University of Michigan MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY UMMA NEWSLETTER Vol. 4, Fall 2005 Graduate Student Field Training in Senegal In Their Own Words e sat cross-legged Won the concrete floor in the antechamber of the Marabout, three first-year graduate students in anthro- pological archaeology from the University of Michigan, while flies buzzed languidly in the warm, stale air. After six weeks of fieldwork in Senegal, we had learned how to excavate human remains, how to record archaeologi- cal data, and how to work together as a team. And waiting for our associated stone quarries, as well as habi- our final, fervent week of excavation, rain audience with the Marabout, we learned tation and iron-production sites. This year, showers left us digging in the mud, paus- the virtue of patience. Marabouts are well- we assisted Dr. Holl with the excavation ing only to toss the occasional happy frog respected scholars of the Islamic brother- of Ngayene-II, a medium-sized cemetery out of our excavation unit. And suddenly hoods in West Africa and many are gifted a few minutes’ walk from the field station. our field season was over. Having suc- with mystic powers by the grace of Allah This site included numerous megalithic cessfully taught some of the local children . stone circles, earthen tumuli and a pos- to throw a frisbee, we returned to Dakar sible ritual space. Building upon the work in our (t)rusty Land Rover laden with ar- Weeks before, we had arrived in Da- of previous seasons of UM students, our chaeological samples that continue to be kar, Senegal, with Dr. Augustin Holl to excavations revealed at least two different analyzed at the Museum of Anthropology participate as a student cohort in the spring types of burial practices. One large mega- in Ann Arbor. field season (May 16-June 30) of the Sine lithic stone circle included a secondary Ngayene Archaeological Project (SNAP) interment of numerous individuals with We had journeyed north from Dakar to sponsored by the University of Michigan associated grave goods such as copper and the town of Louga to visit the Marabout, Museum of Anthropology. With Dr. Holl iron jewelry and iron spear points. Nota- and receive his cosmic wisdom of things we set off for our field site in a Land Rov- bly, some of the iron points may have been present and future. Finally, we entered his er piloted by our driver and good friend ritually “killed” by bending the tip back- chamber and whispered our desires into Tamsir Maiga. Heading inland to the Sa- wards. Other mortuary circles made of a handful of sand, writing there with our loum region of central Senegal, we were smaller stones contained the primary buri- breath a future read only with the grace immediately struck by the thick humidity als of individuals laid to rest successively of Allah. But our thoughts inevitably that anticipates the summer rains. The over time. In one case, however, four in- drifted to the dynamics of the past soci- UMMA archaeological field station is lo- dividuals were probably interred atop one eties who produced the megalithic cem- cated in the village of Ngayene only a few another, together in one burial event. etery of Ngayene-II and the knowledge kilometers from the Gambia border. For Unfortunately, many of the human re- of prehistory which no cleric can help us over a century this region has been known mains we recovered were in an advanced understand. The pieces of this knowledge to archaeologists for its first millennium state of decay. Soil chemistry and termites are buried in the sands of central Senegal, megalithic cemeteries. had taken their toll. Indeed, termites con- waiting to be put together by archaeolo- Augustin Holl’s multi-year SNAP proj- tinue to ravage human populations, we gists such as ourselves. ect had already conducted a survey along discovered, as they rained down upon us the seasonal watercourse Petit Bao Bolon from the wooden roof beams of our field Uthara Suvrathan to locate megalithic cemeteries and their station during hard rain storms. During Khori Newlander Cameron Gokee Letter from the Director Transitions I write to you with just two months as Museum Director under my belt and renewed Jeffrey Parsons Retires this fall. Jeff looks forward respect and admiration for all who have held this position before me. I marvel at their abilities to continuing his research to gracefully balance research, curation, teaching, and administration and I hope that I and publications on Latin can follow in their footsteps in nurturing the commitment to community and dedication to Curator and Professor Jeffrey Parsons retired American archaeology, excellence that are our Museum’s hallmarks. this fall, though we see no evidence that he is with five monographs un- This issue of our newsletter seeks to bring you up to date on the exciting field and collections slowing down. Jeff has been a stellar teacher, col- der way on his research in research of the curators, staff, and affiliated graduate students of the Museum of Anthropology league, and scholar and received the University’s Mexico and Peru, including Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in publication of his 1966 doc- over the past year. The Museum has entered a period of transition with the approaching October 2002. Jeff received his BS (1961) from toral dissertation! retirements of two of our curators: Jeffrey Parsons and Richard (Dick) Ford. Both, of course, will Pennsylvania State University and his MA (1963) Jeff’s many students, maintain their active research programs and their long-standing association with our Museum. and PhD (1966) from the University of Michi- colleagues, and friends And both continue to share their vast knowledge with students and colleagues. But their daily gan. He joined the UM as an assistant professor/ acknowledged his distin- presence in our classrooms, halls, meetings, and lunch room will be deeply missed. We wish Jeff, assistant curator in 1966, becoming a professor guished career as scholar Dick and their families the very best as they begin this next stage of their lives and careers. of anthropology and curator of Latin American and field researcher, ex- This is a challenging and exciting period in the Museum’s history, made especially daunting archaeology in 1976. He served as director of the traordinary teacher, fair and Museum from 1983-1986. by declining resources available from the State and University. Yet the Museum remains a honest colleague, and sup- portive and generous friend center of exciting and innovative archaeological research conducted around the globe by at a well-attended reception our curators and graduate students, as well as in our laboratories. Through our field schools, at the annual meetings of teaching, and research in our “ranges” we remain committed to providing top-notch graduate the Society for American and undergraduate education and hands-on training in archaeological practice. In addition, Archaeology in Salt Lake City last spring. It is ing to Santa Fe, and continuing his work on rock we are working hard to improve our collection documentation and accessibility and will very impossible to acknowledge Jeff without also art, ethnobiology, and a range of Southwestern soon have our 30,000+ image database available on the World Wide Web for your use in recognizing his partner in life and scholarship, prehistoric and historic archaeology issues. Dick Mary Hrones Parsons teaching and research. Jeff’s contributions to was honored last spring by an all-day session at Latin American archaeology and regional ar- the annual meetings of the Society for American As we devote our energies to maintaining and enhancing the Museum’s activities and chaeology will be acknowledged in a forthcom- Archaeology. Papers from that session will ap- stature as a center for excellence in anthropological archaeology, we thank you for your ing volume, edited by Richard Blanton and Mary pear soon in Engaged Anthropology: Research commitment to our institution and look forward to working with you in the future to assure our Hrones Parsons (Cotsen Institute, University of Essays on North American Archaeology, Ethno- intellectual and financial stability. California, Los Angeles). botany, and Museology, edited by Michelle Heg- We are pleased to announce the creation of mon and B. Sunday Eiselt (see ad, p. 7). In April the Jeffrey R. Parsons Lecture Fund. This quasi- 2005, more than 80 friends, colleagues, and fam- Carla M. Sinopoli endowment will be used to bring in speakers for ily members gathered in the Museum’s rotunda November 1, 2005 our Brown Bag Lecture Series and other lec- for a dinner honoring Dick. Thanks to Paul Min- tures. (All who have spent time in our Museum nis for helping to organize the gathering and C. are no doubt familiar with Jeff’s commitment to Wesley Cowan for emceeing. To honor Dick’s Charles Loring Brace was awarded the As Loring’s wife, editor, collaborator, and inspi- such talks, with his brown paper bag containing myriad contributions to the University of Michi- Curator Honors Charles R. Darwin Lifetime Achievement ration for nearly 50 years, Mimi’s contributions a wholesome wax-paper-wrapped sandwich and gan and his wide-ranging scholarship in paleo- Award by the American Association of Physi- to Loring’s academic career and life are profound Jeff is currently completing his book on the crisp fall apple.) This fund will enhance our abil- ethnobotany, ethnobotany, and Native American cal Anthropologists. This award was established and immeasurable; this Lifetime Achievement uses of aquatic resources in the Valley of Mexico ity to bring exciting speakers to the Museum. archaeology and ethnology, the Museum has in 1992 to recognize and honor distinguished Award belongs to her as well as Loring.