Fieldwork

A black-and-white illustration depicts a colossal ancient Assyrian winged bull with the head of a bearded man, known as a Lamassu, standing next to a human figure in traditional Middle Eastern attire holding a spear. The human figure's height reaches the Lamassu's shoulder.

Aug. 30, 2024

By W.B. Hafford

The Case of the Disappearing Lion-Men

Archaeologist W.B. Hafford shares how the team encountered and solved an archaeological mystery during recent excavations at the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud.

Fieldwork

Aug. 23, 2024

By Joyce White

Cultivating Botanical Collections 

Across the U.S., the study of plants has suffered from budget cuts and the closing of institutions dedicated to botanical research. At the Penn Museum, an international collaborative project keeps a spotlight on the wonder of plants.

Fieldwork

Jul. 16, 2024

By Joyce White

The Science of Seeds

Joyce White, director of an archaeological project studying a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Thailand, reveals the scientific methods archaeobotanists use to unlock the secrets contained within plant remains excavated from archaeological sites.

Fieldwork

Jun. 12, 2024

By Qi Liu

Breaking Ground and Gender Norms

Penn senior Qi Liu examines the shift in the field of archaeology from a male-dominated discipline to one where women are in the majority.

Fieldwork | Students

May. 14, 2024

By Expedition Magazine Digital Extra

From Egypt, With Love

David O’Connor’s arrival to the Penn Museum in 1964 ushered in a new era of Egyptology in Philadelphia and beyond. But the famed archaeologist was also a dad—connecting with his young daughter across continents with these whimsical doodles.

Fieldwork

Jan. 08, 2023

By Chris LaMack

Archaeology Behind the Scenes

This past summer, our team from the Paleoecology Lab and the South Asia Center at Penn spent three weeks conducting preliminary work on our new South Asian Landscape Trajectories (SILT) project – and none of it involved excavation. A lot of it however, involved tea.

Fieldwork