Welcome to ICEAACH:
We're opening the doors to the
lessons of East Asia's past

Launched in 1999 with a start-up grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, ICEAACH today is an internationally-recognized hub for multi-disciplinary research and public outreach in East Asian archaeology and cultural heritage. The primary mission of ICEAACH is to advance the field of East Asian archaeology and promote knowledge and understanding of East Asia's rich cultural heritage. We do this through a wide variety of teaching, research, exchange, and public outreach activities supported through major foundation grants and private donors.

ICEAACH programs and research collections are designed to serve the many and varied needs of scholars and students from around the globe, as well as the general public, who are interested in East Asian archaeology, cultural heritage management, anthropology, art history, pre-modern history, religion, and other related fields. We foster collaborative programs across various fields of interest related to the understanding of East Asia's rich cultural heritage.

ICEAACH's knowledgeable staff and our research collections serve educators at all levels, museums, the media, and the interested public. The Center is part of the Department of Archaeology at Boston University, leading the Department's exciting new teaching, research, and outreach initiatives in the archaeology of this region.

Students: Interested in early China?

FALL SEMESTER 2011:

AR240: The Archaeology of Ancient China

M, W, F 2-3 pm CAS 237
Professor Murowchick

Join us as we use archaeology (as well as ancient art, literature, and other sources) to explore the foundations of China, from the earliest arrival of humans and the emergence of villages, agriculture, and domesticated animals, to the surprisingly varied states of the Bronze Age and early empires. We will investigate such topics as the rise of walled cities, the roles of ritual bronzes, jades, and ceramics, oracle bone writing, and the stunning terra-cotta army of the First Emperor of Qin. We will also look at contemporary issues facing Chinese archaeology and cultural heritage: the consequences of massive economic development (e.g., the Three Gorges Dam Project), archaeological looting to feed the international antiquities market, and the surprising role of politics and nationalism in the development and use of archaeology in China. This is a great opportunity to learn about China’s many important contributions to world archaeology and cultural heritage, and how archaeology continues to shape China today! (Course fulfills department area requirements.)

AR240 has no prerequisites, and welcomes non-archaeology majors and students outside of CAS.

AR393/793: Out of the Fiery Furnace: Metallurgy of the Preindustrial World

Fri 10-1 CAS 253
Professor Murowchick

Technology is a central part of the human experience, and the development of metallurgy stands out as one technology that was mastered by some cultures, and virtually ignored by others. This course explores all aspects of the development of copper, bronze, gold, silver, iron, and other metals among the prehistoric and early historic cultures across Asia. By first providing an understanding of the technical aspects of mining, smelting, casting, alloying, and finishing, the course then looks at this technology within a much broader context, examining its varied roles and impact in the ritual, military, symbolic, and economic aspects of these cultures. Its prominence in the modern antiquities trade is also examined, as is its manipulation as a potent tool in modern nationalistic debates. Open to all interested students in all departments. Meets with GRS AR793. (4.0/IND)