CMRAE
Our mission is to advance our understanding of prehistoric and non-industrial societies through analysis of the structure and properties of materials associated with human activity.
Drawing upon the latest analytical methods in biological, chemical, geological, physical, and materials science, CMRAE’s aim is to enrich our knowledge of past and present day non-industrial societies by making the natural and engineering sciences part of our investigative tool kit.
A central premise underlying the CMRAE mission is that scientific study of the materials technologies associated with human activity, when carried out within the framework of the human sciences, provides a more integrated realization of the physical, social, cultural, and ideological world in which we function. Through this understanding we may not only reconstruct more fully the role of materials in shaping the archaeological past, we may also come to recognize how the evolving uses of materials have affected society in the present.
MIT Degrees
BS in Archaeology & Materials
Acquire broad exposure to fields that contribute fundamental theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of ancient and historic societies.
PhD in Archaeological Materials
Reconstruct the materials technologies of societies known principally from their archaeological remains through fieldwork, laboratory analysis and experimentation.
Summer Programs
Summer Intensive Course in Ceramic Petrography
This course is designed for students and early career researchers with some pre-existing knowledge of ceramic petrography who wish to sharpen their analytical skills and implement this technique in their research. Registration for summer 2025 is now open and is due by December 1st, 2024. Learn more.
CMRAE NEWSLETTER
This first letter shares some updates about the Center and some of this year accomplishments.