AnthropologyLesson 4 of 4 in the course Methods: Cultural and Archaeological

Anthropological Collections: Preservation, Repatriation, and Ethical Research

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Anthropologists learn not only through fieldwork but also by studying manuscripts, photographs, and other materials preserved in museums, universities, and archives. This lesson introduces the purpose of collections and explains how researchers can use archival materials responsibly and effectively.

Collections preserve materials that can provide evidence about human cultures, histories, and past research. They may contain items gathered by anthropologists as well as materials created or interpreted by scholars and community members. Specially designed research settings help preserve and organize these resources for future study.

All flashcards

Archival collection
A preserved group of significant manuscripts or media kept under conditions that reduce damage or loss.
Finding aid
A list or descriptive guide that explains a collection’s contents and organization.
Provenance
Documented information about an object’s origin and contextual history.
Repatriation
The process of restoring human remains or culturally significant objects to the peoples from whom they originated.
Participant observation
A research method involving entry into a cultural setting, observation of events, and note-taking.

Quiz questions

  1. What does NAGPRA provide for Indigenous peoples in the United States?Answer: A legal process to seek the return of covered human remains and cultural items.
  2. What does Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act require?Answer: Review of a federal undertaking’s potential effects on historic resources.
  3. Why can precise provenance be important when a community seeks an object’s return?Answer: It can help identify the community connected to the object.
  4. What risk did some historical museum treatments pose?Answer: Lacquer could alter objects, while pesticides could threaten human health.
  5. Which activity best describes participant observation?Answer: Observing events in a cultural setting and recording field notes.

Based on Introduction to Anthropology by Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis, Marjorie M. Snipes (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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