Nicole Martensen, Applied Anthropologist
Is it your dream to be an anthropologist?
I admit, I didn’t even realize most of the things that I was interested in were anthropology until I looked it up in a college catalog.
In the US, we teach anthropology through four subfields of cultural, archaeology, linguistics, and biological anthropology.
For my budding anthropologists out there: do you have a field that calls to you above all others?
You might be thinking:
why should I work with an anthropologist when I know so little about them?
Let’s change that.
Hi, I am Nicole. I am an anthropologist and I want to apply what I’ve learned about studying people to help you reach your goals.
My goal with anthropology is to make strange things more familiar, and the familiar seem more strange.
Anthropology is a broad field of study, and you will likely find many parts of your life that could look different through an anthropological lens.
I’m joining Naathan Phan and more Broadway on Tour friends for a virtual show on Nov 22nd at 2pm to raise funds for the historic Ebell Club where the theatre group resides. Tickets are $10 and you’ll be supporting the maintenance and repair of this local historic venue.
I am honored and grateful to be a part of this event. I grew up doing theater at this local historic venue and hope you can join us as we help to raise funds to keep it here.
Visiting archaeological sites can be a great way to connect with nature and experience adventure. Yet when visitors flock to these places, they may end up damaging the site forever. Learning how to be a better visitor is one way you can help archaeology sites. When visiting sites, you can be mindful of the cultural experience and also be a steward of cultural preservation.
People might not intend to disturb the art at archaeological sites, but many tourists are bound to cause some damage. Visitors who intentionally damage rock art sites are undoubtedly the biggest part of the problem. These practices can be anything from touching the walls the art rests on to littering throughout the archaeological site. Visitors could even go so far as to destroy the art, either with graffiti or carving names.
However, far more people unintentionally damage these archaeological sites. This leads to the eventual erosion of the art from the walls, alteration of the archaeological site, and permanent loss of important cultural history. Loss of these sites means we will lose a link to a piece of history, one we may never recover again. That’s why learning how to preserve our history is important.
One way to be a better visitor to archaeological sites is to connect with independent conservation organizations that provide visitors with information on touring archaeological sites responsibly. One such organization called Friends of Cedar Mesa has tips on how to protect ancient sites:
Children (and let’s be real, many people in general) may not understand the gravity of the sites they are visiting and may be inclined to touch artifacts or excavations. It’s important to educate them on the importance of preservation and conservancy from a young age.
Even though these artifacts have survived for hundreds or even thousands of years, human contact can leave behind damaging oils that do a significant amount of harm.
The walls may seem sturdy, but they are part of an ongoing movement process and can become unstable as other sections undergo their own excavations. Please stay away from walls, and try not to lean against them.
Some people may want to take their dog or other pet on hikes into ancient excavation sites; however, it’s best to leave pets at home on these trips. Pets can cause damage by either digging or stepping on something they shouldn’t.
Most areas will have signs directing you onto certain paths. Be sure to look out for these signs to make sure you follow the right route.
These are just a few tips you can follow to help make a difference in protecting our national heritage sites.
Many organizations are dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage sites and ancient archaeological sites. In addition to Friends of Cedar Mesa, there are others like Tread Lightly and The Archaeological Conservancy. Of course, federal, state, and local governments also enforce preservation laws and monitor for vandalism, but they can only do so much.
With millions of Americans visiting archaeological sites every year, it is unrealistic to monitor everybody. You are the best steward for protecting the sites and ancient cultural histories we admire. By following a few key steps and being aware of the potential harm human activities can do, you can preserve ancient history for many generations to come.
In their article, Four steps in the history of museum technologies and visitors’ digital participation, Christensen traces the history of curation toward digital participation. They assert that exhibited objects are in dialogue with their surrounding paratexts. In this discussion, Christensen draws from examples of the Bode Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Dr. Johnson’s House to present four museum technology history steps.
The four steps refer to print reproductions, photography, audio guides, and independent museum paratexts via digital and participatory forms. Christensen concludes that museum objects’ significance has shifted from being about their historical context to how they interact with modern times.
This is important for both the archaeologists who first uncover materials and the museums that display them. When collecting data, archaeologists may choose to employ more interpretive methods.
Providing a detailed archive of the data collection process allows institutions to reassess interpretations in the future when visitor tastes change. I think another key point from this study is that visitors care more about experiences than learning. This means modern institutions will need to balance recreation and information and learn how to market both to their visitors.
On May 30, the Stanford Archaeology Center will host the live premiere of Barre Fong’s Making Ties: The Cangdong Village Project.
If you cannot attend the premiere, the film can be viewed at https://cangdong.stanford.edu/documentary-film
