University of Northern Iowa

Anthropology

Archaeology (the study of ancient human culture) and ethnology (the study of recent and living people) are the two major sections in the anthropology collection.

The archaeological collection comes from North and West Africa, the Middle East, Western Europe, the Andes, Mesoamerica, the Great Plains, and the Great Basin areas.

The ethnographic collection includes artifacts from the Andes, Amazon, Mesoamerica, Circum-Caribbean, East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, West Africa, Melanesia, and Polynesia.

Displaying 1 - 100 of 7430
Cat. # Name Description
1 1972.81.1.5.0026 Sherd, pottery Incised design. Color: GY
2 1972.81.1.2.0012 Sherd, pottery Gray with black swirly design. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
3 1968.10.0051 Mask White painted face mask. The facial features are small and detailed in the center. The eye holes are cut out and the lips are painted red. There are two vertical yellow stripes on either cheek. The entire face is outlined in yellow paint, the proper right ear has been broken off. At the top of the mask is a half oval extension outlined in brown paint. There are two box nails at the top of the mask, on the proper left side. 1968.10.0051 (Mask) image
4 1979.10.9.0051 Bead Ring shaped. Color: WH, GY
5 1970.41.3.0060 Point, projectile None
6 1972.81.1.4.0086 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
7 00.54.17.0031 Basket Woven basket.
8 1968.10.493.0009 Chip, stone None
9 1979.10.9.0085 Bead Quasi-rectangular, pierced. Color: PK
10 1968.10.493.0105 Chip, stone None
11 1970.41.3.0100 Point, projectile None
12 1972.81.1.4.0022 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
13 1970.41.3.0092 Point, projectile None
14 1973.80.3.27.0009 Postcard Human figure in clay from the Diguis region. Color: BL,RD,CR
15 1968.10.493.0041 Chip, stone None
16 1972.81.1.1.0033 Sherd, pottery Gray with black design. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
17 1968.10.494.0008 Chip, stone None
18 1979.10.9.0019 Bead Long flat back, front slants outward and then curves back to form a mound shape. Two grooves carved in front near tip; hole drilled from side to side near top. Color: BK
19 1970.41.3.0028 Point, projectile None
20 1970.78.10.0003 Basket Handcrafted large basket carried on the back with a woven rope over the forehead, woven of fiber in natural and black, design has a diamond-like look. Attached to square wooden rim at top. Wooden sticks at corners, two sticks extend down side and across bottom to form opposite corner. Carrying strap attached to one side. Between corners at bottom stick holds woven fibers. Color: TN,BK
21 1972.81.1.4.0054 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
22 1968.10.494.0018 Chip, stone None
23 1968.10.493.0073 Chip, stone None
24 00.70.0035 Arrow Arrow, fishing.
25 00.70.0036 Arrow Arrow, fishing. South Sea Islands.
26 1972.81.1.5.0027 Sherd, pottery Incised design. Color: GY
27 1972.81.1.2.0013 Sherd, pottery Black on gray. Lined design. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
28 1968.10.0154 Beater, cloth Club shaped piece of wood with smaller section for handling. The handle widens at the very end. 1968.10.0154 (Beater, cloth) image
29 1993.37.0036 Hat Woman's. Plant fiber (fique?) trimmed in velour. Tigthly woven cream color, with black trim. "BM-" is written in pencil on the inside of the hat. "%)" isdeciperable, like an ink stamp. "Colombia" is written in black ink, permanent on green iron-on fabric attached to the inside of the hat.
30 1979.10.9.0052 Bead Ring shaped. Color: WH
31 1970.41.3.0061 Point, projectile None
32 1972.81.1.4.0087 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
33 00.54.17.0032 Mat, straw For sleeping.
34 1968.10.493.0010 Chip, stone None
35 1979.10.9.0086 Bead Quasi-rectangular, pierced. Color: PK
36 1968.10.493.0106 Chip, stone None
37 1970.41.3.0101 Point, projectile None
38 1972.81.1.4.0023 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
39 1970.41.3.0093 Point, projectile None
40 1973.80.3.27.0010 Postcard Authentic Pre-Columbian necklace and statues from Costa Rica. Color: PK,GY,WH
41 1968.10.493.0042 Chip, stone None
42 1969.15.0001 Carving Large carved wood bust, in profile. The hair is conical shaped with checkered etches. The shirt is vertically striped with a collar. 1969.15.0001 (Carving) image
43 1972.81.1.1.0034 Sherd, pottery Gray with 2 curved black lines. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
44 1996.18.0001 Dress Navy blue velvet dress with gold embroidered designs on the end of the sleeves, bottom of the dress and around the neck line. Color: BL,GD,PR
45 1968.10.494.0009 Chip, stone None
46 1979.10.9.0020 Bead Long flat back, front slants outward from bottom and then curves back to form a mound-like shape. Hole drilled near top from side to side. Color: BK
47 1970.41.3.0029 Point, projectile None
48 1970.78.10.0004 Spear Has two feathers 8" long attached on one end, one all black and the other black with some white. Head is 16" long, made of wood with printed black and brown v-shaped design. Head attached to shaft by black and red cotton cord wrapped around shaft. Feathers attached with black and natural cord wrapped around shaft. Color: TN,BK
49 1972.81.1.4.0055 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
50 1968.10.494.0019 Chip, stone None
51 1968.10.493.0074 Chip, stone None
52 00.70.0037 Arrow Arrow, hunting. South Sea Islands.
53 1972.81.1.5.0028 Sherd, pottery Incised design. Color: GY
54 1972.81.1.2.0014 Sherd, pottery Gray with black design near top. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
55 1979.10.9.0053 Bead Ring shaped. Color: WH
56 1970.41.3.0062 Point, projectile None
57 1972.81.1.4.0088 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
58 1968.10.493.0011 Chip, stone None
59 1979.10.9.0087 Bead Quasi-rectangular, pierced. Color: PK
60 1968.10.493.0107 Chip, stone None
61 1970.41.3.0102 Point, projectile None
62 1972.81.1.4.0024 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
63 1973.80.3.27.0011 Postcard Breast plate in sheet gold from the Diguis region. Color: BK,GD
64 1968.10.493.0043 Chip, stone None
65 1969.15.0002 Carving Yoruba Ibeji dolls. Laterally compressed to acute ridge from top of forehead to back of neck; prominent facial features, 3 vertical gashes on each cheek; female with very prominent breasts. Posture of both leaning slightly forward. Colored with brown to reddish-brown chalky paint, shiny in various places. a. Male. b. Female. 1969.15.0002 (Carving) image
66 1972.81.1.1.0035 Sherd, pottery Gray with 3 black stripes. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
67 1968.10.494.0010 Chip, stone None
68 1979.10.9.0021 Bead Long flat back, front curves outward from bottom and then curves back to form a mound shape; notch on left side near top. Hole drilled near top from side to side. Color: BK
69 1970.41.3.0030 Point, projectile None
70 1970.78.10.0005 Spear Wooden spear with barbed point 11 1/4" long, painted black. Point attached to shaft by wrapped cord, black and pink in color; Two feathers attached to end of shaft, one black and one yellow. Button-like end attached with black and pink cord. Color: TN,BK,YL,PK
71 1972.81.1.4.0056 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
72 1968.10.494.0020 Chip, stone None
73 1968.10.493.0075 Chip, stone None
74 1968.10.493.0076 Chip, stone None
75 00.70.0038 Arrow Arrow, blunt point.
76 1972.81.1.5.0029 Sherd, pottery Incised design. Color: GY
77 1972.81.1.2.0015 Sherd, pottery Rust with black stripe and pointed design on gray. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,OR,BK
78 1979.10.9.0054 Bead Ring shaped. Color: WH
79 1970.41.3.0063 Point, projectile None
80 1972.81.1.5.0001 Sherd, pottery Incised with a design painted on the reverse side in black. Color: GY
81 1968.10.493.0012 Chip, stone None
82 1979.10.9.0088 Bead Quasi-rectangular, pierced. White stripe, indented. Color: PK, WH
83 1968.10.0089 Scoop One-half gourd bowl or scoop. 1968.10.0089 (Scoop) image
84 1968.10.493.0108 Chip, stone None
85 1970.41.3.0103 Point, projectile None
86 1972.81.1.4.0025 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
87 1973.80.3.27.0012 Postcard Authentic Pre-Columbian jade necklace and other pieces. Color: PR,WH,BR
88 1968.10.493.0044 Chip, stone None
89 1972.81.1.1.0036 Sherd, pottery Gray with black stripe and black checkered design. Design painted on the inside. Color: GY,BK
90 1979.63.0004 Map "Field & Laboratory: Contributions from the Science Departments of Southern Methodist University", vol. IV, April 1936, No. 2; stamped "Iowa State Teachers College Library, May 18, 1936"; brown paper cover; 72 pages.
91 1968.10.494.0011 Chip, stone None
92 2014-4-1 Mask A wooden oval-shape mask with strong lines appearing around the circumference of the mask. The eyes are small slits, a narrow nose, and a small open mouth exposing three aluminum teeth. The mask is covered in a black soot and small holes pierced around the circumference. The mask is in good condition except wear to the upper lip and nose from native use. 2014-4-1 (Mask) image
93 1979.10.9.0022 Bead Long flat back, front curves outward from bottom and then curves back to form a mound shape. Hole drilled near top from side to side. Color: BK
94 1970.41.3.0031 Point, projectile None
95 1972.81.1.4.0057 Sherd, pottery No design. Piece of pottery. Color: GY
96 1968.10.494.0021 Chip, stone None
97 1968.10.493.0077 Chip, stone None
98 00.70.0039 Point, projectile Arrow, steel tipped.
99 1978.46.0101 Hat Rain hat, woven; broad brim, wrapped heavy rim, double (2 Piece) hat--water proof. a. Outer hat b. Inner hat. Color: TN-YL
100 1972.81.1.5.0030 Sherd, pottery Incised design. Color: GY
CSV