seat geospatial analysis lab with ArcGIS, ENVI 5, and the Adobe Creative Suite. There are four dedicated forensic and biological laboratory and storage facilities including an Osteology Laboratory, an osteology storage/graduate student building, and a Forensic Anthropology Human Remains Processing Laboratory containing a large-scale autopsy and processing wet sink with associated fume hood, photography table, and Faxitron radiographic unit; and an alarm protected interior evidence storage room. The Hertzel Human Anatomy and Forensic Laboratory includes a walk-in cooler for specimen and case storage, a classroom, an expanded human remains processing laboratory with a large wet sink, a digital x-ray system, and an additional secure evidence storage room. In-house field equipment for archaeology and forensic anthropology includes a sub-meter GPS device, a robotic total station, a fluxgate magnetometer, and an electromagnetic resistivity remote sensing/prospecting instrument.
Mercyhurst Archaeology Reports of Investigations
