Center for Environmental Archaeology

The Center for Environmental Archaeology was created to provide resources for interdisciplinary research on past cultures and environments. Emphasizing archaeology, geology and zooarchaeology, the center conducts research locally and around the world to reconstruct past landscapes and the ecology of human populations.

Though officially created in 1996, the center had already been operating as a research network for more than a decade.

The center receives funding from major federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, as well as private sources, such as the National Geographic Society and the Leakey Foundation. Field and laboratory projects provide opportunities for student training and collaboration with scientists from other departments and institutions.

Though one of the smaller centers on campus, the Center for Environmental Archaeology has conducted $4 million worth of research around the world.

In 1989, researchers who were part of what is today the Center for Environmental Archaeology studied remains of the Clovis people found near Aubrey by Reid Ferring, center director and chair of UNT's Department of Geography. The site was later named the Aubrey Site, after the small town. The Clovis people inhabited the Southern Plains region roughly 12,000 years ago and are believed to be some of the first inhabitants of North America. The site is now the oldest well-documented archaeological site in North America.

Since 1993, Ferring has been studying the Dmanisi site in the Republic of Georgia. In 1999, his team discovered human skulls that are almost 1.8 million years old with clear characteristics of African descent. The discovery forced the scientific community to rethink theories of early human evolution. Up to that point, scientists believed early humans had not migrated from Africa before that time.

For more about the center, visit its web site, www.ias.unt.edu/departments/centarch. html, or e-mail Ferring at ferring@unt.edu.

BY JOEY NELSON paisradio1@unt.edu

Other web resources

• Center for Environmental Archaeology

Other featured articles in this issue:

• Regents name Dallas County Judge Lee Jackson as UNT System chancellor finalist
• UNT scientist says 1.75 million-year-old human fossils question theories of evolutionary sequence
• Committee formed to search for UNT College of Engineering dean
• New video created to boost UNT spirit and pride
• New director of women's studies selected
• Postal rates up as of June 30
• UNT departments move to new locations
• Staff Council changes bylaws to include UNT System staff
• Pohl recognized as outstanding administrator
• UNT parking permits for 2002-03 now for sale through intercampus mail
• Faculty Senate meets for the last time during 2001-02 year
• First aid kit supplies for sale

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