Santa Clara University Archaeology Program

Santa Clara University Archaeology Program
Name	Santa Clara University Archaeology Program
Established	1970s
Type	Academic program
City	Santa Clara
State	California
Country	United States
Affiliation	Santa Clara University

Contents

Santa Clara University Archaeology Program The Santa Clara University Archaeology Program is an undergraduate and graduate curricular unit housed at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. The program integrates classroom instruction with fieldwork, museum curation, and public outreach, drawing connections across regional and global archaeological traditions such as Mesoamerica, Ancestral Puebloans, California Indian sites, and Mediterranean excavations. Courses and projects frequently intersect with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, the National Park Service, the California Office of Historic Preservation, and international partners including Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, British Museum, and École française d'Athènes.

History

The Archaeology Program traces its roots to archaeological interest on campus during the late 20th century, connecting with figures and movements such as Frances Densmore-era ethnography, the preservation initiatives of the Historic American Buildings Survey, and regional work influenced by archaeologists associated with University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and University of California, Los Angeles. Early collaborations involved local stakeholders including the Ohlone community, the California Historical Society, and county agencies like Santa Clara County cultural resources divisions. Program development paralleled national debates exemplified by legislation and policies such as the National Historic Preservation Act and consultations modeled after Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act processes. Over time the curriculum expanded to include methods from global centers such as Cambridge University, Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Leiden, and field techniques advocated by professional bodies like the Society for American Archaeology and the Archaeological Institute of America.

The program offers coursework in archaeological theory and practice, with classes addressing topics linked to regional case studies like Chumash" coastal archaeology, Maya urbanism, Inca engineering, and Mediterranean archaeology including Roman Empire contexts. Students take methods courses influenced by instrumentation and labs associated with institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and analytical frameworks taught at University of Michigan. Degree pathways coordinate with departments at Santa Clara University including Anthropology, History, Art History, Environmental Studies, and professional programs that engage with agencies like the National Science Foundation and award programs such as the Fulbright Program and National Endowment for the Humanities. Seminars incorporate readings from scholars tied to journals and presses connected to Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Journal of Archaeological Science, American Antiquity, and publications involving researchers from University College London.

Field projects span local and international settings: surveys at Santa Clara Valley and San Francisco Bay wetlands; excavations at Mission Santa Clara de Asís-era sites; regional collaborations with tribes such as the Muwekma Ohlone; and overseas projects in areas like Mesoamerica (linked to work at Tikal and Copán), Peru (comparative research near Cusco and Nazca), and the Mediterranean (projects around Athens and Pompeii). Research integrates specialists from institutions such as California Academy of Sciences, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and the Field Museum. Projects use methods established in major programs like GPR studies modeled on techniques from Warren K. Moorehead-era practice, geoarchaeology approaches associated with University of Arizona, and isotopic analyses comparable to work at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Columbia University.

On-campus facilities include teaching laboratories, conservation suites, and collections storage coordinated with museums such as the Cantor Arts Center, regional repositories like the Oakland Museum of California, and archival partners including the Bancroft Library and California State Archives. Equipment and analytical capabilities draw on techniques promoted by laboratories at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and microscopy resources analogous to those at Smithsonian Institution conservation labs. The program curates artifact assemblages and archival materials linked to historic resources like Mission Santa Clara de Asís, architectural studies referencing the Victorian period, and osteological collections maintained under protocols used by the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Faculty include scholars with training and affiliations from universities such as University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and University College London, and professional memberships in bodies like the Society for Historical Archaeology, Society for American Archaeology, and the Archaeological Institute of America. Staff roles encompass curators who liaise with entities such as the National Park Service, collections managers trained in standards akin to those from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and research associates collaborating with centers including the Center for Archaeological Research and university-based centers for digital humanities like Digital Antiquity.

Students engage in experiential learning through field schools modeled on programs run by University of Arizona, study abroad exchanges with departments at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Salamanca, and Université Paris Nanterre, and internships with organizations such as the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the National Park Service. Campus groups and honor societies linked to archaeological practice include chapters that network with the Archaeological Institute of America, regional student organizations that collaborate with the California Archaeological Site Stewardship Program, and research clubs that publish work in venues similar to Journal of Field Archaeology outlets. Funding and awards available to students mirror opportunities provided by the National Science Foundation, Fulbright Program, and private foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The program conducts outreach with local communities and tribes, partnering with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and civic institutions such as the City of Santa Clara cultural affairs offices, the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Commission, and regional museums including the Levi Strauss Museum and the Oakland Museum of California. Public programs align with initiatives championed by federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Park Service and collaborate on exhibits with national institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and the California Academy of Sciences. Engagement emphasizes stewardship practices informed by precedent cases in repatriation and consultation under frameworks exemplified by Kennewick Man discussions and national dialogues involving the National Congress of American Indians.