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Contact Information:

Anthropology
414 E. Clark Street
301 East Hall
Vermillion, SD 57069
phone: 605-677-5402
fax: 605-677-5583
lbradley@usd.edu

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Last Modified: 01/16/06

Archaeology Laboratory (ARCHLAB)

The University of South Dakota Archaeology Laboratory (ARCHLAB) was organized in 1976 and approved as a research unit of The University of South Dakota by the Board of Regents in 1977. Since its establishment, ARCHLAB has been active in research about the human prehistory of the Great Plains region and education of students and the public about archaeology.

ARCHLAB's missions are twofold: 1) to learn about the ancient human past of the Northern Plains region, especially the eastern part of South Dakota and adjacent regions by conducting faculty sponsored field and laboratory research; and, 2) to educate students and the general public about the importance of archaeology, its methods, and the archaeology of the region as a part of the Liberal Arts mission of the institution.

ARCHLAB's objectives are:

1) to develop and conduct programs of research exploring the prehistory of the region;

2) to develop and conduct programs that educate university students in the methods of archaeological data recovery, organization and analysis; and,

3) to develop and conduct educational programs for the general public about region's past.

ARCHLAB is located in East Hall on The University of South Dakota campus. Laboratories, curation facilities and a specialized library occupy the entire basement and part of the first floor of East Hall. A wet lab and field storage lockers occupy the basement of a nearby building. ARCHLAB has field equipment capable of supporting faculty and student field projects. ARCHLAB faculty consists of three PhD archaeologists and numerous student assistants. ARCHLAB often engages in interdisciplinary research conducted in cooperation with specialists such as geomorphologists, biologists, and others, utilizing the expertise of USD faculty and that of specialists from other disciplines and institutions. ARCHLAB is the research facility of the Anthropology program in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Dakota.

ARCHLAB runs an annual field school to train students in archaeological methods; field schools are often made part of the faculty research projects. As well, USD ARCHLAB participates in a number of public education programs involving presentations to civic groups and a Middle School archaeology program.

ARCHLAB educational programs have been well received with special recognition by the South Dakota State Historical Society and the World Archaeological Congress.

For additional information, contact  Dr. L. E. Bradley, Chairman, Department of Anthropology and Sociology at 605-677-5402. E-mail: archlab@usd.edu.