About the Center for Archaeological Research
CAR studies human history through hands-on training, innovative research, and the care of important archaeological collections.
Contributing to Research on Human History
The Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Mississippi was established in 1976 to conduct scientific research and provide students with applied training in archaeological methods. With its origin tied to the creation of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Mississippi and Alabama, Center research primarily focuses on the archaeological record of the American Southeast. Center affiliated projects have contributed to a wide range of research topics covering 13,000+ years of human history in the region.
The Center is housed within the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Major renovations of Center facilities in 2024-2025 have modernized approximately 6,500 sq ft of labs, classrooms, and curation spaces at the South Oxford Center. These new spaces provide students opportunities to work alongside faculty mentors on directed and independent research projects.
Anthropology faculty affiliated with CAR have offices in Lamar Hall on the main UM campus. CAR labs, classrooms, and curation spaces are located at the South Oxford Center.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Center for Archaeological Research includes:
- Preparing graduate and undergraduate students for professional careers in archaeology through coursework and hands-on training in field and lab methods.
- Investigating the archaeological record of the American Southeast through field, lab, and collections-based research.
- Raising awareness of archaeological resources and demonstrating the relevance of archaeology through public outreach.
- Serving as a repository of archaeological collections.
Welcome to CAR
Welcome to the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Mississippi. CAR is an interdisciplinary research center focused on studying and preserving the material culture of our ancestors. We study artifacts and environments over the last 13,000+ years to better understand our history and the challenges we face today. Students not only take classes but can work with faculty mentors in lab and field-based settings where they are trained for professional jobs in cultural resource management and additional graduate studies. While much of the work we do occurs in the American Southeast, faculty work throughout North America.
Dr. Jesse Tune
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Archaeological Research
Current Graduate Students
| Name | Office | |
| Anna Babberl | Lamar Hall 528 | acbabber@go.olemiss.edu |
| Ben Crawford | Lamar Hall 529 | bgcrawfo@go.olemiss.edu |
| Wes Newton | Lamar 548 | wpnewton@go.olemiss.edu |
The Collections
The origins of the collection managed by the Center for Archaeological Research and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology can be traced to the efforts of Calvin Brown, a professor of Modern Languages who acquired objects from important archaeological sites across the state. Many of these objects are illustrated in his 1926 book, Archeology of Mississippi. Additional materials, mostly from sites in northern Mississippi, have accumulated since the 1950s through archaeological field schools and research projects in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
A century of collecting artifacts and conducting archaeological fieldwork at the University of Mississippi has produced a large, invaluable collection of over 1300 boxes containing materials from over 500 individual archaeological sites. Most of these are Native American sites from across Mississippi, especially the northern half of the state. The collection also includes Native American ethnographic materials from the Arctic, the Northwest Coast, the Southwest, and the Southeast; military objects from the Civil War and World War I; and items relevant to the history of the University of Mississippi.
Home Department
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
We study social behavior, institutions, and structures within human societies and examine the cultural, social, and biological aspects of human life across different societies and historical periods.
Our Community
A Place that Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.