Digital Commons Network^™

Interpreting “Vampire” Burials In Medieval Eastern Europe, Arleen Chau

Undergraduate Research Posters

Since the early twentieth century, various atypical or deviant graves have been excavated across Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. These discoveries have prompted much speculation, as the individuals were interred with items such as sickles placed over their necks or abdomens, along with other mortuary artifacts not considered normative compared to those found in typical community burials. Such practices suggest that these individuals were regarded as deviant or pariahs within their social contexts. Consequently, many have been quick to label these as “vampire burials,” interpreting them as measures intended to keep the dead from rising. However, this definition is problematic, …

Did Our Prehistoric Ancestors Engage In Mortuary Practices?, Regina E. Mcrae

Undergraduate Research Posters

Abstract

Mortuary practice is defined as how humans dispose of and treat their dead. We are familiar with elaborate burials such as the entombment of pharaohs in the pyramids at Giza; Necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and Queens; the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; the Taj Mahal in India; Viking funeral pyres on boats; and the modern jazz funerals of New Orleans. Caring for our dead is believed to be a modern concept, practiced by Homo Sapiens. However, archeological excavations and scientific analyses show burial practices predate modern man, practiced by our ancient ancestors such as Neanderthal, Homo Naledi, and …

Forging Industry: Craft Practice At The Delaware Mine Blacksmith Shop, Lucy A. Gibbs

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis examines the archaeological remains of a nineteenth-century blacksmith shop associated with the Delaware Mine Site in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Blacksmiths played an important role in early mining operations, providing the metalworking services and tool maintenance necessary to support mineral extraction. Drawing on evidence from the 2025 Michigan Technological University field school, the study investigates the shop’s operational lifespan, organization, and potential activities as it supported daily mining operations. Artifact analysis, spatial reconstruction, soil testing, and archival sources assist in reconstructing shop functions and history.

Results indicate that the shop was likely constructed during the earliest development of the …

Chapter 2: Rhombus Textile Motifs And Patterns And Their Significance In Mesoamerica, Billie J. A. Follensbee, Lois Martin

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Presents the rhombus textile motifs and patterns in Mesoamerica and their significance.

Chapter 6: Snakeskin And Corn Markings: The Dotted-Diamond-Grid Pattern In The U.S. Southwest, Laurie D. Webster, Kelley A. Hays-Gilpin

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Discusses Southwestern tie-dye and its Mesoamerican and Andean connections.

Plant Practices And Community At The Heart Of Hopewell: Paleoethnobotany At The Overly Site And Beyond, Abigail Deewaard

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Paleoethnobotanical analyses of Ohio Hopewell habitation sites in past decades have shed light on the subsistence practices, settlement patterns, and environmental management of Indigenous peoples engaged in what archaeologists describe as the Hopewell phenomenon. However, comparatively less attention has been paid to the social dimensions of plant use, particularly at habitation sites in the Scioto Hopewell region. Hopewell is an archaeological term that refers to the Middle Woodland (ca. 100 BCE–400 CE) network of interregional relationships across eastern North America characterized by long-distance exchange, monumental earthwork construction, and ceremonial practices including the honoring of ancestors. This thesis applies a social …

The Battle Of Eden Station: Locating The Linchpin In Sherman’S Savannah Campaign, Roberto J. Jorge Jr

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In December 1864, General William T. Sherman’s Union army approached Savannah, Georgia, towards the end of his “March to the Sea.” The Fifteenth Army Corps, part of Sherman’s Right Wing and commanded by General P. J. Osterhaus, crossed the Ogeechee River at Jencks and Wright’s Bridges, and advanced towards Station No.2 on the Central of Georgia Railway and the crossroads at Eden Station, located in Effingham County, Georgia. Three companies of the Tenth Battalion, North Carolina Heavy Artillery contested the crossing, falling back to multiple defensive positions before escaping by train in an effort to delay Sherman’s inevitable advance on …

Chapter 3: Diamonds In The Rough: The Development And Occurrences Of The Rhombus Motif, Its Components, And Its Variations In Olmec And Olmec-Related Textiles, Billie J. A. Follensbee

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Discusses the development of textiles in the Mesoamerican Preclassic/Formative period from the Gulf Coast, the rhombus textile patterns and motifs in Olmec and Olmec-related imagery, and includes further reflections on the dotted-diamond motif, its components, and their correlations.

“These They Cut In Pieces, Bones And All…”: An Examination Of Pequot Subsistence Practices During The Early 17th Century At The Calluna Hill Site, Groton, Connecticut, Megan V. Goldstein

Graduate Masters Theses

Beginning in the early 17th century, the arrival of Europeans in southern New England led to rapid changes and cultural transformation as Indigenous lifeways were impacted by the introduction of foreign materials, cultural structures, and the onset of colonialism. Archaeological research has helped to demonstrate how individuals and communities navigated the pressures of colonialism and developed ways to survive and persist in the centuries that followed. The early 17th century is an archaeologically underrepresented time period in southern New England, limiting an understanding of how Indigenous people initially interpreted foreign material culture, negotiated changes in their lifeways, and in particular, …

Foodways And Community: Shellfish Consumption At Sitio Drago In Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Megan E. Winnick

Graduate Masters Theses

Food-related practices provide marginalized groups with spaces for cultural exchange and asserting agency within colonial contexts, often leading to the formation of new communities and identities. Marine mollusks, due to their widespread accessibility, have a significant role in the cuisines of African Diaspora and Indigenous communities in Latin America. This thesis examines shellfish consumption at Sitio Drago in Bocas del Toro, Panamá, highlighting how shellfish harvesting and communal cooking fostered community expression through local food sources. The study includes analyses of spatial distribution of mollusk species, MNI counts across three temporal periods, and a size distribution of common gastropods. Findings …

Roblox As Open Text: Identity, Meaning, And Ideology Through Eco’S Semiotics, Yuyus Rustandi, Nanang Sutisna

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This study examines Roblox as a digital cultural space that constructs and represents adolescent identity through Umberto Eco's semiotic approach. Roblox functions not only as a game platform but also as an open text comprising visual signs, social symbols, and complex narratives. This studi is based on a literature review from nine prior empirical studies, this research analyzes how avatars, virtual environments, Robux economy, and user communities shape diverse systems of meaning. Findings show that Roblox serves as a site for identity construction, simulation of social values, and reproduction of dominant discourses such as capitalism and gender performance. The study …

Shaping The Landscape: Analyzing Enclosure Types, Farm Productivity, And Resource Use In Viking Age And Medieval Iceland, Chiara M. Torrini

Graduate Masters Theses

Enclosure walls, constructed during the Viking Age and Medieval periods, were a common feature of early Icelandic agropastoral farmstead infrastructure. These walls divided the landscape and created discrete areas, often protecting grass grown in homefields. Harvesting grass for fodder was essential to support livestock, especially cattle, through the winter. Enclosure walls were built with various combinations of turf, stone, and grass sod, which were generally cut, gathered, or excavated close to the wall’s location. Data was collected for this project and combined with substantial previous archaeological work, which all take advantage of common volcanic tephra layers (including Hekla AD 1104), …

From Editor, Rahayu Surtiati

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026.

In this edition readers will find ten articles plus one book review proposing an idea of how culture survives modernization. The four articles (1, 2, 4, and 8 show how culture and ecology or culture and traditions can reshape collective memory and identity. Two articles: 6 and 7 discuss Japanese culture: first elderly people show learning a foreign language can keep their spirit of life; second Japanese urban culture in contemporary context. Last but not least three articles (3, 5, 9, and 10) describe three different situations: roads represent symbolic dimensions; priestly …

Third Place And Nostalgia In Postcolonial Jakarta: Adaptive Reuse Of Cikini Post Office, Ade Ariyani Sari Fajarwati, Mochamad Aviandy

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The transformation of space in postcolonial cities extends beyond the restoration of old buildings; it involves cultural practices that reshape collective memory and identity. Through adaptive reuse, colonial-era heritage spaces are revitalised as social hubs. This study examines Post Kantoor cafe, a former colonial post office turned into a “third place” within urban spatial culture. Using qualitative methods—visual observation, spatial documentation, and a literature review—the study finds that nostalgic aesthetics, evident in antique artefacts, colonial atmospheres, and curated visuals, foster emotional connections across generations and social classes. More than a site of consumption, the cafe becomes a space for dialogue, …

Archaeology Of Roads: A Case Study Of The 18th-Century Surosowan–Tasikardi Old Road In Banten Lama As The Sultan’S Road, Destian Pandu Dwicahyo Santoso Putro, Ghilman Assilmi

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Archaeological studies on roads in Indonesia remain relatively limited, although international research indicates that roads are not merely transportation infrastructure, but also embody social, political, and symbolic dimensions. A significant example is the ancient road in Banten Lama, which connects the Surosowan Palace with the artificial lake of Tasikardi. This study aims to present archaeological data and identify the distinctive characteristics of royal roads compared to common roads, applying a landscape archaeology approach within a post-processual paradigm. The research stages include data collection, processing, and interpretation through qualitative methods, encompassing literature review and field observation. The analysis shows that the …

The Silent Witness: The Journey Of Celibacy In The Life Of Diocesan Clergy Of Pagadian, Jumar T. Lague, Enrique C. Tapanan, Raven M. Leyte, Jinggle C. Selgas

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Celibacy is a defining vow in the life of Catholic priests, requiring thorough preparation and ongoing commitment. While celibacy enables priests to devote themselves fully to ministry, it also presents challenges that can influence their fidelity to priesthood. This study aimed to explore how Catholic priests experience, sustain, and interpret their vow of celibacy within their ministry. Using a transcendental phenomenological design, ten diocesan priests from Pagadian, representing junior, middle, and senior clergy, were purposively selected and interviewed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, validated with participant feedback, and analyzed thematically while bracketing researcher biases. The findings reveal that priests …

The Eastern Frontier: Border Forts Of The Nile Delta And Sinai During The New Kingdom Period In Egypt, Andrew Cahill

Student Scholar Symposium

Throughout history, nations have always sought to secure their borders in order to control the flow of people and commerce so that the interests of that particular state are served. Ancient Egypt was no exception, with a string of border forts established going back at least as far as the 12^th Dynasty. During the New Kingdom Period (Dynasties 18-20), Egypt wielded great political power in the Near East, and there were two primary lines of access into Egypt from that direction. This paper will give an overview of the major issues related to the archaeology of the forts along …

Bundled For The Beyond: Material Analysis Of A Canine Mummy Bundle For Contextualizing And Conserving Legacy Objects, Sascha Anna-Rose Baldauf

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Legacy collections¹ and objects with little context are often untapped opportunities for both museums and museum studies students. The purpose of this study is to display how students can utilize object research to engage in experiential learning and develop their skillset in scientific methodologies and disseminating findings, while also offering museums the opportunity to develop relationships with research facilities and benefit from student research findings. This study demonstrates the utility of student research by investigating an Egyptian canid mummy bundle, dating to the Late Period² or early Ptolemaic Period³, received by the Museum of Anthropology at …

Defending The Homeland: An Archaeoethnodemographic (Aed) Analysis Of Population Dynamics And Settlement Patterns In The Navajo Dinétah, Ad 1720–1745, Kurt Mantonya

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation presents an innovative archaeoethnodemographic (AED) analysis of Navajo population dynamics during the Middle Period (AD 1720−1745) of the Gobernador Phase in the Dinétah, the ancestral Navajo homeland in northwest New Mexico. During this critical quarter-century, intensified Ute and Comanche slave-raiding and Spanish military expeditions forced the Diné to abandon traditional dispersed settlement patterns in favor of defensive aggregation around fortified pueblitos—small masonry defensive structures built on boulder-tops and mesa-rims throughout the region.

The study employs an AED framework that systematically integrates archaeological site analysis, ethnographic household organization data, historical documentation, and demographic modeling to reconstruct population dynamics during …

Ädeeja: Origem Dos Alimentos Cultivados E Práticas Alimentares Ye’Kwana, Viviane Cajusuanaima Rocha (Povo Ye’Kwana)

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

O artigo explora a ligação entre a cosmologia do povo Ye’kwana e suas práticas alimentares tradicionais, com base no conceito central de ädeeja, que representa os alimentos cultivados. Esse termo abrange mais do que a ideia de comida — ele carrega uma dimensão cosmológica e relacional, conectando humanos, espíritos, plantas e o território. Está ligado a uma rede de relações entre humanos, espíritos vegetais e saberes ancestrais. Representa a comida como elo com o cosmos, reforçando a interdependência entre os seres. Minha análise mostra que, para os Ye’kwana, alimentar-se é um ato cósmico, enraizado em narrativas, cantos e relações …

Prosperando Con Otros: Paisajes Multiespecie Y Producción De Alimentos En El Caribe Colombiano, América Larraín

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

Este artículo es resultado de un proyecto de investigación asociado a la producción de alimentos en una comunidad arhuaca en las tierras bajas de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Se describen algunas experiencias de la implementación del proyecto, destacando los aspectos relacionados con la articulación entre las técnicas derivadas de la agroacuicultura integrada y la cosmovisión arhuaca. Con este artículo, se espera contribuir a la reflexión sobre cómo las cosmologías indígenas se materializan en prácticas concretas, que en este caso específico podrían pensarse en el marco de lo que se ha llamado el Buen Vivir.

As Donas Do Fogo: Parentesco, Práticas Alimentares E Luta Pela Terra Entre Os Kaiowa E Guarani, Lauriene Seraguza Olegário E Souza

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

Os Guarani e Kaiowa apresentam uma relação sofisticada entre as práticas alimentares e a recuperação de territórios tradicionais em Mato Grosso do Sul (Brasil), protagonizada cotidianamente por mulheres indígenas. As mulheres guarani e kaiowa consideram o fogo como uma referência da casa de residência de um núcleo familiar e a palavra se apresenta como potência em seu fazer político. Elas são as “donas do fogo”. Compartilhando suas próprias substâncias corporais e acumulando aprendizados adquiridos no cuidado com pessoas mais velhas da parentela, as mulheres reúnem um conjunto próprio de conhecimentos e ocupam posição de reconhecido destaque no parentesco guarani, habilitando-as …

The Matter Of Production And Forms Of Sharing: Transformations Of Food Economies In Lowland South America, Clarice Cohn, Diego Madi Dias, Adriana Athila

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This special issue of Tipití presents a critical examination of ‘food economies’ and their transformations within Indigenous communities in Lowland South America. Stemming from seminal ideas in its Anthropology that directly or indirectly discuss ‘food’ (and much of what goes along with it), this edited volume focuses on the materiality of relations as a strategic lens for understanding contemporary Indigenous lives and their transformations, according to how they are perceived by Indigenous peoples themselves and others such as health care professionals and the state. The articles explore how Indigenous foodways—from acquisition to consumption, including sharing and distribution—reveal key aspects …

Fermentative Processes Of The Agricultural Food System In The Upper Rio Negro: Ethnographic Notes On Feminine Knowledge, Intention, And Agency In The Production Of Fermented Beverages, Lorena França

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

This article examines the fermentative processes at the core of the agricultural food system of the Upper Rio Negro, northwestern Amazon, highlighting women’s technical and social agency in the production of fermented beverages such as caxiri. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted among Baniwa and Tukano families between 2018 and 2019, the study explores how fermentation constitutes not merely a biochemical transformation of matter but a sociotechnical language through which women express intention, alliance, and distinction. The paper analyzes in detail two cases of caxiri preparation, showing how women’s manipulation of manioc, tubers, saliva, and utensils configures embodied knowledge transmitted …

El Sistema Nainu De Agricultura Familiar: Semillas De La Memoria Social Y De La Autonomía Alimentaria En Gunayala (Panamá), Lenín Alfonso Morales, Geodisio Castillo, Diego Madi Dias

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

La presente investigación examina el sistema agroforestal familiar (nainu) del pueblo gunadule como un tejido de resistencia social, espiritual y ecológica frente a los procesos históricos y actuales de desposesión territorial y colapso climático. A partir de un enfoque etnográfico basado en métodos participativos y epistemologías indígenas, se analizan las prácticas, conocimientos y relaciones que sostienen la autonomía alimentaria y la regeneración del territorio en Gunayala. El estudio documenta los impactos de la transferencia tecnológica, la expansión de semillas híbridas y transgénicas, identificados como amenazas centrales para la continuidad de los cultivos tradicionales y la salvaguardia de semillas …

November 25, 2025 Nagpra And Tribal Relations Committee Meeting Minutes, Bryan Morey

University NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee

November 25, 2025 minutes for the WKU NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee meeting. Meeting conducted via Zoom.

Archaeology As Alternative Prison Education, Jayne Price Dr, Caroline Pudney Dr

Journal of Prison Education Research

This paper presents the educational focused outcomes of a set of workshops entitled 'Introduction to Archaeology’ that were delivered within a prison. The workshops were delivered as part of a project that seeks to explore the pro-social benefits and social capital (i.e. social and structural aspects that support positive identity formation) that could be developed through engagement with archaeology, specifically for those within the criminal justice system. The workshops offered a bespoke, alternative, educational offering within an adult male prison in Wales. It was designed and delivered by an archaeologist who has an established background in the field, especially in …

Archaeological Predictive Meta-Modeling In Pre-Columbian Mexico, Peter Stamm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Archaeological Predictive Modeling stands firmly as an important tool for Archaeologists to predict undiscovered sites from civilizations all across the globe. While powerful, this methodology is not without its own set of qualms. Striking a balance between pure a data-driven approach while also observing leading expert theories can be a complicated task. Going further, deciding on the specific domain of features to emphasize or overlook can be a challenge within itself, as one misstep can drastically change the output of model, sometimes for the worst. In addition, creating models that can expose their reasoning process can be rather difficult to …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

October 28, 2025 Nagpra And Tribal Relations Committee Meeting Minutes, Bryan Morey

University NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee

October 28, 2025 minutes for the WKU NAGPRA and Tribal Relations Committee meeting. Meeting conducted via Zoom.