Fulbright Scholar Studies Ceramics for Clues to Sociopolitical Dynamics of Oaxaca's Earliest Cities
A University at Albany anthropologist will spend her academic year in the hills of Oaxaca, Mexico investigating the origins of pottery unearthed from two pre-Hispanic sites to see if they can provide clues to the social and political dynamics guiding some of the world’s earliest cities.
Study Reveals How Prehistoric Humans Simplified the World’s Food Webs
Research conducted with the help of a University at Albany anthropologist has revealed the cascading effects that humans have had on mammal declines and their food webs over the last 130,000 years, a new study in the journal Science shows.
Study: Collapse of Ancient Mayan Capital Linked to Drought
An anthropology professor’s research on conflict and the political collapse of Mayapan, the ancient capital city of the Maya on the Yucatán Peninsula, sheds light on link between climate and societal stability.
New Fieldwork Semester in Kenya Offers Unique Immersion into Research and Culture
Starting this fall, UAlbany anthropology students will have access to a transformative study of human origins and evolution in Kenya: The Origins Field School.
Congratulations to Anthropology Undergraduate and Graduate Students!
The Department of Anthropology held an award winner recognition reception for Anthropology undergraduate students and a reception for Anthropology graduate students who graduated this week. View photos from both receptions.
New Study: Meat May Not Have Made Us Human, After All
The importance of meat-eating in human evolution is being challenged by a new study from a team of five paleoanthropologists that includes UAlbany’s John Rowan.
Professor Rafferty Publishes New Book on Native Intoxicants
Anthropology Professor Sean Rafferty recently wrote a new book titles Native Intoxicants of North America (University of Tennessee Press). Though scholarship on intoxicants in regions like Asia, Africa, Mesoamerica, and South America is plentiful, Native Intoxicants of North America represents the first foray into a study of prehistoric intoxicants throughout North America specifically. In this study, Sean Rafferty fills significant gaps in existing research with a focus on native cultures of North America and holistic coverage.
Professors Masson Publishes New Book about Mayapán
Anthropology Professor and Chair Marilyn Masson was one of the editors of a volume titled, Settlement, Economy, and Society at Mayapán, Yucatan, Mexico. This volume presents the results of detailed studies of settlement and comparisons of household wealth, health, and activities that characterized daily urban life at the Postclassic Maya capital city of Mayapán (AD 1150-1450), in Yucatan, Mexico.