Spring 2025 Waystation Workshop with Emiliano Melgar
May 29 @ 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM PDT
Fowler Museum A222,
308 Charles E Young Dr N
Los Angeles, CA 90024 United States + Google Map
Los Angeles, CA 90024 United States + Google Map
The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology’s Waystation Initiative invites you to its 2025 Spring workshop. On Thursday, May 29, Emiliano Melgar (Instituto National de Antropología y Historia) will speak on Archaeometric Analysis of Ancient Mexican Lithics: Identifying Raw Materials and Methods of Manufacture. The event will take place in Fowler A222 from 10:00 am–2:00 pm. For more information, please see the abstract and bio provided below.
Abstract: Using approximately 40 lithic artifacts recently accepted into the Waystation’s voluntary return program, Emiliano Melgar will demonstrate analytic methods through a first traceological examination to determine their ancient Mexican cultural affiliation and technological styles. He will discuss different techniques of identifying raw materials and manufacturing traces, what information can be obtained from them, the accuracy and limitations of these techniques, and the importance of reference assemblages for comparative purposes.
Bio: Dr. Melgar earned a BA in Archaeology from the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH) in Mexico and an MA and Ph.D. in Anthropology from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Since 2004 he has been a full-time researcher at the Templo Mayor Museum. Dr Melgar’research has been awarded the 2010 Alfonso Caso Award for best bachelor thesis in archaeology, the 2011 Teotihuacan Award for best essay on the materials of that city, and the 2019 Award of the Mexican Academy of Sciences for the best young researcher in the Mexican Humanities. He has written five books and more than 80 articles for domestic and foreign publications. His new book, “Lapidary Objects from the Great Temple: Styles and Technological Traditions”, received the Honorable Mention in the 2024 INAH Prize for the best archaeological research in Mexico.
About the Waystation Initiative: The Waystation Initiative is a groundbreaking endeavor that organizes and facilitates the voluntary return of international archaeological and ethnographic objects to the nation or community of origin. Waystation Workshops are community engagement opportunities that offer collaborative learning and training. Through workshops, specialists present research that focuses on threats to and the protection of the world’s tangible cultural heritage.