Salima Ikram featured in Netflix’s hit docuseries ‘Alexander: The Making of a God’
The recently released Netflix docuseries "Alexander: The Making of a God" has captivated audiences worldwide, soaring to second in the Netflix top ten ranking since its January 2024 release. Featured prominently in this project is IFR’s own Salima Ikram, a distinguished archaeologist, author, professor, and prolific media figure whose insights and engaging storytelling brought the enigmatic figure of Alexander to life throughout the six-part series. As part of our ongoing Faces of IFR series, we had a chance to speak to Ikram about Alexander’s timeless appeal, her public engagement work, and reflections from her groundbreaking career. On Alexander’s enduring appeal Reflecting on the success of the Netflix series and the widespread appeal of Alexander’s story, Ikram remarks, “How could Alexander [...]
Jason De León on hanging out, taking risks, and his new book ‘Soldiers and Kings’
Anthropologist and IFR board member Jason De León's latest book, Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling, hit the shelves March 19, marking the culmination of years of meticulous fieldwork spent grappling with the complexities of migration and the human condition. In a recent interview, De León shared insights into his motivations, challenges, and the interdisciplinary approach that informs his groundbreaking work. De León's book delves into the shadowy world of human smuggling, offering a unique perspective on the often-overlooked exp eriences of the guides who navigate migrants across borders. For De León, the decision to explore the lives of smugglers was born out of a desire to tell a different side of the [...]
Building a Preservation Community through Archaeology: An IFR Site Becomes a National Park
Dr. Bonnie J. Clark, April 2022 Last summer I was onsite at Amache, the Japanese American incarceration site located in Southeastern Colorado. It is one of the 10 primary locations where whole families were confined during World War II and the location of an IFR field school. I was there with a small group of volunteers and project staff to test a new field documentation system built from the innovative Online Cultural and Historical Research Environment, or OCHRE. It was an exciting time to be onsite, and not just because it was the first time we’d been able to return since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. That July, the Amache Historical Site Act was being voted on by [...]
The Washington Post: Genetic researchers work to overcome suspicion among indigenous groups
In 2003, the Havasupai Indians of Arizona issued a banishment order against Arizona State University, forbidding researchers from setting foot on their reservation in response to prior unauthorized DNA research done on tribal members’ blood samples. In 2002, the Navajo Nation banned DNA studies out of fear of how their samples might be used by scientists. But many genome scientists believe that health care can be improved with the use of genetic information and are concerned that if indigenous communities do not participate, they will be left behind. This has led to a major effort, particularly among younger researchers of indigenous descent, to work collaboratively with communities, consulting with their leaders and holding preliminary meetings where members help design research projects. By Sindya N. [...]
National Geographic: Exploring Ciudad Perdida | Lost Cities With Albert Lin
Ciudad Perdida or "The Lost City" is high up in Colombia’s most isolated mountain range, the Sierra Nevada. Archaeologists have spent decades exploring this dense jungle to find out about the people who lived here over 500 years ago. Oct 30, 2019
Santa Barbara Independent: ‘Hostile Terrain 94’ Toe-Tag Exhibit at UCSB Portrays Crossing Deaths in ‘Hostile Terrain 94’
In a gallery at the back of UCSB’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum, four folding worktables face a large map dotted with location markers and hung with clusters of yellow and orange tags. More tags sit in stacks on each of the tables, along with manila envelopes and pages of printouts from a database. Opposite the map, on the two walls that flank the entrance to the room, dozens of stained and tattered T-shirts form a haphazard collage. On one side of the space, there’s a shelf displaying similarly distressed items, things like torn canvas shoes and a waterlogged diary; on the other, there’s a video monitor displaying drone footage of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. The exhibition is called Hostile [...]
Archaeology Magazine: The Sorrows of Spike Island
Millions were forced to flee during the Great Famine—some of those left behind were condemned to Ireland’s most notorious prison. By Jason Urbanus January/February 2020
The Southern Illinoisan: Returning home: Sacred artifacts held by SIU Carbondale reburied with Hopi, Navajo ancestors
CARBONDALE — In the spiritual tradition of the Hopi Tribe, which, along with its Puebloan ancestors, has populated the American Southwest for centuries, death is the beginning of two journeys, “distinct but inseparable,” according to former Hopi Tribal Archaeologist Kurt Dongoske. by Gabriel Neely-Streit Jan 2, 2020
Archaeological Institute of America: Ferrycarrig 2019: Experimental Archaeology – Furnace Building And Iron Smelting
This summer saw a new program at the Carrick site. The IAFS partnered with Dr. Brendan O’Neill from University College Dublin to run an experimental archaeology program at the Carrick Centre. It was a two-week long program that allowed us to learn about experimental archaeology, and relate what we learned back to the Carrick excavation itself. by Gwyneth Evans August 23, 2019
The Southern Illinoisan: 40 years later, Southern Illinois archaeologist’s finds return to SIU, shedding light on early cultures
CARBONDALE — Like many prolific people, Irvin Peithmann’s documents, writings, photographs and artifacts became dispersed over his career and after his death in 1981. But the amateur archaeologist’s work has found its way home to Southern Illinois at the perfect time. Peithmann discovered a passion for archaeology in boyhood, unearthing arrowheads while working the plow on his family’s Washington County farm. By Byron Hetzler Dec 19, 2019