::: Ruth Baus Honored

Ruth Baus (right) with Ernestine S. Elster

The Cotsen Institute recently held a festive luncheon honoring Ruth Baus, a founding member of the Friends of Archaeology, generous supporter of the Cotsen Institute, and longtime ex-officio member of our company of scholars.

::: Cotsen Visiting Scholar 2002-2003

The Cotsen Visiting Scholar for the 2002­2003 academic year is Nicholas David (University of Calgary). Educated at Cambridge and Harvard, David served for four years as head of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, before moving to the University of Calgary in 1980. His research and theoretical interests include ethnoarchaeology, archaeological theory, African later prehistory and culture history, and the European Upper Palaeolithic. He has conducted fieldwork in Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. His latest book (co-authored with Carol Kramer) is Ethnoarchaeology in Action (Cambridge University Press, 2001). He will offer a graduate seminar on ethnoarchaeology while he is in residence at UCLA. His webpage includes more information on his activities.

::: National Geographic features Guillermo Cock’s Excavations

A recent excavation of an Inca site of Puruchuco outside the city of Lima, Peru, is featured in the current issue of National Geographic and on their website. Guillermo “Willy” Cock, who received his M.A. in the Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Archaeology and is currently advanced to candidacy in the program, is project leader of the excavation. This work will also be featured in a one-hour National Geographic television program airing in May.

::: Benille Emmanuel

Benille Emmanuel received the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research at UCLA for 2002. The award is in recognition of his research on the hitherto undeciphered script of the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the most ancient urban civilizations of the world. The preliminary results of his research were presented at the 16th International Conference of the Association of South Asian Archaeologists in Western Europe, held in Summer 2001 in Paris. Benille received his Ph.D. from the Archaeology Program at UCLA in 2000, and he is a Research Associate at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology.

::: New MSO Arrives

Sheryol Threewit joined the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology as Management Services Officer in March 2002. Sheryol joins us from General Accounting at UCLA and also has previous experience with museums and universities. She now oversees accounting and personnel operations of the Cotsen Institute. Welcome, Sheryol!

::: Stanish’s Work in Peru Featured on NPR’s Radio Expeditions

National Public Radio’s Radio Expeditions featured Professor Charles Stanish’s work in Peru. A two-part piece was aired February 4th and 5th on Morning Edition. NPR’s Radio Expeditions are sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The program featuring Stanish (shown above right with NPR’s Alex Chadwick) is available for viewing and listening at the NPR website.

::: Posnansky to receive Harrington Medal from SHA

Merrick Posnansky, Professor Emeritus of History and Anthropology and a former director of the Institute of Archaeology, has been selected to receive the Harrington Medal of the Society for Historical Archaeology for his work in historical archaeology, particularly for his role in enhancing the discipline of African diasporan archaeology. This is the first time that an Africanist has been selected to receive the major award given by the Society. The award will be presented at the annual convention in Rhode Island in January 2003.