Archaeology at the University of Evansville

10/15/2026

This year our Field Techniques in Archaeology class, led by Professor Rebekah McKay, has embarked on a new, on-campus excavation of the "Tea-Hut"!

The original site of the “Tea-Hut” existed long before this campus, starting with a small farmhouse owned by the Sullivan family. After the sale of the property, the cottage was renovated to serve as a hangout spot for the students. In 1920’s, with the help of the local YMCA and YWCA branches, the frame house’s three rooms were converted to a tearoom for the women, a recreational room for the men, and a committee room. Additionally, the home economics class began to serve food to students, with the Tea-Hut acting as a cafeteria. It took another 20 years for these renovations to be completed, when another wing was added to the building, along with a jukebox and new sandwich counter. Despite these upgrades, students still struggled with the limited space in the former farmhouse. After serving as home to several university departments following its closure as a café in 1951, the historic Tea-Hut was demolished in 1972, and a tree now marks the site where the campus landmark once stood.

Students this semester have aimed to uncover how students experienced the Tea-Hut through the excavation of the original building and its expansion. With four trenches in total, students have already uncovered a lot of ground and are making great progress! This project will allow current students to learn more about the University's history and will help the Archaeology students gain experience in conducting an excavation.

Photo and Caption Credit: UE Archeology Students Olivia Horn, Mars Plummer, and Kate Anderson

09/27/2026

We had a packed house for "Student Odysseys: How Eight Archaeology Majors Spent the Summer" yesterday as part of UE's Family Weekend! The eight students who talked about their summer experiences did an excellent job, as did the archaeology and anthropology majors who spoke with family members and friends about our campus excavation project (T-Hut), student organization (SAHA), and archaeology in general. Thanks to everyone who made this event a huge success! Photos by Ethan T.

09/24/2026

Looking for a CRM job? There are a bunch of open positions at Merjent, Eocene, and Stantec.
Merjent: https://www.merjent.com/careers/
Eocene: https://wsc.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/EOC
Stantec: https://stantec.jobs/jobs/?q=Seasonal+Archaeology+Field+Technician

09/22/2026

Join us this Saturday, September 26 at 10:00 in Koch 101 for "Student Odysseys: How Eight Archaeology Majors Spent the Summer." We will also unveil our new logo and have merch for sale!

Session I: 10:00-11:00 Moderator: Dr. Rebekah McKay
1. Shipwrecks and Radar - G. Kirby (’27)
2. From Palaces to Pots: Two UE Students' Work Towards Recontextualizing Domestic Mycenaean Archaeology - S. Schaff (’28) and M. Willard (‘28); Moderator: Dr. Rebekah McKay
3. Steaming Ahead: Studying the Conservation of Metal, Paper, and Textiles - M. Doyle (’27)

Break - Join us in Koch Atrium to visit with archaeology and anthropology majors and learn about artifacts from our lab. Feel free to talk to any of our presenters to ask questions about their experiences.

Session II: 11:30-12:30 Moderator: Dr. Kyle Clark
4. "Dead Men Do Tell Tales," Forensic Anthropology Field School - O. Horn (’27)
5. Sand, Sherds, and Sun: Surveying in the Southwest - M. Golden (’27) and R. Malacina (‘27)
6. Churches, Cloisters, and Castles: Galway Archaeological Field School - D. Doyle (’27)

09/07/2026

Family Weekend is only three weeks away and we hope you will make plans to join us! Just like the weather is breaking all records we want to break attendance records at our event! During two sessions, eight students will share their summer experiences participating in projects in the United States, the Caribbean, Ireland, and Greece. You’ll hear how they learned the techniques of CRM, tried their hand at archeobotany, searched for lost shipwrecks, developed forensic archaeology skills, rediscovered the Medieval landscape, and helped a monastery preserve centuries-old manuscripts.

Between sessions you will have the opportunity to meet and chat with our current students and faculty - and even better, make a donation to the department and receive our newly branded merch!

08/27/2026

Welcome back to campus, UE Archaeology and Anthropology majors!

06/04/2026

We are very pleased to announce that UE Archaeology and Anthropology majors Maeve D. and Madison W. have been selected to receive $1,000 Study Abroad Grants from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society!

Archaeology and Anthropology major Maeve D. of Roswell, Georgia is currently participating in a workshop for the conservation of metal, paper, and textiles in Zakynthos, Greece.

Archaeology major Madison W. of Core, West Virginia will participate in the excavation of the Mycenaean settlement of Tsoungiza in Greece with UE Assistant Professor of Archaeology Rebekah McKay.

Congratulations to our awesome majors!

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, today announced the recipients of a 2026 Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant. The $1,000 grants were awarded to 75 students across the nation.

05/11/2026

Our last for awhile highlights another great local internship opportunity with the Reitz Home Museum.

Below are a few photos of Madison W.'s experience this past semester, including being in the museum's Drawing Room, which was not only her favorite room in the house, but also a room that she spent a few weeks researching its hand painted oil on canvas ceiling for an article she wrote for the museum's newsletter. In the second photo, she is in the intern's office cataloging new donations.

Madison also provided tours to the public and cataloged new and existing items in the museum's digital database. This process typically involved searching through the museum's library and archive in addition to conducting research on various topics, such as art history.

05/09/2026

Congratulations to the UE Archaeology and Anthropology Class of 2026!!

05/07/2026

Another great internship experience, this time with the Evansville Wartime Museum!

Kyle M., a junior majoring in archaeology, had such an amazing time helping out at the Evansville Wartime Museum. Making exhibits was his favorite part, and he got to make two this year: one on the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of WWII, and the other on Verna Fairchild, a retired flight nurse who achieved the rank of Major General (and also attended UE!). He noted that all of the experiences he had at the museum were very positive, and he was glad they gave him the opportunity to help add to the museum!