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Brigham Young University. Department of Archaeology and Anthropology

 Organization

Administrative History

The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (1965-1980) was an administrative unit at Brigham Young University.

The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology was created in 1965 when the Department of Sociology and Anthropology split and the anthropology program merged with the Department of Archaeology. The department taught students the fundamentals of anthropology, focusing on living human societies and their particularities, and archaeology, concentrated on understanding previous civilizations based on their material artifacts. Department chairs were Ross T. Christensen (1965-1968), Merlin G. Myers (1968-1979), and John L. Sorenson (1979-1980). In 1980 it was renamed to the Department of Anthropology.

Citation:
BYU Organizational History Project, via WWW, March 30, 2018 (Brigham Young University. Dept. of Anthropology and Archaeology; created in 1965 when the Department of Sociology and Anthropology split and the anthropology program merged with the Department of Archaeology; In 1980 renamed the Department of Anthropology; Ross T. Christensen (1965-1968), Merlin G. Myers (1968-1979), and John L. Sorenson (1979-1980); The department had as goal to teach students the fundamentals of anthropology and archaeology, anthropology focusing on living human societies and their particularities, while archaeology concentrated on understanding previous civilizations based on their material artifacts)

Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:

Ross T. Christensen papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1716
Scope and Contents Reflects Ross T. Christensen's service as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil, service in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, career as a professor of archaeology at Brigham Young University, activities as a founding member of the Society for Early Historic Archaeology (SEHA), interest in Book of Mormon archaeology, participation in Leadership Week and Education Week on the BYU campus and elsewhere, and family activities. Includes...
Dates: 1939-1990

Department of Anthropology and Archaeology administrative records, 1941-1978

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 675 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains Brigham Young University wide administrative memos, records of financial acquisition and maintenance, department faculty, student records, administrative records pertaining to department courses and other administrative records for Brigham Young University's Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. Materials dated 1941-1978.

Dates: 1941-1978

Department of Anthropology and Archaeology chair records, 1957-1976

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 675 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence to and from the chairman of Brigham Young University's Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, published papers, and faculty information from the chairman's office. Records detail the administrative moves of the department's chairman. Materials dated from 1955-1976.

Dates: 1957-1976

Department of Anthropology and Archaeology correspondence, 1947-1978

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 675 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains on and off-campus correspondence of Brigham Young University’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology with its faculty on the creation of the department, with government agencies on projects, pertaining to the programs of the department, between other BYU departments, and with job inquires and offers. Materials dated 1947-1978.

Dates: 1947-1978

Department of Anthropology films, approximately 1980-1990

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 675 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Includes twenty-one reels of film on excavations conducted by Ray T. Matheny of the Department of Anthropology before 1990, including work in Mexico. Also a 1.5-page description of scenes in the order in which they appear in 1961 Expedition Films. Materials dated approximately 1980-1990.

Dates: approximately 1980-1990

Department of Anthropology records

 Collection
Identifier: UA 675
Scope and Contents

Contains administrative records from Brigham Young University’s Department of Anthropology including correspondence of the department, correspondence of the department chairman, faculty records, student records and various other administrative records pertaining to the department from 1941-1978. Also contains twenty-one reels of film of excavations from Ray T. Matheny, of the Department of Anthropology, from approximately 1980-1990, including work in Mexico.

Dates: approximately 1941-1990

Society for Early Historic Archaeology programs

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197239242800]
Identifier: UA 5321
Scope and Contents

Contains programs from annual symposiums of the Society for Early Historic Archaeology (SEHA) in 1985, 1986, and 1988 which were held in the J. Reuben Clark Law Building at BYU. Also included are SEHA envelopes.

Dates: 1985-1988