Some Examples of Summer Science Projects by Anthropology Major

Amy Wagaman, '03Classification of Periodic (and Palindromic) Turtle Sequences. Faculty mentor: Judy Holdener. (Amy is a double major in anthropology and math.)

Anna Novotny, '02 Analysis of Human Skeletal Remains from the Cacaulpa River Valley in Northeastern Honduras. Faculty mentor: Pat Urban, Department of Anthropology.

Marcela Esqueda, '02 Work and Gender: Differing Concepts in Honduran Communities. Faculty mentor: Mikhail Lyubansky, Department of Pscyhology.

In the past, many summer science projects have been done in Honduras or elsewhere based on archaeological field research. Here are some examples:

Examination of prehistoric household activity patterns along the middle Ulua river drainage in west-central Honduras. Family structure, size, and the spatial organization of domestic tasks were reconstructed by means of excavations initiated and directed by a student at a Late Classic (AD 600-950) rural village.

Description of environmental variation within the middle Ulua river drainage based on intensive field survey coupled with specimen collection and library research. The results provide a base-line for reconstructing the physical factors influencing ancient settlement choices.

Analysis of artifact distributions among excavated Late Classic middle Ulua river settlements to assess variations in wealth and activity patterning throughout the area. This study incorporated the results of excavation conducted by the student with the findings of other researchers, patterns recognized through computer-aided statistical analysis of the data.

Detailed examination of human skeletal populations from Isthmia, Greece, dating from the Classical age (620-400 BC) and the fall of the Roman Empire (AD 350-700), to determine changes in life spans, living standards, and incidence of disease.

Studies of stone tool technologies in the Malloura valley, central Cyprus, combining analysis of archaeological collections with examination of stone tool production and use in the area today.

Comparative analysis of faunal remains from Malloura, Cyprus and Isthmia, Greece to evaluate changes in subsistence patterns spanning the 6th century BC through the 15th century AD.