Tag Anthropology
Moving moments: Our 10 favorite video stories of 2015
University Communications created these stories about the UW–Madison people, research and discoveries that made for a memorable year.
As the river rises: Cahokia’s emergence and decline linked to Mississippi River flooding
As with rivers, civilizations across the world rise and fall. Sometimes, the rise and fall of rivers has something to do with it. At Cahokia, the largest prehistoric settlement in the Americas north of Mexico, new evidence suggests that major flood events in the Mississippi River valley are tied to the cultural center’s emergence and ultimately, to its decline.
Town meets gown to explore Wisconsin’s Trempealeau mounds
Why did migrants from Cahokia, the large mound city near St. Louis, move to the present-day village of Trempealeau in western Wisconsin to build flat-topped mounds about 1,000 years ago? That question has intrigued Danielle Benden, senior curator in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Anthropology, for more than a decade.
‘Human Evolution: Past and Future’ pilot MOOC launches
John Hawks has traveled the world. And now he's bringing what he's learned to more than 30,000 learners from across the globe with "Human Evolution: Past and Future."
Anthropologist, ‘underground astronaut’ strike fossil gold in South Africa dig
Squeezing through a gap called the International Postbox and climbing the jagged Dragon's Back were not in Alia Gurtov's plans for the fall semester, but she made an exception in order to participate in a wildly successful archaeological expedition into a South African cave.
Hitchhiking virus confirms saga of ancient human migration
A study of the full genetic code of a common human virus offers a dramatic confirmation of the "out-of-Africa" pattern of human migration, which had previously been documented by anthropologists and studies of the human genome.
UW repository stores anthropological artifacts from around the world
Like Hercules assigned to clean the Augean stables, curator Danielle Benden was hired by the University of Wisconsin–Madison anthropology department in 2007 to sort and systematize the final resting place for the department's collection of pots, bones, baskets, spear points, clothing, musical instruments, kayaks and effigies.
Archaeologists on front lines of protecting ancient culture in turbulent regions
J. Mark Kenoyer stands on a windswept peak in Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan, his head wrapped in a traditional scarf against the harsh sun. As he chats in a mixture of Urdu and Pashto with an Afghan archaeologist, it’s easy to see why documentarian Brent Huffman wanted the University of Wisconsin–Madison professor of anthropology to appear in his upcoming film about Mes Aynak, a 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery.
UW–Madison anthropologist, students featured in NOVA Neandertal documentary
Perched on a corner of a table in his biological anthropology lab, John Hawks is surrounded by an array of human skulls, jaws and skeletons – and a film crew complete with lights, camera and a microphone dangling over his head.
Surprising demographic shifts in endangered monkey population challenge conservation expectations
At first glance, the northern muriqui monkey is a prime conservation success story.
Study: Monkey mothers key to reproductive success of sons
If you are a male human, nothing puts a damper on romantic success like having your mother in tow. If you are a male northern muriqui monkey, however, mom’s presence may be your best bet to find and successfully mate with just the right girl at the right time, according to a study reported by UW–Madison anthropologist Karen B. Strier.
Eleven professors appointed to named professorships
Eleven distinguished faculty members have received named professorships, some of the highest honors for established faculty.
Coming full circle, new graduate makes a difference in women’s health
On Sunday, May 15, Wren Keturi will graduate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a bachelor's degree in gender and women's studies with an emphasis on biological anthropology. Less than 24 hours later, she will put her degree to work.
Ancient Mesoamerican sculpture uncovered in southern Mexico
With one arm raised and a determined scowl, the figure looks ready to march right off his carved tablet and into the history books. If only we knew who he was - corn god? Tribal chief? Sacred priest?
To future archaeologists, old technology is beautiful technology
A couple of dozen students sit on plastic tarps under the trees at the edge of the Eagle Heights Community Gardens, at the west end of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Their professor - a noted archaeologist - faces them, sitting on his own tarp, much as he would while supervising a dig in his specialty area, South Asia. Within arm's reach, UW–Madison archaeology professor Jonathan Mark Kenoyer has some raw materials of ancient technology: boxes of arrows, stone tools, horns, hunks of obsidian and flint, cords, a chalkboard and a box of Band-Aids.
Anthropologist coaxes stories, history from skeletons and their genetics
Five questions with …John Hawks
Teeth of Columbus’s crew flesh out tale of new world discovery
The adage that dead men tell no tales has long been disproved by archaeology.
Anthropology professor honored by Librarian of Congress
University of Wisconsin–Madison William F. Vilas Professor of Anthropology Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney has been named John W. Kluge Distinguished Chair of Modern Culture by the Librarian of Congress.
Genome study places modern humans in the evolutionary fast lane
Countering a common theory that human evolution has slowed to a crawl or even stopped in modern humans, a new study by UW–Madison researchers examining data from an international genomics project describes the past 40,000 years as a time of supercharged evolutionary change.