Anthropology Science Research Articles

Human Anthropometric Indicators for the Preparation of Simulation Models

Normal human anthropometric parameters are used in the development of medical rehabilitation techniques, in the performance of surgical techniques used for normal human functioning. In order to perform these operations successfully, it is necessary to model normal human physical characteristics and, based on these models, perform the operations correctly. Normal anatomical characteristics have a positive effect on the physiological state of the person. The relevance of the research stimulates the development of the science of valeology and increases the relevance and practical significance of the topic. Prosthetics of organs lost in wars and accidents are also performed on the basis of computer models. The science of digital anthropology is modeling human anthropometrics, and practically important predictions are being made based on this modeling. Digital anthropology is based on the research of modern technology to compile a database of the most diverse anthropological indicators of people. Anthropology occupies a special place in the system of scientific knowledge about the world, because it is a field of science that studies the origin, development and role of humans in nature and society. In modern medicine, mathematical and graphic modeling of human anatomical and anthropological indicators is required in all fields. Anthropometric indicators of humans are taken as the basis in surgery, military science, sports. The structure of shoulders, diaphragm, hips, face, and the age of a human being can also be defined by these anthropometric indicators.

SCULPTURAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTIONS BASED ON THE SKULLS BURIED IN THE MAUSOLEUM OF HUSSEIN BEY: 20 YEARS LATER

In May 2016, the remains of Hussein bey which had been stored in the craniological fund of the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences since 1985 were moved to the religious community of Bashkortostan Republic “umma”. The reburial took place on the 17th of June 2016, as part of the republican muslim meeting. According to the memorial inscription carved on the tombstone, the mausoleum above the burial place of Haji Hussein bey and his companions was probably erected after their death in 1339. Based upon the skull of Hussein bey and two adults (a woman and a man) buried in the same mausoleum the author performed sculptural anthropological reconstructions in 2010 using the method of M.M. Gerasimov adopted in Russian anthropological science. In 2019-2020, new versions of the appearance of the skulls buried in the mausoleum were made using plastic copies for the joint monograph by G.N. Garustovich and A.I. Nechvaloda “Medieval Stone Mausoleums of Bashkortostan” published in 2020. The reconstructions were stored in sculptural plasticine for a long time until a unique opportunity presented itself using modern methods of digitizing 3-dimensional objects and printing to convert them into durable material.

Science and Philosophy in a Thomistic Anthropology of Sexual Difference

Science and Philosophy in a Thomistic Anthropology of Sexual Difference

Development of human remains investigations at fatal fire scenes: Bridging anthropology and fire sciences in the United States

AbstractAnthropological assessment of a scene for fatal fire victims can prove crucial in the search, recovery and identification of human remains from fire‐related death investigations. On scene contributions of the anthropologist include, but are not limited to, searching for remains in burnt structures, vehicles, roadside dumps, campfire accidents, and other fire investigations, as well as the proper documentation and collection of remains. While patterning and sequencing for all fire events is not standardized, thermal alteration can be classified and consistent terminology can be used to reflect commonalities and evaluation of thermally altered remains. Further, the anthropologist has the ability to evaluate damage to the remains in terms of possible associated trauma (e.g., antemortem, postmortem). However, scene investigators do not regularly call upon anthropologists to assist at the scene and often do not know the contributions and benefits of having an anthropologist on scene. This perspective article focuses on the development of fatal fire investigations within the United States, key terminology, and core concepts within anthropological sciences and provides recommendations for how fire investigators and anthropologists can collaborate–bridging the gap between the two fields. Uniting literature from fire science, anthropology, and fire investigations, this overview underscores the importance of anthropology and fire investigator collaboration.This article is categorized under: Forensic Anthropology > Taphonomic Changes and the Environment Forensic Anthropology > Trauma Analysis Forensic Anthropology > Anthropology in Mass Disaster & War Crime Contexts

Testing the discrepancy between physical and virtual linear measurements.

Virtual calculations of bone morphology are increasingly becoming the golden standard in anthropological sciences, gradually replacing the performance of direct physical measurements. Nevertheless, the potential discrepancy between the two approaches is rarely addressed. Here, we address this question focusing on the second thoracic vertebrae of 24 well-preserved individuals from the skeletal collection of the Forensic Anthropology Unit of Medical School at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Following traditional osteometric methods, a series of measurements were taken on the vertebral body, both directly (using a digital caliper) as well as on high-resolution 3D surface models. The arithmetic results of the two measuring techniques were then compared through a number of statistical analyses evaluating inter-method precision (Bland-Altman plots, TEM, %TEM and Wilcoxon test). Moreover, the values obtained from each approach were used to develop discriminant function equations for sex determination to evaluate if both approaches provide the same assessment. Both intraobserver and interobserver tests were performed. Although most statistical analyses showed a significant difference between the two measuring techniques, the discriminant function equations for sex determination provided the same assessment. Overall, the results of this experiment support the use of virtual linear measurements, also suggesting that a refinement of digital measuring protocols could improve their level of agreement with traditional direct osteometry.

Identitas Masyarakat Madura dalam Lirik Lagu Karya Khairil Anwar Al Abror

<p><em>The discourse on Madurese culture through linguistic facts has not discussed the character of Madurese society in general. This research aims to analyze the character inherent to the Madurese community at large. This research uses qualitative research methods with listening and recording techniques. The source of linguistic data in this research is obtained from the lyrics of Madurese songs by Kairil Anwar on the Youtube channel 'Alabror Annahrawiyah, Sulton93, and NewCord Pictures'. The data is then described and interpreted based on the context of scientific anthropological discourse related to the identity of Madurese people based on previous literature. Data analysis is seen from the form of linguistic expressions of song lyrics related to the identity of the Madurese community, then analyze the meaning contained in the speech. The results showed a total of 16 linguistic data that showed the identity of Madurese society. Seven (7) data illustrate the identity of Madurese obedience to parents and teachers. Four (4) data show the identity of mutual cooperation and solidarity. Three (3) data illustrate the identity of Madurese self-esteem. Finally, two (2) data show the identity of Madurese religiosity. The identity is based on the reality of the behavior and character of the Madurese community in general based on scientific anthropology.</em></p>

ТАТЬЯНА СЕРГЕЕВНА БАЛУЕВА, УЧЕНЫЙ, СОРАТНИК, ДРУГ

The article elucidates the contribution of an outstanding Russian anthropol-ogist Tatiana Sergeevna Balueva to the development of skull-based facial recon-struction technique and other fields of anthropological science. The pioneer of the scientific approach to face reconstruction based on the underlying bone struc-tures was a famous anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov who founded the school of anthropological reconstruction in Moscow where in 1950 a laboratory under his guidance was organized in the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences. After Gerasimov, the laboratory was guided by his direct student Gali-na Lebedinskaya who also made a significant contribution to the development of skull-based facial reconstruction technique. In 1996, Tatiana Balueva, who had worked under the guidance of Lebedinskaya for along time, succeeded her as the Head of the laboratory.Dr. Balueva, who passed unexpectedly in 2012, left her mark in various fields of anthropology. She led numerous expeditions to remote areas of Siberia. The material collected there became the basis for her dissertation and numerous publications. The anthropological analysis of the data on indigenous peoples of the North-East of Russia shed light on the complex processes of formation of the population of this region.Under her leadership, the Laboratory of Anthropological Reconstruction developed a special program of investigation of the relationship between facial features and the underlying bony framework; its implementation produced a sig-nificant pool of statistical data. The years of research under Balueva’s direction resulted in the program of craniofacial correspondence that significantly clarifies the reconstruction of appearance and allows receiving the lifetime skull-based anthropological description of a face, so-called “physical description on a skull”. During T.S. Balueva’s tenure as the Head of the laboratory the unique collection of sculptural portraits considerably replenished with the works made taking into account improvements of a method.T.S. Balueva authored 64 sculptural reconstructions, over 300 graphic re-constructions, and close to 200 forensic examinations on unidentified skulls. She received international recognition as an expert in craniofacial reconstruction and identification. The list of the main sculptural reconstructions of T.S. Balueva is provided in the appendix.

The politics of humanity: On anthropological science fiction in Peru

As a geocultural and temporally defined form of production, science fiction is fully within the scope of anthropological analysis. In this article, I aim to analyze the representation of the notion of humanity in Latin American science fiction. Specifically, I examine four narratives by Peruvian authors that offer a critical political lens on contemporary Peruvian society. As the notion of humanity is a complex and multifaceted concept explored by different disciplines, I seek to contribute to the discussion by providing a case study from social anthropology. Science fiction is a particularly relevant medium for social and political critique, as it allows for exploring real and contemporary situations by constructing possible worlds. Methodologically, I approach these four narratives ethnographically, that is, by contextualizing them within the Peruvian socio-political space. In terms of analysis, this article is framed within the anthropological exploration of colonial relations, the construction of social classifications, the boundaries and borders between the human and the non-human, and human impacts on the planet. I argue that science fiction can offer innovative perspectives that enrich a critical anthropological perspective.

Method in Mimetic Theory: René Girard and Christian Theology

AbstractThis article elucidates the persistently nebulous methodological and disciplinary status of René Girard's mimetic theory, particularly vis‐à‐vis Christian theology. Whether “Girardian theology” strikes one as tautologous or oxymoronic, the proliferation of Girardian theological scholarship warrants a sustained analysis of Girard's methodological self‐understanding as it is both proclaimed and performed. Opening with a brief précis of mimetic theory's chief tenets and contributions to anthropology, I proceed to review Girard's corpus according to his preferred designation—social scientist—by adducing and coordinating his sporadic, evolving, and occasionally conflicting methodological manifestos and their textual enactment. After proffering several reasons for Girard's uneasy relationship with the broader social‐scientific community, I turn to theology to consider if there are any apt analogues to mimetic theory amongst Christian theology's many ancillae of ages past. While ultimately proposing four features demarcating mimetic theory as sui generis in this regard, I propose a heuristic characterization of its relationship to theology by utilizing the Aristotelian‐Thomistic category of “subalternate science.” Following this effort to situate mimetic theory more precisely between disciplines and in relation to theology, I offer a broader heuristic classification of mimetic theory intended to resolve or at least mitigate various tensions raised in the preceding analysis. To do so, I propose a suitably paradoxical twofold typology of Girardian mimetic theory as both a revealed scientific anthropology and a postmodern deconstructive Christian apologetic (or apologia for Christianity). Although preoccupation with methodological reflection can be practically debilitating, I hope to demonstrate its fittingness, relevance, and productivity in the inimitable case of René Girard.

Anthropology and history in the early Dilthey

Dilthey frequently recognizes anthropology as a foundational science of human nature and as a cornerstone in the system of the human sciences. While much has been written about Dilthey's “philosophical anthropology,” relatively little attention has been paid to his views on the emerging empirical science of anthropology. This paper examines Dilthey's relation to the new discipline by focusing on his reception of its leading German representatives. Using his book reviews, essays, and drafts for Introduction to the Human Sciences from the 1860s–70s, it highlights the influence of the new anthropology on his earliest attempts to elaborate the foundations of the Geisteswissenschaften. It argues that anthropology was a key source for some of the naturalistic features of Dilthey's philosophy, and that it pulled him in a direction contrary to the historicist hermeneutics of his teachers.

The Archaeology of Tanamu 1: A Pre‐Lapita to Post‐Lapita Site from Caution Bay, South Coast of Mainland Papua New Guinea By BrunoDavid, KatherineSzabó, MatthewLeavesley, Ian J.McNiven, JeremyAsh, and ThomasRichards. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, Oxford, 2022, pp. 351 ISBN 9781803270883. £58.00 Print/Open Access download.

Archaeology in OceaniaEarly View Book Review The Archaeology of Tanamu 1: A Pre-Lapita to Post-Lapita Site from Caution Bay, South Coast of Mainland Papua New Guinea By Bruno David, Katherine Szabó, Matthew Leavesley, Ian J. McNiven, Jeremy Ash, and Thomas Richards. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, Oxford, 2022, pp. 351 ISBN 9781803270883. £58.00 Print/Open Access download. Peter Sheppard, Corresponding Author Peter Sheppard [email protected] PS: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Peter Sheppard, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Peter Sheppard, Corresponding Author Peter Sheppard [email protected] PS: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Peter Sheppard, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 16 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.5296Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES Mialanes, J., David, B., Ford, A., Richards, T., McNiven, I. J., Summerhayes, G. R., & Leavesley, M. (2016). Imported obsidian at Caution Bay, south coast of Papua New Guinea: Cessation of long distance procurement c. 1,900 cal BP. Australian Archaeology, 82(3), 248– 262. Petchey, F., Ulm, S., David, B., McNiven, I. J., Asmussen, B., Tomkins, H., Dolby, N., Aplin, K., Richards, T., Rowe, C., Leavesley, M., & Mandui, H. (2013). High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: Radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Caution Bay, Southern Coastal Papua New Guinea. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 5, 69– 80. Richards, T., David, B., Aplin, K., & McNiven, I. J. (2016). Archaeological research at Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea: Cultural, Linguistic, and environmental setting. Archaeopress Publishing LTD. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

More Than Language: The Learning Experience of Chinese International English Language Learners (ELLs) at a Canadian University

This study examines the learning experience of Chinese international undergraduate students taking a large core first-year anthropological science course (ANT101) by distance learning during the Winter of 2021 at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). By analyzing qualitative and quantitative data collected from self-report pre- and post- course surveys (n=587), we review the general learning experience of Chinese international students (n=30) in comparison to other international students (n=34) and domestic students (n=523). Our study shows support, but at the same time undermines some prevailing notions about Chinese international student experiences of studying in Western universities. Our data suggests that while many Chinese international students may feel a lack of English language proficiency is a barrier to their learning, it does not significantly impact their performance when compared with domestic students. The preliminary results suggest that educational research and policy makers should move beyond a focus on language proficiency and examine the role of other factors when developing strategies to facilitate supportive learning environments for English Language learners (ELL) and international students in a university setting.

The perils of national narratives

The perils of national narratives

Statistical protocol for analyzing 3D muscle attachment sites based on the “Validated Entheses‐based Reconstruction of Activity” (VERA) approach

AbstractIn anthropological sciences, the areas of the bones where muscles or ligaments attach (“entheses” or “muscle attachments”) are routinely used for reconstructing habitual physical activity based on skeletal remains. However, several previous studies have argued against this practice, considering the low measuring repeatability of most traditional evaluation techniques and the former lack of supportive experimental evidence for an actual effect of physical activity on entheseal morphology. In 2016, I proposed a repeatable virtual approach for reconstructing habitual physical activity using entheseal morphology, which has been validated based on several experimental studies on laboratory animal species and human skeletons with uniquely detailed and longitudinal occupational documentation. This method, which was later named the “Validated Entheses‐based Reconstruction of Activity” (VERA) method, relies on a precise protocol for virtually delineating and quantifying entheseal areas on three‐dimensional bone models. The obtained area measurements are then subjected to size adjustment and multivariate statistical analyses, which have been experimentally shown to reveal group correlations among entheses that reflect habitual coordination among muscle groups. This paper presents the first critical review of all the various statistical approaches previously employed for analyzing entheses using VERA (so far), providing the first coherent step‐by‐step protocol for the complete univariate and multivariate analysis of entheseal three‐dimensional data. These include the introduction of a new, simple, and fast plotting technique for the initial screening of group entheseal patterns prior to multivariate analysis (i.e., the “VERA Bar‐Chart”), followed by the calculation of the “group entheseal patterning index” (hereafter GEPI%).

The Development of Ukrainian Local Monographic Studies in the Context of World Humanities in the First Half of the 20th Century

Monographic studies at the local level (of the street, village, town, district) are gaining popularity in the conditions of deep social transformations in the Ukrainian village. The Ukrainian village of the early 21st century is going through a period of changes. The social and common features and their household specific character have not been formed yet. That’s why the local studies are relevant and effective at this stage. As a result of this fact the study of the experience of previous generations of Ukrainian and European scientists (representatives of various social disciplines and humanities) can be useful in shaping the program and methodological approaches for modern researchers of the Ukrainian countryside. It is emphasized in the article that during the 1920s and 1930s versatile local monographic studies have been conducted independently in various countries (the USA, Poland, Hungary, Romania). Ukrainian ethnologists have faced the urgent problem of studying and understanding the cultural and everyday features of various local groups of population and identifying complex links between them at the regional and national levels. Peculiar attention is paid to the activities of ethnographic centers of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (Ethnographic Commission, Khvedir Vovk Museum (Cabinet) of Anthropology and Ethnology, etc.). These are just its members who have substantiated and used the method of stationary study of the local areas as the leading one in their research work. The permanent method of field ethnography, being the main one in the process of collection and systematization of factual material for monographic study, is analyzed. It is proved that the local monographic studies have become especially popular in the 1920s and 1930s, in the period of social and political changes of a global scale. The local monograph is especially important and effective in the critical periods or after them. Permanent ethnography allows to determine the qualitative characteristics of the object of study, to develop the main parameters of subsequent mass research. The micro-approach program in choosing the object of study and identifying the relationships between different phenomena (nature, economy, culture, etc.), the confidence that the local approach will enable better understanding of the features of such relationships are common for the researchers of the local groups.

Proteomics and Genomics as Identification Procedures in Human Anthropology

Context: Since most scientists tend to investigate live biological samples, there is inadequate data on efficient molecular techniques for the anthropological sciences. In this short review, multiple methods were mentioned and compared to provide a brief insight into the application of genomics and proteomics on the post-mortal specimen. Evidence Acquisition: Through the use of proper keywords, the PubMed and Elsevier databases were selected for acquiring relevant articles. Results: During cell death, DNA and proteins degenerate, hence, it is difficult to perform molecular assessments efficiently. Fortunately, with the aid of novel techniques, including uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG) and N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB), we could partly recover the damaged DNA, and by applying PTB-DTT and Qiagen kit, we could analyze the remaining DNA with high efficiency. Nevertheless, there are countless gene sites for molecular studies, and the hypervariable region I (HVRI) of the D-loop in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome microsatellites (Y-STRs) are two potential sites for anthropological studies. Finally, we could utilize proteomics in the remaining mineralization samples of a corpse to study protein variation and different phenotypes in human beings. Conclusions: Genomics and proteomics are two domains of molecular studies in which we can gather useful information about the events which occur in a cell over time. These domains give us data about the Archeological and Anthropological sciences.

Testing inter-observer error under a collaborative research framework for studying lithic shape variability

Evaluating error that arises through the aggregation of data recorded by multiple observers is a key consideration in many metric and geometric morphometric analyses of stone tool shape. One of the most common approaches involves the convergence of observers for repeat trails on the same set of artefacts: however, this is logistically and financially challenging when collaborating internationally and/or at a large scale. We present and evaluate a unique alternative for testing inter-observer error, involving the development of 3D printed copies of a lithic reference collection for distribution among observers. With the aim of reducing error, clear protocols were developed for photographing and measuring the replicas, and inter-observer variability was assessed on the replicas in comparison with a corresponding data set recorded by a single observer. Our results demonstrate that, when the photography procedure is standardized and dimensions are clearly defined, the resulting metric and geometric morphometric data are minimally affected by inter-observer error, supporting this method as an effective solution for assessing error under collaborative research frameworks. Collaboration is becoming increasingly important within archaeological and anthropological sciences in order to increase the accessibility of samples, encourage dual-project development between foreign and local researchers and reduce the carbon footprint of collection-based research. This study offers a promising validation of a collaborative research design whereby researchers remotely work together to produce comparable data capturing lithic shape variability.

“What Blood Unites, the Sea Shall Not Divide”: Bohemian Day at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893

“What Blood Unites, the Sea Shall Not Divide”: Bohemian Day at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893

Ears of the past, an inquiry into the sonic memory of the acoustics of Notre-Dame before the fire of 2019

This interdisciplinary study brings together acousticians and anthropologists to examine the memory of the acoustics of Notre-Dame de Paris before the fire of April 2019, using a qualitative approach to collect the testimonies of 18 people involved in the sound usages of the cathedral. Testimonies were analyzed in light of research conducted in the anthropology of the senses, sensory perception, memory, and cultural heritage. Analysis highlights an apparent contradiction between the remarkable acoustics of the monument before the fire and the impression of musicians. These musicians reported a struggle to tame the cathedral’s sound space, to hear each other well enough to craft their performances and to reach an acceptable level of clarity in their musical practice. These phenomena are examined with acoustic measurements and numerical simulations using a calibrated geometrical acoustics model of the cathedral before the fire, which allows for an objective exploration of the acoustic characteristics of Notre-Dame. This analysis concludes that the well-known reverberation of Notre-Dame, as well as the acoustic barrier of the transept and the poor acoustic return on the podium (the usual place for concert performers) negatively impact singers’ comfort. This highlights the tension between the original architectural design of the cathedral and its modern religious and cultural usages. However, the regular occupants have developed a deep familiarity with these constraints during their ritual and musical practices, adjusting to the acoustics in a unique way. Such a tradition of adaptation must be considered as a part of cultural practice, not to be overlooked during the reconstruction.

Flattening Identity: Colonial Accumulation and Hidden Archives at Harvard's Philippine Collection

Flattening Identity:Colonial Accumulation and Hidden Archives at Harvard's Philippine Collection Ingrid Ahlgren (bio) and Kathleen Trocino Geneta (bio) At the Peabody Museum at Harvard University, the Philippine collections amassed at the beginning of the twentieth century present an example of how the confluence of politics, science, and the urgent desire for accumulation precipitated—and continue to perpetuate—cultural erasure in museums. By critically and transparently engaging with these collections and the colonial legacies revealed in their associated documentation, museums like the Peabody can redress past practices and further serve as sites of reflection and learning. Introduction As one of the oldest and largest universal American anthropology museums, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University (hereafter Peabody Museum) was at the forefront of the development and professionalization of American anthropology. As such, it is implicated in century-old but still unresolved issues surrounding the subjugation and misrepresentation of indigenous peoples through the collection of their bodies and cultural heritage for the purposes of scientific inquiry. Despite a call for reckoning with these legacies over the last few decades, the sheer volume of unattended collections, limited access, and knowledge gatekeeping suggest the injustices of museum collecting are not relegated to the past. One year ago, Harvard University and the Peabody Museum issued an apology for the institution's links to colonialism and imperialism [End Page 254] through its collection of the remains of over ten thousand individuals.1 In confronting this legacy, the Philippine collections at Harvard must be critically investigated within these historic schemas of museum collecting practices and the context of the United States's policies of "benevolent assimilation" at the turn of the twentieth century. Far from being benevolent, anthropology and museum collecting were complicit in the development and application of the U.S. government's colonial experiment abroad. U.S. government officials, museums, as well as both professionals and amateurs within the burgeoning science of anthropology collaborated in the creation of a new Philippines. Engaging in "the first serious attempt to develop an Anglo-Saxon civilization in the Tropics and among a non-Aryan people," descriptions and portrayals of the diverse peoples of the Philippine archipelago as "semi-civilized" and "savage" were deployed to justify U.S. presence in the name of progress.2 The accumulation of museum collections was complicit in this process and, through a process of neglect, has manifested the same ethnic classifications the U.S. government "flattened" for political ends, collapsing diverse populations into a smaller number of simplified identifiers according to racial or cultural assumptions. This precipitated a pattern of ignoring cultural and historic specifics originally acquired during the collecting processes. Associated documentation became dispersed across multiple sites in the museum—effectively creating a hidden archive. Identifying data that has been disassociated from the objects themselves remains largely inaccessible to the public and hidden from view, perpetuating cultural erasure of Filipino identities and livelihoods today.3 To rectify this, more detailed data associated with the collections must be brought out of the archives and linked to the public-facing database. Engaging this documentation, alongside collaboration with source and descendant communities, can re-activate the collections in a more ethical and truthful manner, thereby reinventing the museum as a safe(r) space for stakeholder communities and reinvigorating it as a trusted site of learning for the wider public. Politics, science, and creating the Philippines The United States acquired the Philippines in 1898 from Spain after the Spanish-American War.4 Initially reluctant due to the glaring hypocrisy of interfering with the independence of a population, President McKinley eventually elected to subjugate the Philippines for its strategic geopolitical location and lucrative economic opportunities.5 He famously called the U.S. approach to civilizing the Philippines "benevolent assimilation," determining that the best solution for future Philippine sovereignty was to "as friends, protect the natives in their own homes."6 Motivated by the need for a roadmap after the Philippine-American War, the U.S. government required data to understand the diverse populations it was to administer. Science and the government became intimate partners where "modern industrial development is an outgrowth of pure science, and almost every discovery of science is ultimately...