Past research projects
Get a sense of the type of research we do and how it applies
The Moche Foodways Archaeological ProjectRead more
This multi-year project in northern coastal Peru is funded
by NSF and the National Geographic Society, and directed by Dr. George Gumerman
IV. The primary research objective of this multi-phase project is to understand
the role of food in the development and organization of the Moche in particular
and complex societies in general.
A focus on the food system—the manner in which food is
prepared, distributed, consumed, and discarded—provides an innovative avenue
that leads to a detailed understanding of Moche culture. Food and cooking are
intrinsically social and the study of foodways provides valuable insights into
Student research (both undergraduate and
graduate) has been integral to the project. Eight MA theses and one internship
have resulted from the project. In addition several undergraduate students have
received funding to conduct analyses and fieldwork. Take a look at the Saveur Magazine article.
Interactive Archaeology of the Grand Canyon: Multicultural PerspectivesRead more
George Gumerman IV, Joelle Clark, Linda Neff, and Geraldine
Hongeva have designed an educational CD-ROM that uses the archaeology of the
Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau to educate a variety of learners,
including 4-6th grade students, undergraduate students, and life long learners.
For thousands of years Native Americans have lived in and traversed the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon. Today, many Native American
nations hold the Grand Canyon as a sacred place for various religious and
historical reasons. These Native
American groups and abundant archaeological sites provide a stimulating arena
for teaching scientific principles and cultivating an appreciation of diverse
The project, with the assistance of Hopi, Zuni, and Hualapai
partners, utilizes the Grand Canyon’s magnificent archaeological and cultural
resources as the basis for the development of a technology-based teaching tool.
The primary goal of the Interactive Archaeology of the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon project is to develop an educational, interactive, multimedia CD-ROM
and web site that focus on the archaeology of the Grand Canyon and Colorado
Learners will use the hands on, problem-based CD-ROM and
accompanying web site to explore archaeology as a science, while conducting
virtual archaeological research and learning Hopi, Zuni, and Hualapai views of
their ancestral sites. Their mission is to create a virtual museum exhibit by
exploring who lived in the Grand Canyon and how they existed.
The student-centered, interactive, multimedia lessons allow
students to interpret and quantify data from real sites and develop an
understanding of the culture history of the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon.
Digital videotaped interviews with archaeologists and Native Americans provide
multicultural voices that create an environment that is receptive to the needs
of a diverse student population that learn in different ways.
The project exposes students to different
knowledge systems while also developing their respect for cultural diversity,
values, and a sense of stewardship for archaeological resources. Learners
become competent at understanding the prehistory of the Colorado Plateau and
Grand Canyon. In the process, they develop important, lifelong science,
mathematics, technology, and cultural diversity skills necessary for students
of the new millennium.
Farming ProjectRead more
Near Crow Canyon, researchers are finding out how ancient farmers grow their food deep in canyons, where there was “cold-air drainage”
where cold air drifted off canyon rims and cliffs and down into canyons.
Monitoring the character of cold-air drainage at Goodman
Point and on the Crow Canyon will help us understand how people responded
to and viewed climatic shifts through time across the Mesa Verde region and