International Application of Archaeological Science

Researchers in the Department of Archaeology are pioneering new frontiers, both in the laboratory and in the field. Their research agendas cover several fields of science and, geographically, span across six continents. The discoveries that these scholars are making help to clarify some of the least understood aspects of humanity’s past. However, none of these scientific pursuits would be possible without a strong network of external collaborations. The collaborative network connects research institutes and scientists in Asia and Africa to Europe and beyond. This network is a necessary part of the department’s success.

While many of the research institutes involved in these collaborations are highly funded world-class facilities, not every research institute has equal access to funding. It is an express goal of all of the archaeological science specialists in the department to help spread knowledge, especially in areas where the means of accessing such knowledge may be limited. The annual International Applications of Archaeological Science training course is one of the ways these scholars are contributing to this goal and acknowledging the fact that their success rests on international collaborations.

It is an unavoidable reality of the modern world that access to education is unevenly distributed. The social dichotomy between developed and pre-developed nations is pronounced, and academia reflects these social inequalities. Some of the brightest and most motivated young scientists are held down by these barriers. Many of the archaeologists and biologists working at the MPI for the Science of Human History have found ways to assist scholars who may be interested in learning new methods in the archaeological sciences but do not have the means to participate in these studies firsthand.

In the Department of Archaeology, scholars from around the world are assembled for collaborative workshops and training is provided in the field. In addition, all members of the department pull together their efforts for two weeks a year in order to provide training to a small group of motivated international scholars. The training session provides a crash-course in modern methods of the archaeological sciences. The goal is not just to train the participants in the course, but to send skills and knowledge back to regional institutes and hopefully provide long-term opportunities for researchers as well as spark enthusiasm for the exploration and application of diverse archaeological science methods.

 

Training Course 2018

The department hosted an intensive, one-week workshop from the 13th to the 17th of March, 2018. The course was specifically designed for early career researchers from regions where archaeological science is less developed. More than 15 members of the department’s scientific community, including technicians, group leaders, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students, teach methods. The individual training sessions included both hands-on experience in the lab and lectures, as well as group discussions. The instructors provided training and tutorials in a series of archaeological science approaches that have international applicability.

The methods that were covered during the 2018 session, included quantitative lithics analyses, Geographical Information Systems approaches, proteomics, ZooMS, stable isotope analysis, archaeobotany, archaeozoology, chronological methods and models, and statistical analysis. Eight scholars were invited to participate in the session, coming from five different countries. The course and subsequent feedback laid a strong foundation for the 2019 course, and was a rewarding experience for both the participants and the instructors.

The 2018 participants list:

Farhod Maksudov	Institute for Archaeological Research, Tashkent	Uzbekistan
Malavika Chatterjee	Deccan College	India
Ruokuonuo Rose Yhome	Deccan College	India
Ruth Tibesasa	University of Pretoria	South Africa
Kinyanjui Rahab Njuhi	National Museum of Kenya	Kenya
Ndiema Emmanuel Kimuma	National Museum of Kenya	Kenya
Ogola Christine Adhiambo	National Museum of Kenya	Kenya
Tumurbaatar Tuvshinjargal	National Museum of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar	Mongolia

The program for the 2018 Training Course is accessible here.