Anthropology and Archaeology: A Guide to Selected Resources in the Bentley Historical Library
Foreword
The Bentley Historical Library has a long commitment to identifying, preserving, and making available records of significance to the history of the state of Michigan and the University of Michigan. The Bentley's rich anthropology and archaeology collections and record groups reflect this tradition of documenting the careers and contributions of many noteworthy anthropologists and archaeologists who have been associated with Michigan over a number of years. Many of these individuals have helped to shape and define their fields of study while advancing pioneering theories and practices.
The award of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities was of tremendous aid in adding to the Bentley's rich holdings in archaeology and related disciplines. The grant enabled the identification and transfer of papers and records of both professional and avocational archaeologists and anthropologists, which greatly enhance the broader context in which these individuals operated and the national contributions made by these individuals. The correspondence, reports, and site files within these materials provide the raw material for understanding how theories and practices were developed, communicated, and adopted. These papers also illuminate the genesis of subdisciplines such as ethnobotany and paleoethnobotany.
The grant also enabled us to hire Christine Di Bella as project archivist. Christine's extraordinary work helped unlock the wealth of information contained within these papers and organizational records. The superb finding aids produced by Christine chronicle several important chapters within North American Archaeology. Invaluable assistance was provided by the faculty/curators of the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology. The expertise and advice of professors Richard I. Ford, John M. O'Shea, John D. Speth, and collections manager Karen O'Brien were invaluable in helping to identify and better understand key archival material. Their collaboration with Bentley staff members Nancy Bartlett (Project Director), William Wallach, and Brian Williams (Project Manager) was a model of interdisciplinary cooperation. My thanks go out to all of these individuals who contributed to this successful project. Ultimately this guide is a tribute to their work.
Francis X. Blouin, Director