Humanities students present diverse research projects
Humanities students studying an array of topics presented their work at the A.D. White House.
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Linking archaeology and material studies through multidisciplinary collaboration
About Us
In 2012 we launched the Cornell Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies (CIAMS), a unique initiative that links archaeology and material studies through multidisciplinary collaboration among a wide range of departments and units. The new Institute grows out of Cornell’s long-standing Archaeology Program. Founded in 1967, the Archaeology Program is one of the few entities in the United States to offer both an undergraduate major and master’s degree in archaeology. We seek to combine theory and method, practice and analysis.
Explore Our Program
Giving to CIAMS:
Archaeology has always depended on private and public philanthropy. You can support a variety of excavations, student research, and Cornell archaeology generally, with your tax deductible, charitable donation. Whether you’re a philanthropist, charity, parent or just concerned individual who wants to invest in the future of education and research while discovering the past, giving is easy by following this link:
Archaeology News
'I met so many great people through the Humanities Scholars Program'
Emma Van Metre is a history and archaeology major.
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New review article brings archaeology into the science of weeds
Medieval Studies PhD candidate Alice Wolff teamed up with scientists from CALS to publish a new open-access review article in Weed Science this past February titled, “In the ruins: the neglected link between archaeology and weed science.” Antonio DiTommaso, Professor of Weed Science and Chair of the...
Read MoreIndigenous-Cornell partnership publishes Gayogo̱hó:nǫ’ history
CIAMS faculty member Kurt Jordan worked with members of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫ’ community in writing a new book for the Tompkins County Historical Commission, “The Gayogo̱hó:nǫ’ People in the Cayuga Lake Region: A Brief History,” published earlier this year. The book addresses a significant gap in records...
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Cross-college researchers unravel mummy bird mystery
What began as a passion project for a master’s student in archaeology, has become a cross-campus fascination that encompasses everything from ancient burial rituals to the lost history of donated artifacts, the totemic power of animals, and even Egyptian beer.
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CIAMS M.A. student studies bird mummy with College of Veterinary Medicine, Lab of Ornithology
CIAMS M.A. student Carol Anne Barsody has had her collaboration with researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Lab of Ornithology featured in the Cornell Chronicle.Read the full story by David Nutt and view a video about the project in the Cornell Chronicle.
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CIAMS PhD student named among inaugural Zhu Fellows
Dusti Bridges, a PhD candidate in Anthropology and an alumna of the CIAMS Master's program, has been named an inaugural Zhu Fellow to support her doctoral research. Read more about the Fellowship and Dusti's research in an article by Kathy Hovis in the Cornell Chronicle.
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Underground Railroad project releases new 3-D model
The 3-D tour focuses on the building, its foundation, the archaeological excavation underway and a Civil War monument on the church site.
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Alumni Spotlight: Samuel Disotell
Congratulations to former CIAMS M.A. student Samuel Disotell (M.A. '21), who successfully defended his master's thesis this past December. Sam's thesis is titled, "An Analysis of Faunal Materials From the White Springs Site, a 17th-18th Century Seneca Town in Upstate New York." Sam's research interests are in zooarchaeology; ritual, ceremony and feasting; inequality; and Neolithic Europe. Sam was also a founding member of the Archaeological Science Group at Cornell, one of two graduate groups affiliated with CIAMS.
Click here to explore profiles of our current CIAMS graduate students, and here to view a list of our CIAMS alumni and their thesis and dissertation titles.