The Kelsey Blog – Behind the Scenes at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology

A Summer of Learning: Welcoming New Conservation and Education Assistants

Leave a Comment / Students / June 19, 2025

The Kelsey Museum is pleased to welcome two interns on board this summer. In the Education Department, museum studies student Thomas Gaines is writing and assembling a new Teacher Resource Guide focused on the discipline of archaeology to supplement social studies curricula in K–12 classrooms. Upstairs in the Conservation Lab, undergraduate Hannah Magnus will assist with various projects, from cleaning artifacts to carbon-dating textiles.

Thomas Gaines stands next to a framed Roman mosaic of a dog in a museum. — Education Department intern Thomas Gaines.

Selfie of Hannah Magnus wearing headphones. — Education Department intern Thomas Gaines.

Thomas Gaines studies history and museum studies at U-M. A self-described enthusiastic student of history, Thomas is especially interested in change and revolution throughout different cultures and contexts. His love of museums—and what goes into a successful museum—led him to pursue the Museum Studies Program, ultimately bringing him to the Kelsey.

Here, Thomas is working with Director of Education Will Pestle to create a brand-new archaeology-focused Teacher Resource Guide. This document, intended to be used alongside the Kelsey and its collections, will allow educators to better instruct their students about the field of archaeology and what it can teach us about the past.

“As a historically minded person (and a lifelong Indiana Jones fan), I have always held a deep interest in archaeology and the amazing archaeological discoveries that influence our understanding of natural and human history,” said Thomas. Indeed, his role at the Kelsey has overlapped with not only his academic interests—history, archaeology, archival research, and collaboration and creation within a museum setting—but also his personal passions, including geography, geology, and the technology of archaeological research.

So far, Thomas has enjoyed the collaborative nature of the Teacher Resource Guide’s development and the way it has provided an insider’s look at the process of generating public history and teaching people about archaeology. “I was also surprised and pleased to be able to lend a hand in rehanging a number of objects in the gallery space at the museum,” he noted, “because which Indiana Jones kid wouldn’t love getting to help move around the ancient artifacts?”

Outside of his history and museums, Thomas—who is from Traverse City in northern Michigan—has an innate love for the outdoors. He spends his free time on his bike, walking in the Arboretum, exploring the local frisbee golf scene, and attempting to find the best fishing spots in southeast Michigan.

For the past several months, Hannah Magnus was a research assistant in the Archaeobiology Lab, working with Dr. Laura Motta and other students to wash and sort bones from the University of Michigan–excavated site of Tel Anafa. This summer, Hannah is changing tack as she heads to a different Kelsey laboratory starting in mid-June.

Hannah, who studies anthropology and archaeology and is interested in “all things history,” just finished her sophomore year. She recently transferred from Michigan State University to the University of Michigan—a trek she used to make often when she worked in the Archaeobiology Lab. At Michigan State, Hannah participated in archival research that explored the university’s first observatory and worked at the Kooskia Lab, where she sorted and labeled artifacts. Hannah has also previously attended the Gabii field school in Italy, an experience that allowed her to gain hands-on experience in excavation techniques.

Over the coming months, Hannah will assist Kelsey conservators Suzanne Davis and Carrie Roberts with cleaning an assemblage of marble Roman inscriptions. She will also support curator Nicola Barham’s ongoing project to carbon-date a collection of textile fragments historically labeled as Coptic. “I wanted to explore conservation to learn how to handle and care for artifacts properly,” Hannah said. “I also hope to gain an advanced understanding about how artifacts are created and how the methods of their creation impact how museums care for the artifacts.”

Of her upcoming projects, Hannah is particularly excited about working with textiles. “I’ve always had an interest in historical fashion and fiber arts,” she said. “I know how to cross-stitch, crochet, and sew, and by working on the conservation of textiles, I hope to find a way to combine my hobbies with my passion for archaeology.”

Welcome, Thomas and Hannah—the Kelsey Museum is excited to have you here!

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Collaborating for a Cause: Elevating K–12 Education Through the Teacher Advisory Group

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / June 19, 2025

Three K–12 students and one adult chaperone sit on stools in a darkened gallery space in the Kelsey Museum. They view artifacts and reproductions relating to the history of gladiators in the Roman Empire. — *K–12 students explore the Kelsey Museum’s Roman galleries on a school field trip.*

In 2024, the Kelsey Museum’s Education Department launched its Teacher Advisory Group (TAG), consisting of a small group of educators reflecting the range of Michigan’s K–12 schools. These dedicated teachers, hailing from public, private, and charter schools and representing several grade levels, generously contributed their time and expertise over the past academic year—a successful partnership that will enhance archaeological education and shape social studies curricula across Michigan.

TAG’s objectives are multipronged. Working with the staff in the Education Department, the teachers brainstorm and recommend new programs and resources that educators can use in their classrooms and on-site during museum visits. They also evaluate the Kelsey’s current K–12 offerings to ensure that these meet the needs of teachers, schools, and districts, as well as state and national standards. Part of this process involves assisting in the development and piloting of new classroom instruction resources for teaching about the ancient world. Finally, TAG members are advocates for Kelsey educational programming and resources in their community, providing future opportunities for connections with schools or teachers who have never visited the museum.

Much of the group’s 2024–2025 work involved learning about what teachers want and discussing how the Kelsey Museum can meet or address these needs. TAG teachers provided feedback on the performance of volunteer docents as well as on the themes the Education Department offers for K–12 education. Although ancient societies are typically studied in 7th-grade social studies classes, many teachers have expressed that the Kelsey Museum offers valuable insights for students at all grade levels, from pre-K to seniors in high school.

“The Teacher Advisory Group is a mutually beneficial endeavor for both K–12 educators and for the Kelsey Museum,” said Stephanie Wottreng Haley, the Kelsey’s community and youth educator. “Through constant communication and clear goals and guidelines, we hope to refine our archaeological educational content for teachers, including our in-person visits and Teacher Resource Guides, which can help teachers near and far.”

Looking ahead to the next academic year, the Teacher Advisory Group will maintain its momentum, contributing to the Kelsey’s educational programs and activities and spreading the word to other educators about the value of utilizing the Kelsey Museum’s resources. Specific initiatives include working with the Education Department to develop dedicated K–12 content for the five Klinsky Expeditions and to provide guidance around tours and activities for the new Crossroads of Culture gallery.

For more information about the group and to learn how to become involved, visit the Kelsey website here!

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Salty Bricks and Varnished Spouts: May 2025 Conservation Updates

Leave a Comment / Conservation / May 22, 2025

With the winter semester now wrapped up, the Kelsey Museum’s conservators are enjoying a brief respite from assessing objects for class visits, but that doesn’t mean the lab is any less busy! Read about the projects that Carrie Roberts and Kathryn Peneyra—conservation fellow at the Kelsey—have undertaken over the past few weeks.

Conserving a Horse-Head Spigot

The Kelsey Museum will soon open its next Crossroads of Culture Object Spotlight, curated by members of the Kelsey graduate student community. This exhibition, exploring the interplay between humans and nature in the Middle East and North Africa, will display nearly 70 objects—all of which need to be evaluated prior to installation.

One artifact that Carrie investigated was a Roman-period spigot (KM 4975) from Fayum, Egypt. This bronze water spout is shaped like a horse head, with circular openings at both ends. In addition to its visible corrosion, the object’s condition was exacerbated by a varnish placed on it in the 1970s.

To address these issues, Carrie soaked the object in three successive baths of acetone. Between baths, she was then able to remove the powdery, pale green corrosion from the spigot’s interior surface using bamboo skewers, a scalpel, and ethanol swabs. A final acetone soak and an overnight bath in a corrosion inhibitor have ensured that the object can safely be displayed in the temporary Crossroads spotlight.

Carrie, wearing gloves and a lab coat, smiles at the camera while holding a small, light green water spout in both hands. On the counter behind her are jars and bottles containing various solutions, as well as a tray and forceps. — Carrie Roberts holds the horse-head spigot in the lab hood of the Conservation Lab.

The spigot, which is corroded and mostly green in color, sits on a piece of paper towel on a tray in front of chemicals and solutions. A pair of plastic forceps sits open beside the object. — Carrie Roberts holds the horse-head spigot in the lab hood of the Conservation Lab.

Investigating the Kelsey’s Salty Bricks

In the 1920s, Francis Kelsey purchased a collection of hundreds of stamped Roman bricks that are now part of the museum’s permanent collection. The bricks were stored in wooden cabinetry from then until the 1990s. During these 70 years of storage, organic acid vapor was slowly released by the wood the cabinets were made of, and this caused a chemical reaction with the salts already present in the bricks, resulting in efflorescence of big, fluffy salt crystals on the bricks’ surfaces. “In other words,” Kathryn described, “the bricks are salty! Very salty.”

The salt crystals present in the stamped brick collection cause some problems: when the salt crystallizes, it can damage the structure of the bricks; the crystals also conceal the bricks’ stamped surfaces, limiting their usability for research, classes, and exhibitions.

Kathryn characterized the salt thanks to the helpful conservation staff at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), including Conservation Scientist Christina Bisulca. Kathryn used the DIA’s Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to analyze the chemical composition of the salts, allowing her to conclude that they were formed as a result of their past storage conditions.

Kathryn’s research on the bricks continues as she tests different treatment methods to remove the salt. She will ultimately write up a protocol for the Kelsey detailing how to treat the bricks going forward.

Three Roman stamped bricks laid out on white paper in a cart. The central object is the largest and has a faint stamped circle visible on its surface. It is flanked by partial views of two smaller bricks; to the left is a brick with a very faint circle, and to the right is a larger rectangular example with part of a Latin inscription visible. — Kathryn Peneyra gives a water bath to a Roman stamped brick (KM 1744) in the Conservation Lab.

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Season Findings: Jebel Barkal Team Wraps Up April Excavation

Leave a Comment / Archaeological Research, Fieldwork / May 19, 2025

Workers excavate a trench at the archaeological site of Jebel Barkal, Sudan. One man in the trench turns dirt with a shovel. A man steps a foot out of the trench to hand a bag filled with dirt and finds to another man. — *Excavation of Trench 2, April 2024.*

Despite the ongoing war in Sudan, the Jebel Barkal Archaeological Project was able to have an excavation season in April that was carried out entirely by our Sudanese team members in regular consultation with international staff. We situated two small trenches that we hoped would document a connection between the palace and temple area of the site and the East Mound, where we have been documenting a less elite, more commercial area.

As often happens, our results were surprising—in one trench, we dug down over 10 feet beneath the sandy surface of the site and found that it was all part of an ancient wadi. So the ancient site would have been divided by seasonal watercourses in ways that we will try to document in more detail in the future. Our second trench recovered part of a Meroitic-period building with lots of pottery, as we would expect. We are working on the finds from this area to try to understand how it differs from others on the East Mound—this will take some time!

To learn more about the recent season, visit our project blog.

—Geoff Emberling, Project Co-Director

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Meet Thea, Hannah, and Philippe: Ushering in the Next Phase of DiSKO

Leave a Comment / Students / April 23, 2025

The Kelsey Museum launched its DiSKO (“Digital Study of Kelsey Objects”) website—an initiative five years in the making—in August 2024, allowing students, researchers, and the public to gain up-close looks at artifacts in our collection through 3-D models. But now that the website is live, what’s next for the project? Leading the charge are Manager of Digital Assets Chris Motz and a team of dedicated students: Theodora Bilich, Hannah Edwards, and Philippe Kame. Together, these individuals are expanding and refining the project, as well as adding models to the 3-D asset website Sketchfab.

Theodora (Thea) Bilich is a dual-degree major at the University of Michigan. She studies anthropological archaeology and the fine arts in the hope of becoming an archaeological illustrator. Thea grew up in Ann Arbor, with the Kelsey Museum serving as a home away from home.

As a research assistant in the Archaeobiology Lab, Thea works with Kelsey curator Laura Motta on the AGROS project, which seeks to reassess assumptions on ancient sustenance, food processing, and malnutrition in Graeco-Roman Egypt. Thea’s work in the lab and with the DiSKO project involves creating 3-D models of crop remains from Karanis—objects that, as it turns out, are very challenging to scan because of their small size!

Hannah Edwards is a fifth-year PhD candidate in ancient history and a student in the Museum Studies Program. She is currently writing her dissertation on Macedonian identity and culture in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Hannah began working on the DiSKO project in the winter of 2024, when she was tasked with writing object labels and descriptions for the artifacts chosen to be modeled.

In the fall of 2024, she not only continued writing object labels but also began learning how to make 3-D models through photogrammetry—allowing her to learn how to use several software programs, including Agisoft Metashape and Blender, and different photogrammetry techniques such as focus stacking. Hannah is also employing these skills to photograph objects collected from an archaeological survey project in Pella, Greece, this summer. “Being a part of the DiSKO team at the Kelsey has given me the opportunity to work alongside and be mentored by faculty such as Cathy Person and Chris Motz,” Hannah said. “My favorite part has been sharing the final results with other professors, faculty, peers, and undergraduate students!”

With a background in art history and studio art from Swarthmore College, Philippe Kame is currently pursuing a master of architecture at U-M’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. His graduate work builds on this foundation, bridging historical understanding with contemporary design practices. He is currently working on a research project exploring the potential of 3-D printing with earthen materials, supported by funding from the Arts Initiative.

Outside the classroom, Philippe also enjoys designing and building furniture—an engaging and accessible way for him to apply architectural thinking through hands-on practice. At the Kelsey Museum, Philippe contributes to the ongoing digitization of the museum’s collection, a role that aligns closely with his interests in history and the use of emerging technologies to preserve and celebrate cultural heritage. Working with ancient artifacts that trace human origins has been one of the highlights of his experience, particularly the collaborative nature of the work, which involves troubleshooting and problem-solving as part of a team.

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Strategizing Success: U-M Students Tackle Reaccreditation Plans

Leave a Comment / Students / April 22, 2025

View from the audience of a group of three students presenting a slideshow in a darkened classroom. Text on the projection reads, "American Alliance of Museums Re-Accreditation." — *Madeleine Harris, Patricia Torres-Pineda, and Anwar Mahagoub present their project on Monday, April 14, 2025.*

On April 14, Madeleine Harris, Anwar Mahagoub, and Patricia Torres-Pineda, students in the University of Michigan’s Museum Studies Program (MSP), presented their capstone project, “(Re)accrediting the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology: Plans for Marketing, Development, and Interpretive Efforts.” This project was the culmination of a semester-long endeavor to help the Kelsey prepare for its upcoming reaccreditation process through the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

AAM accreditation is the highest recognition afforded the nation’s museums, serving as a marker of excellence to institutional peers, grant-making individuals and agencies, and the general public. Approximately 1,000 museums are currently accredited by AAM—constituting about 3 percent of museums in the United States. The Kelsey Museum was first accredited in 1997 under the leadership of Elaine Gazda. It has since then been reaccredited twice, in 2007 and 2017.

As part of this rigorous process, the AAM requires a self-study laying out a museum’s core operations, a site visit conducted by peer reviewers, and five “core documents”: a strategic plan, a mission statement, a code of ethics, a collections management policy, and an emergency response plan. But based on past suggestions by AAM officers, the Kelsey is also looking to submit three additional plans—development, interpretive, and marketing—that align with priorities put forth in our newly developed strategic plan.

The challenge with creating these particular documents, however, lies in staffing and capacity: although the Kelsey Museum has long wanted to put pen to paper to draft these plans, we do not have full-time staff members devoted to development and marketing.

That’s where the MSP students came in. After an initial meeting in January to learn more about our aspirations, the accreditation process, and the Kelsey’s particular needs, Madeleine, Anwar, and Pat hit the ground running. They researched comparative institutions, consulted AAM resources, and participated in brainstorming sessions with Jennifer Kirker (associate director), Will Pestle (director of education), and Emily Allison-Siep (communications editor).

Next, the three students divided and conquered: Madeleine drafted the development plan, Anwar worked on the interpretive plan, and Pat took the reins on the marketing plan. The collaborative, iterative nature of the project meant that all three students contributed to all three plans, but this division ensured that each document had a self-appointed specialist to work through the intricacies of researching, writing, editing, and organizing, with continued input from Kelsey staff.

“I found it challenging to coordinate so many people’s schedules for meetings, and to divide my focus across three plans simultaneously, although this became easier later in the semester, as we each took the lead on one of the three plans,” Madeleine noted. “But the project was still very rewarding, because these documents had never before been written for the Kelsey’s AAM reaccreditation, so I knew we were creating a blueprint that could serve the museum even years down the line.”

Anwar also commented on the challenges and rewards of the process: “It’s challenging to understand and plan a strategic solution for a museum problem in two months. However, pressure can sometimes generate the brightest ideas.”

Madeleine, a third-year PhD candidate in classical studies, tapped into her experience as a docent for the Kelsey Museum and U-M Museum of Natural History to devise strategies for the development plan. While the bulk of the Kelsey Museum’s funding currently comes from the University of Michigan, one of our strategic goals over the next ten years is to diversify our revenue streams. Madeleine’s plan thus lays out concrete objectives and plans of action to expand contributions from various income categories, including membership, planned and annual giving, and foundations.

A second-year student in the Masters in International and Regional Studies (MIRS) program, Anwar specializes in decolonizing archaeological practices. His role in developing and curating a community heritage center in El-Kurru, Sudan, meant that working on the Kelsey’s interpretive plan was a natural fit. Anwar’s document establishes a framework for communicating and engaging with the museum’s diverse audiences, intentionally shifting our interpretive focus by emphasizing audience engagement, multivocality in storytelling, inclusivity, active learning, and connections between ancient cultures and contemporary issues.

Patricia is a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She drew upon her work at Museo de Historia Natural de Santo Domingo and the U-M Museum of Zoology to draft a marketing plan that balances aspiration with the Kelsey’s practical needs and current resources. Pat’s plan contained detailed analyses of our positioning, target audience, visitor experience, and branding, before offering an array of strategies that seek to expand visitorship, program participation, data-collection efforts, campus visibility, and more.

“I have always had an interest in the interpretation work happening in museums, but before this project, I had never thought deeply about the details regarding financial development or marketing that happen backstage,” Pat said. “Participating in this project was very relevant for my future career plans, which include curation of natural history collections and exhibitions by furthering my interpretation skills and developing new insights into how to make these projects financially sustainable and marketable.”

Participation in this project likewise aligned with Anwar’s personal and professional interests: “Given that I am collaborating with the Michigan team to establish a community heritage center, the knowledge I gained from working with Kelsey’s team will make my task easier and help me make informed decisions.”

As the Kelsey Museum continues to work on its self-study, refine its documents, and prepare for an on-site inspection in 2026, we are grateful to Madeleine, Anwar, and Pat for laying a solid foundation for these three plans. Their hard work and big ideas not only will set us up for success in reaccreditation but also leave us excited about the future of the Kelsey Museum.

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Mollusk Shells and Mammal Teeth: UROP Students Explore Tel Anafa’s Faunal Past

Leave a Comment / Archaeological Research, Students / April 21, 2025

Four women inspect bones at a lab table covered in equipment, including computers, reference books and papers, microscopes, trays, and bags full of faunal materials in the Kelsey Museum's Archaeobiology Lab. — Left to right: Emma Nelson, Bailey Franzoi, Janet Larios, and Alyssa Wakefield work with Tel Anafa materials in the Archaeobiology Lab.

For the past two semesters, three students in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)—along with curator Laura Motta and IPAMAA student Bailey Franzoi—have been working on cleaning, categorizing, and studying faunal remains excavated at the site of Tel Anafa. Janet Larios, Emma Nelson, and Alyssa Wakefield will present their research at the 2025 UROP Symposium on Wednesday, April 23, and the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Department of Classical Studies on Friday, May 2. The students’ completed projects will also be displayed in the Kelsey Museum.

The site of Tel Anafa, located in modern-day Israel, was excavated in the 1960s–1980s under the direction of Saul S. Weinberg (University of Missouri) and Sharon C. Herbert (University of Michigan). Of the tens of thousands of faunal remains uncovered there, only about 15 percent had been studied prior to 2024. A project of the late Richard Redding, this research painted a picture of the evolution of Tel Anafa’s agriculture.

The most recent work being conducted in the Kelsey Museum’s Archaeobiology Lab intends to expand this inquiry by quantifying the remains, identifying bones, and applying modern techniques, all in an effort to understand more deeply the interplay between Tel Anafa’s inhabitants and their environment. So far, the team has cleaned and sorted approximately 15,000 specimens—about one-fifth of the material—and identified around 1,000 bones.

“Tel Anafa stands as a reference point for many archaeologists studying the Levant, due to its excellent display of cultural changes post-Roman expansion,” said Emma, an environmental studies and Earth sciences double major, “so having access to the vast amount of well-preserved, physical material means a great deal.”

Janet, who is majoring in ecology, evolution, and biology, aspires to be a marine biologist and an artist. During her time in the Archaeobiology Lab, she has been especially drawn to the remains of aquatic life found at Tel Anafa. Her project, “Tel Anafa from the Bronze Age to the Roman Period: Shells by the Lakeshore,” focuses on mollusks excavated at the site, with a goal of investigating elite residents’ interactions with their local environment. By comparing the structures of ancient gastropods and bivalves with modern counterparts, Janet’s research also points to environmental and ecological changes that have taken place across millennia and shines a light on the use of freshwater species in the Southern Levant—a topic about which little is known.

Emma and Alyssa, the latter of whom studies the archaeology of the Mediterranean and classical languages, are working jointly on a poster, “What Dental Wear Tells Us About Livestock Diets in the Late Hellenistic/Roman Time Period in Tel Anafa.” After spending much time washing, sorting, and assessing faunal remains, they decided to focus on the question of what dental wear from livestock can tell us about the human diet, since such tooth-wear patterns provide insights into the ages that these animals were typically butchered. Emma and Alyssa’s study of mammal teeth—which they have compared to published standards—contributes to wider analyses of Tel Anafa as “a bridge between several cultures and time periods in the Levant.”

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Extensive Damage to the Sudan National Museum

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / April 10, 2025

Fears about the looting of the Sudan National Museum were first raised in the early months of the civil war in Sudan. Now, two years later, the devastating news has been confirmed.

The Sudanese army recently recaptured the capital city of Khartoum, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had been using the national museum as a military base. New videos show the aftermath of widespread looting, including broken and missing artifacts—both those on display and those in storage—and a heavily damaged building.

The Sudan National Museum was home to approximately 100,000 artifacts spanning millennia of Sudanese, African, and world history. Media outlets, including the Sudan Tribune, the Guardian, and others, have detailed the extent of the destruction and the responses from Sudanese officials and citizens. You can also read more on the Jebel Barkal Archaeological Project blog.

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Screenshot of home page of the Zooniverse’s Sudan Road Access Project.

Mapping Wadis: Supporting Aid Delivery During Sudan’s Rainy Season

Uncategorized / August 1, 2024

As the civil war in Sudan continues, the nation faces additional challenges due to seasonal flooding, which makes transporting critical supplies like food, water, and medicine difficult. “Sudan Road Access” is a new initiative on Zooniverse’s Planetary Response Network that aims to support humanitarian efforts in Sudan. In collaboration with the UN’s Logistics Cluster, this project seeks to map dry riverbeds—known as wadis—that flood during the rainy season and disrupt vital aid delivery routes.

Zooniverse is looking for volunteers to examine satellite images to identify and measure places where wadis cross over roads. This data will help predict and monitor flooding, ensuring that humanitarian organizations can navigate these areas more effectively and deliver aid where it is needed most.

Learn how you can get involved with the citizen science project here.

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