The Museum of Anthropology at the University of Michigan maintains a comparative collection of faunal material. The 340 skeletons were collected under controlled conditions and represent a wide range of species from North America and the Middle East. They are widely used by archaeologists who wish to study and identify excavated remains. The archaeozoology laboratory in which these materials are housed is extensively used by faculty, graduate students and visiting scientists. The laboratory and its comparative collection have been used as a resource for the identification and analysis of faunas from a large number of sites. However the laboratory's present arrangement and limited crowded storage facilities have inhibited efficient work and the growth of the comparative collection. The crowded and make-shift storage has resulted in damage to and increased wear and tear on the comparative collection and other archaeological specimens. The Museum has developed a renovation plan and will contribute significantly to upgrade the facility and establish adequate working spaces. This NSF award will permit the purchase of high grade storage cases to house the comparative collection. This will permit easy researcher access, help to minimize damage to the materials themselves and provide space to permit the collection to grow. Bone preserves well in many environmental contexts and is often recovered in large amounts in the course of archaeological excavation. Identification and analysis of such remains can further a number of scientific goals. Such research sheds light on the subsistence and social practices of prehistoric peoples. It also permits reconstruction of past environments and allows scientists to study human-environmental interactions. This award will permit such research to proceed more effectively.
