Archaeologist Joshua Robinson Visits Boston Latin Academy
On March 27, Joshua Robinson, an archaeology lecturer at Boston University, joined Chelsea Evanyke’s seventh grade humanities classes at Boston Latin Academy. Ms. E requested a Pathfinder visit because she wanted her students to have the opportunity to hear the types of questions that archaeologists ask themselves when they’re in the field, how they consider artifacts, and how they make inferences or conclusions from artifacts. Josh, who earned his PhD in Archaeology from Emory University and has been teaching and working in the field for over a decade, was a perfect fit for the class!
Josh’s research focuses on Paleolithic Archaeology and the origins of our genome in Ethiopia, specifically at the Hadar site. He shared photos of his excavation trips while talking about what makes a trip possible: flying to Ethiopia, a two-day road trip to the site, setting up a campsite at Awash National Park, and staying in very modest accommodations while working full-time on excavation and discovery. Each trip is between 4-8 weeks long, and includes 15-20 researchers, plus a hired crew.
The first step of an excavation is for a geologist to use soil tests and visual cues to determine when there might have been a volcanic eruption and where they should look for fossils; then, the team works to excavate fossils belonging to human ancestors and other animals to find insight into the environment. Once specimens are unearthed, they go to the “science tent” to be cleaned off and prepared for field identification.
For students like those in Ms. E’s seventh grade humanities class, a visit like Josh’s illuminates the real-world application of classroom subjects. The students asked informed and insightful questions, like whether and how archaeologists interact with and support the local communities where they’re digging. Of course, the group also discussed the really cool parts of being on a dig: Josh’s favorite thing to discover (early stone tools that hint at our ancestors’ cognitive abilities); his best discovery (a mandible with teeth), the animals he’s encountered (hyenas, lions, and gazelles), and where he’s off to next (Patagonia this summer).
Right before the bell rang, Josh invited students to come see and touch a collection of artifacts he had brought over from his office at BU – a truly tangible connection between actual research and discovery and the topics Ms. E has been teaching all semester!
