WashU Anthropology

02/13/2026

🎥 By popular demand: "The Maid of McMillan"

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend!

Video provided by Washington University Archives

02/11/2026

❣️📽️❣️Did you know the very first student-made film is a WashU romcom?

"The Maid of McMillan" is a 15-minute silent film about two WashU students falling in love on campus. It was created by the Thyrsus Dramatic Club and includes a stop at Myrtle's dorm (and current home of Anthropology) McMillan Hall! Also spotted: Brookings Hall, Francis Field, and the DUC circa 1916.

The film was thought to be lost to time but it was rediscovered in 1982 and a plan to preserve it was put into motion. A grant provided by the National Film Preservation Foundation allowed WashU Libraries to create a digital version of the film, and thanks to their work it can now be streamed online! But in the words of the film's producer, "Don't view it with too critical an eye. Remember, you are looking at a movie made in 1916."

Photos + Videos provided by Sonya Rooney and the Washington University Archives

01/24/2025

The Department of Anthropology is proud to announce Michael Frachetti has been named as the new co-director of the Incubator for Transdisciplinary Futures. Dr. Frachetti joined our faculty in 2005 and is currently a Professor in Archeology and the Principal Investigator of the Spatial Analysis, Interpretation, and Exploration Lab. In the article linked below, Frachetti states “I am very excited to help carry the banner of transdisciplinarity forward into the next phase of ITF because of its potential to increasingly drive ideas, research, and pedagogy through campus-wide inclusion, convergence, and innovation. This is a truly pivotal time for our faculty to develop and change how we approach the world’s greatest questions and challenges. ITF can help spearhead that change.”

https://strategicplan.artsci.wustl.edu/news/michael-frachetti-named-new-co-director-incubator-transdisciplinary-futures

Please join us in extending a heartfelt congratulations to Professor Frachetti!

Michael Frachetti named as new co-director of the Incubator for Transdisciplinary FuturesBy Jeremy Goldmeier1.23.25 | Transdisciplinary FuturesA scholar with a long history of transdisciplinary work, Frachetti will work with Incubator co-founder William Acree to define the initiative's next chapter....

10/29/2024

The discovery suggests that trade routes along the Silk Road were far more complex than previously understood.

The discovery suggests that trade routes along the Silk Road were far more complex than previously understood.

09/26/2024

You're Invited!

Join us on October 1st at 4:00 PM for an insightful talk by Dr. Adia Benton titled "Spy, Patrol, Police: Provisional Notes on Public Health's Martial Politics."

Location: McMillan G052

Dr. Benton will delve into the complex intersections of public health, surveillance, and policing. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with critical discussions that impact our lives today. Don’t miss out on what promises to be a thought-provoking event! Bring your questions and your curiosity. See you there!

08/19/2024

Join us tomorrow (Aug. 20) to learn more about Anthropology and find out if it is the major for you! Our world-class professors will be giving laboratory tours and you can get a snack and chat with current members of the department. We're looking forward to seeing you any time between 10am and 11:30am in the McMillan Cafe.https://anthropology.wustl.edu/events/bear-beginnings-departmental-open-house

08/02/2024

Professor Patty Jo Watson, PhD, professor emerita in Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, passed away on August 1, 2024. Pat was a renowned scholar, exemplary teacher and dedicated faculty leader. Pat conducted research in Turkey and the Near East, eastern North America, the American southwest, and China. She was widely known for her pioneering work in a variety of areas, including the domestication of plants and animals, settlement survey, ethnoarchaeology, archaeological theory, and the philosophy of archaeological explanation, an area she collaborated on with her husband Richard “Red” Watson, who held an appointment in the WUSTL department of Philosophy. Pat was also an intrepid explorer, and one of her passions was cave exploration.
It is hard to explain fully Pat’s immense legacy. She was one of the founding members of the anthropology department at Washington University and served as chair at different times during the early decades of the department. As a leader she instilled a strong sense of community and equity. The Friday Archaeology series is Pat’s brainchild and an example of her commitment to bringing people together from the professional and avocational communities. Pat was also a towering intellect. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and was recipient of numerous awards for her professional activities. As a woman in a largely male-dominated field, Pat broke gender barriers and inspired a generation of women to follow in her footsteps. Pat also was a dedicated teacher and kind, generous mentor. Every graduate student in the department felt her presence and undergraduate alums to this day recount her kindness and gentle but firm insistence that they could, in fact, be everything they wanted to be. She also was an inspiration to all the faculty, extending to her colleagues the wisdom, compassion and sensible advice of a senior leader. In all these roles, and despite innumerable accomplishments, Pat was also humble, gracious, cheerful, funny, and willing to help anyone who asked. Pat was a grit-tempered woman and she will be missed.

03/28/2024

Newly emergent evidence from the last 15 years challenges the idea of rapid domestication. This evidence shows unambiguously that plant and animal domestication in a range of species entailed a more gradual transition spanning a few thousand years across extensive geographies.

Over the last 15 years, archaeologists have challenged outdated ideas about humans controlling nature. Xinyi Liu in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis argues for a new conceptual bridge connecting the science of biological domestication to early food globalization.

03/26/2024

"Researchers found a person’s preferred information sources made a difference in their level of knowledge, risk perception and protective behaviors."

A survey of nearly 1,000 people found Arts & Sciences’ course “The Pandemic: Science & Society” at Washington University in St. Louis led to more accurate risk perception and stronger protective behaviors.

03/22/2024

We are excited for this film screening that's happening on Monday. Come by to learn more about Tibetan Pastoralists.

03/08/2024

Our professors continue to do research that expands our understanding of ourselves and asks us to take a deeper look at our motivation and biases.

"Results suggested a general lack of generosity. For example, participants in one experiment offered to donate an average of about 15 cents to the victim, less than a third of the maximum amount possible. A closer look at the data across multiple experiments revealed an intriguing trend: The more character flaws participants saw in a victim, the less willing they were to donate. 'They’re saying that the victim doesn’t deserve help,' Boyer said."

In an age of GoFundMe campaigns, it’s easier than ever to help family, friends, and even strangers in times of need. It’s also easy to look the other way. “Most people see themselves as cooperative and generous, but there’s a cost to helping people who can’t reciprocate,” said Pascal Boy...