Resources

Collections

Museum of Anthropological Archaeology
The Museum of Anthropological Archaeology's (formerly Museum of Anthropology) collections comprise a rich resource for the study of humanity's past, including archaeological collections from around the world, diverse ethnographic collections, and extensive photographic and documentary archives. A portion of the Museum of Anthropology's collections are available through online exhibits and through searchable databases, with some objects on exhibition in several of the University's museums. Read more
Papyrology Collection
The University of Michigan Papyrus Collection is a premier collection of papyri, recognized worldwide for its great breadth and the excellence in research, teaching, and outreach it supports. Founded by the visionary Francis W. Kelsey, the Papyrus Collection has been the training ground for many papyrologists and home to many great resident scholars. As the largest collection of ancient documents in North America, the Michigan Papyrology Collection is an extraordinary resource available to the University community. Read more
Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology houses approximately 100,000 artifacts, ranging from prehistoric through medieval times. Most derive from the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, dynastic and Roman Egypt, or the Near East. Some objects are on display in the new Upjohn Exhibit Wing or appear in special exhibitions, while others are maintained in climate-controlled storage. The Museum also possesses extensive photography and documentary archives, many relating to Kelsey fieldwork initiatives. All of these collections are widely used in University of Michigan classes, both graduate and undergraduate. The Kelsey Museum Artifact Database is an online version of the museum catalogue intended to aid researchers. Read more
Museum of Paleontology
The Museum of Paleontology houses an extensive archive of vertebrate, invertebrate, and paleobotanical specimens. The archives are open to bona fide academic visitors, subject to appointment. Read more

Materials Analysis Resources

Many resources for materials analysis are available in a variety of academic units on the University of Michigan campus.

Bioarchaeology Lab
The Kelsey Museum Bioarchaeology Lab offers infrastructure and equipment for the study of zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical material. Importantly, it presents students and researchers with a dynamic space for thinking about big research questions, theoretical approaches, and methodological innovation with an interdisciplinary perspective, crossing the boundary between animal and plant remains.
Stable Isotope Analysis
The University of Michigan Stable Isotope Facility, within the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, performs stable isotope and elemental analyses that support research into climate change, geology, oceanography, and paleontology.
Optical Microscopy
The Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, or (MC)2 maintains multiple scanning electron microscopes that can be used for the study of microstructures and microtopography of a range of materials, including organic remains, fibers, and metal objects.
X-Ray Diffraction
X-ray diffraction (XRD) is used for the non-destructive determination of the material composition of artifacts and the dermination of the crystalline structure of their components. Facilities and equipment for XRD are maintained by the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, or (MC)2.
Mass Spectrometry
The Michigan Elemental Analysis Laboratory, within the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, provides solution-based elemental analysis on a variety of materials from rock through to natural waters in concentration ranges from ppm to ppt in biological, environmental, geological and industrial materials. Mass spectrometry services are also available through the Department of Chemistry. Mass spectrometry is particularly useful for analyzing ceramic glazes and slips.