Yale Anthropology and Archaeological Studies Statement on Racism
As the public health crisis associated with the Coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, there have been disturbing reports of an increase in anti-Asian, and particularly anti-Chinese, hate crimes and harrassment in communities across the United States, including New Haven. At this time of heightened individual and societal stress, the Yale Anthropology Department and the Council on Archaeological Studies, in solidarity with other departments and programs, wish to reiterate firm rejection of all forms of racism and xenophobia, and to urge awareness of the relationship between recent developments and the longer history of “yellow peril” fear mongering in the US and elsewhere.
Recent statements by the Association for Asian American Studies and the President of the Association for Asian Studies contain useful resources, both for those directly affected by harassment, and those who are concerned about it.
Although we very much hope this will not be necessary, please remember that if you find yourself targeted for harassment or discrimination of any kind, there are people here at Yale who can help.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911. For non-emergencies call the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400.
The Asian American Cultural Center offers student emotional wellness support services. Students can also contact deans’ designees with any concerns about discrimination and harassment. Staff and faculty, and students too, can reach out to the Office of Institutional Equity and Access.
If you are affected, and need assistance, you can also reach out to many other university resources, including Student Mental Health and Counseling, the Chaplain’s Office, the Employee Assistance Program, Office of International Students and Scholars, a supervisor, dean, head of college, or another advisor.
Brown Bag Lecture Series
The Archaeology Brown Bag Lectures provide opportunities for both students and professors to share the results of their recent research and to receive invaluable feedback. In addition, by inviting distinguished scholars and students from other institutions, it provides our archaeological community with a chance to widen their intellectual knowledge as well as their academic social sphere. The series is generally held on Fridays 12–1pm in Room 101, 51 Hillhouse Avenue. Lunch is provided. For more information on Brown Bag lectures, or to be added to our mailing list, please contact Francesco D'Aria.
This year's speakers (pdf)
Previous year's speakers (pdf)
Newsletter
The Council maintains an annual newsletter, produced by our third year Ph.D. students. The most recent issue can be downloaded here.
(2014 Newsletter)
(2013 Newsletter)
Mightier Than the Sword: the Allure, Beauty and Enduring Power of Beads
The exhibit, located at 51 Hillhouse Ave., is a joint project of the Yale Council on Archaeological Studies and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. It is made possible by generous contributions from the Bead Society of Greater Washington in Washington, D.C., whose support and 2010 donation of Society collections to the Yale Peabody Museum are to promote the analyses and archaeological interpretation of beads, and to foster in the public a greater appreciation of beads’ scientific and aesthetic value. These displays will highlight the work of Yale faculty and students as they uncover the beauty of beads and the stories of the lives these extraordinary artifacts touched. The exhibition is on view within the Department of Anthropology at 51 Hillhouse Avenue, open to the public from 10am to 3pm, Monday through Thursday. Please call 203-432-3701 prior to your visit to confirm date and time.
Yale Peabody Museum (link to exhibition)
Poster (pdf)
Yale-Peru MOU / Machu Picchu negotiations
In February 2011, Yale University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Universidad Nacional San Antonio de Abad, Cuzco (UNSAAC), Cuzco’s preeminent university, as part of a comprehensive agreement with the government of Peru. This agreement envisions a long-term collaboration between the two universities that will involve educational exchange and joint research. It also commits Yale to the permanent display of the Bingham Machu Picchu Collections in the Casa Concha, a recently restored Colonial residence built on Inca foundations in the center of the city of Cuzco, administered by UNSAAC with joint oversight by Yale. To learn more about ongoing Yale-UNSAAC collaborations, click here.
Past Events
32nd Annual Meeting of the Northeast Conference of Andean Archaeology and Ethnohistory Yale has a century-long tradition of research in the Andes and its faculty has included researchers such as Hiram Bingham, Wendell Bennett and Thomas Patterson, and so in this tradition we are continuing with this conference. Poster (pdf)
The Future of the Global Past (14 April 2007) An international panel of art, antiquities, heritage management and media experts joined Yale faculty and museum directors to challenge the idea promoted by the brokers of the illicit art and antiquities trade that the loss of the global heritage is simply too vast and too entrenched to be halted. Participants on both sides of the argument debated in an open, robust and oft-times heated arena. Poster (pdf)
Art and Antiquities in Times of War and Shock (16 April 2011) Times of warfare and social dislocation are particularly dangerous for the preservation of the global heritage. Those who would use art, antiquities, and cultural items important to their foes see destruction and abuse of heritage as an important implement of war. But those who live by the sword. Poster (pdf)
For additional information on events, please call 203-432-3701.