Archaeology
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The big picture: Archaeology of the Andes revealed on a scale not previously seen
Steven Wernke, associate professor and chair of anthropology, has developed GeoPACHA (Geospatial Platform for Andean Culture, History and Archaeology), a web application that allows researchers to map archaeological sites in the Andes at a greater scale than ever before. GeoPACHA has enabled new discoveries about past human occupation in the region that will be featured in six articles in the February issue of the journal Antiquity. Read MoreJan 22, 2024
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Wernke and Huo awarded NEH grant to conduct the largest archaeological imagery survey in the Western Hemisphere using AI
A $350,000 grant to develop next-generation archaeological mapping technology will let a Vanderbilt-led research team reveal information about the ancient civilizations of the central Andes. Read MoreSep 6, 2023
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NEH grant to help uncover history of lost historic Nashville neighborhood
A National Endowment for the Humanities grant awarded to Vanderbilt’s Angela Sutton, assistant dean for graduate education and strategic initiatives in the College of Arts and Science, will help fund the excavation of a historic Nashville neighborhood and a collection of the oral histories of the neighborhood’s descendants. Read MoreMay 16, 2023
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NSF grants support Vanderbilt in high-tech archaeology information revolution
Vanderbilt archaeologist and historical anthropologist Steve Wernke and postdoctoral fellow Giles Morrow are exploring the remains of a 16th-century church high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, all while giving Vanderbilt students a front-row seat to the research using virtual reality, artificial intelligence and geospatial technologies. Read MoreNov 12, 2021
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Reconstructing a Lost Neighborhood: MTSU–Vanderbilt collaboration unearths African American history at base of Fort Negley
Students and professors from Middle Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities are working together to uncover new archaeological details about a largely forgotten African American neighborhood that was an important part of Nashville’s post-Civil War history. Read MoreOct 20, 2021
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Online collaborative platforms lead to advances in archaeological survey of the Andes
Advances in big data technology and digital analytics are transforming the field of archaeology. One such study led by Vanderbilt anthropology professor Steven Wernke has brought a fresh perspective to the forced resettlement of more than a million Indigenous Andeans by Spanish colonizers in the 1570s. Read MoreJan 11, 2021
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Space archaeologist and TED Prize winner to deliver University Course special lecture on Sept. 26
Archaeologist and Egyptologist Sarah Parcak, whose work on using modern satellite imagery to study ancient civilizations has received worldwide acclaim, will speak at Vanderbilt on Sept. 26 as part of a special University Course guest lecture. The free lecture will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Life Center Board of Trust Room. Read MoreSep 6, 2019
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Digging up bones thanks to a competitive grant from National Geographic
Maya Krause, a Ph.D. student specializing in bioarchaeology, will spend her summer high in the mountains of Peru searching for ancient human remains after earning National Geographic’s Early Career Grant. Read MoreMar 8, 2019
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Scholar who pioneered Vanderbilt’s curriculum in classical antiquity dies
A memorial service at Benton Chapel is planned Feb. 23 for Barbara Tsakirgis, professor of classical studies, emerita, who recently died. Read MoreJan 30, 2019
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Wernke receives ACLS grant to develop a digital platform for virtual archaeological survey in the Andes
The $150,000 digital extension grant from the American Council of Learned Societies funds the development of a digital platform that promises to greatly expand our understanding of Andean culture. Read MoreMay 24, 2018
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Dark Side of the Mound: Vanderbilt researchers unearth clues to a mysterious Peruvian archaeological site
ILLUSTRATION BY CANDACE ROSE RARDON About 7,500 years ago a construction project of almost unfathomable scope began taking shape along the Pacific coast of what is today northern Peru. Initially a low-lying ceremonial mound, it would become in 4,000 years’ time a monument of staggering size—100 feet tall,… Read MoreMay 29, 2017
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Northern coast of Peru was a hospitable rest stop for early Americans
Vanderbilt researchers found a place where early Americans paused on their migrations south and "settled in for a good long while," suggesting a slower pace of settlement than originally believed. Read MoreMay 24, 2017
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Museum dedicated to Vanderbilt archaeologist’s work to be built in Chile
Tom Dillehay's discoveries at Monte Verde in southern Chile revolutionized the understanding of how and when the Americas were first peopled. Read MoreMar 23, 2017
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Vanderbilt excavation begins to shed more light on the lives of early Peruvians
Findings from archaeologist Tom Dillehay's dig at Huaca Prieta and Paredones include the world's earliest known use of indigo dye. Read MoreOct 4, 2016
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Anthropology celebrates year of big wins for graduate students
Five Ph.D. students affiliated with the Department of Anthropology have landed significant grants this year, continuing a long trend of successes for the small department. Read MoreMay 25, 2016
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Anthropology Ph.D. student wins prestigious scholarship for Native Americans
Antonio Villaseñor-Marchal, a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology, has won this year’s Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship from the Society of American Archaeology. Read MoreApr 18, 2016
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Our favorite #vandygram photos of the week
On April 1, news of "Vanderbilt's biggest discovery yet" was shared on social media; this image from the Alumni Lawn dig site is one our favorite #vandygram photos of the week. Read MoreApr 3, 2016
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Special-edition beer inspired partly by Vanderbilt archaeology debuts in Chicago
A corn-and-pepper beer whose significance to an ancient South American empire was confirmed by archaeologist Tiffiny Tung has inspired a custom brew commissioned by Chicago's Field Museum. Read MoreFeb 24, 2016
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Eberl receives grant to study the cultural identity of Q’eqchi’ Maya
Markus Eberl will study how the relocation of a Maya community in Guatemala affects their connection to the past. Read MoreFeb 23, 2016
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New clues emerge about the earliest known Americans
Stone tools, cooked animal and plant remains, and fire pits found in Southern Chile provide greater evidence that a nomadic people adapted to a harsh ice-age environment--the first known Americans--reached South America more than 15,000 years ago. Read MoreNov 18, 2015