Forensic Archeology

In the summer of 2008, I plan to participate in the University of Pittsburgh University Honors College Mongolian Field Studies Program. I will intern as a field archeologist and develop a specialized set of archeological skills while working in a little-studied field. This experience will build upon my class room experience as an anthropology student and prepare me for a career in Forensic Anthropology.

Mongolian archeology is interesting for both its history and environment. The remoteness and sever climate of Mongolia demands a number of archeological adaptations which would not be necessary in more industrialized nations. Mongolia’s socialist period blocked western access to all Eurasian archeological sites. While Russian archeologists undertook large archeological digs, they relied heavily on bulldozers for excavation. The use of such machinery not only destroys artifacts, but it also devastates the historical context in which these artifacts were placed. I will work on an American dig that uses western standards for archaeological recovery. Instead of bulldozers, their methodology uses trowels and brushes in an effort to recover smaller artifacts that were previously over looked or lost.

As part of the new wave of archaeological research in Mongolia, this is a phenomenal experience for both my personal research and as training to work on archaeological teams. This practical experience will give me a different perspective of what archaeology really involves. As my first field archaeology experience, I will practice methodologies and theory discussed in my archaeology classes here at the University of Pittsburgh. I will be working alongside professional archaeologists and observe skills, such as preserving stratigraphy. Being on a site will also increase and expand my understanding of the labeling and recording processes that are used in artifact recovery.

Beyond archeological skills, the Mongolian Field Studies Program will provide a long term exposure to another culture. I will be working alongside both American and Mongolian archaeologists and students, as is in accordance with Mongolian law. This is a unique experience while in the field. Most foreign digs financed by American institutions do not have many archaeologists, if any, from the country in which they are doing research.