Francis Allard and Ben Ford, both anthropologists in the Department of Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences, recently presented their research as public lectures.
Allard spoke about “China and the Early Maritime Silk Road: Politics, Geography and the Nature of Interaction” at a University of Pittsburgh Department of Anthropology colloquium. This talk summarized Allard’s recent work on the development of long-distance trade linking what is today China with areas to the west. By combining an analysis of the South China Sea environment—including winds, currents, and river deltas—with the distribution of maritime trade goods, Allard argues that the roots of the ‘Maritime Silk Road’ can be pushed farther into the past.
Ford spoke to the Ohio Archaeological Council about “Recent Underwater Archaeology in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.” This talk drew on three recent projects, including an underwater archaeology field school in partnership with the Center for Field Sciences and Texas A&M University. Through these examples, Ford argued that the shipwrecks and submerged landscapes of the region can be tied to larger patterns of industrialization, innovation, and cultural continuity.