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The College of Arts & Sciences
Archaeology at Cornell is where the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences collide, posing questions of both the past and the present. CIAMS offers a standalone undergraduate major in archaeology, alongside graduate training at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels. Our research ranges from the molecular to the global, embracing field programs on three continents and state-of-the-art laboratories across campus. Our courses range from the ancient Mediterranean to the Indigenous Finger Lakes, from the Neolithic to the 21st century, bringing advanced analytic techniques to bear on enduring questions and training students to apply new approaches to longstanding problems. Faculty are drawn from a diverse array of Cornell Colleges and Departments, making CIAMS a campus hub where diverse disciplines converge around shared questions about the human past, present, and future.
Researchers from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences have developed a forensics framework to document cultural heritage destruction. Their new book, "Heritage Forensics," examines threats to historic sites and advances methods for protecting endangered cultural heritage in war zones.
In the three-part docudrama POMPEII: OUT OF TIME, Cornell archaeologist Caitie Barrett helps actor Tom Hiddleston uncover some of the secrets of the daily lives of people who were living in Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E.
"My interest in archaeology began after a series of Late Bronze Age and Egyptology classes through the archaeology and NES departments."
Congratulations to the CIAMS 2026 graduates! Cornell's 2026 Commencement Ceremonies took place on the weekend of May 22-24th, during which this year's graduates were able to celebrate their hard-earned accomplishments.
"Archaeology is increasingly interdisciplinary, and some of the most interesting work happens when you’re willing to borrow tools and ideas from outside your own field."
Annetta Alexandridis, a classical archaeologist known for her hands-on approach to research and teaching, died April 13 in New York City. She was 58.
Location: 120 Mary Ann Wood Drive, B21
RadioCIAMS is our podcast series, wherein we probe critical debates in archaeology in conversation between leading practitioners and the next generation of researchers. Our most recent episode is embedded below. Click here to browse previous RadioCIAMS episodes archived on our website, or visit our soundcloud page to hear more. RadioCIAMS is also available wherever you get your podcasts.
