Archaeometry & Archaeology
ARCHAEOMETRY AT UIUC
Archaeologists, art historians, geologists, chemists, and many others conduct archaeometric research at the University of Illinois. Below are brief summaries of current research carried out by members of ATAM and related faculty.
Sarah Wisseman (ATAM and ITARP), Thomas Emerson (ITARP), and Randall Hughes (Illinois State Geological Survey) are using a Portable Infrared Mineral Analyzer (PIMA) manufactured by Integrated Spectronics, Ltd of Australia to source North American stone figurines and pipes. More Information
Professor Wayne Pitard (Program for the Study of Religion) is working with Bruce Zuckerman at the University of Southern California to digitize ancient Near Eastern cylinder seals up to five thousand years old house at the U of I's Spurlock Museum. Students at both institutions are collaborating with the two professors, learning how to use 3D imaging to build a virtual library. More information
Professors Bruce Fouke (Geology) and Eric Hostetter (Classics and Art History) are using new geochemical dating techniques on tufa and travertine quarries in Rome in an attempt to provide absolute dates for ancient buildings such as the Colosseum. More information
Professor Stanley Ambrose (Anthropology) is an African archaeologist and paleoecologist with a special interest in reconstructing Early Hominid environments using stable isotope analyses of human and animal bones, teeth, and other organic remains. More information
Professor Ripan Malhi (Anthropology)
integrates population genetics, phylogenetics, ancient DNA analysis, and field research in collaboration with Native American communities. His recent research includes when and how the First Americans arrived in North America. More information
The llinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program curates a variety of archaeological materials, including prehistoric dog remains, human dentition, ancient uncarbonized squash seeds, mammoth bone, and coprolites. ITARP researchers use techniques such as DNA extraction, microscopy, and strontium, carbon, and nitrogen isotopic analysis to study these materials and collect data on ancient diet, population origin and movement, and resource procurement across the midwestern United States. More information
During the 1990s, an interdisciplinary ATAM team used non-destructive imaging techniques and materials analyses of tiny samples to study the Spurlock Museum's only human mummy. The investigation concentrated on the age, sex, and medical history of the person inside the mummy and embalming processes used in Roman Egypt. More information