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Profile for Constance Arzigian

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Constance Arzigian

Teaching Professor
Archaeology & Anthropology University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Constance Arzigian

Teaching Professor

Archaeology & Anthropology

Specialty area(s)

Midwest Archaeology, Paleoethnobotany, Environmental Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Indigenous agricultural systems

Brief biography

I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. I moved to Wisconsin in 1978 for graduate study at UW-Madison. I came to La Crosse in 1988 to work with the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center, here at UWL. I still work with them on some projects, but have been teaching full-time in the Archaeological Studies Program since 2010. 

Current courses at UWL

ANT 102: Introduction to Biological Anthropology

ARC 303 Laboratory Methods in Archaeology

ARC/ANT 305 Indigenous Agricultural Societies

Education

Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Anthropology, 1993
MA University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Anthropology, 1980
BA Catholic University, Department of Anthropology, 1977

Career

Professional history

Research Archaeologist with the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center since 1988.

Teaching with the Archaeological Studies Program since 2010

 

Research and publishing

Co-editor, The Wisconsin Archeologist.

Kudos

presented

Constance Arzigian and Wendy Holtz-Leith, both MVAC, presented "Oneota Artifacts Workshop" at 2022 Midwest Archaeological Conference on Oct. 15 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The workshop brought together collections of late precontact Oneota ceramics and other artifacts from across the region, including major collections from La Crosse, eastern Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois. Participants were able to share insights and compare assemblages from across the region, allowing for greater insights into common patterns and the diversity of assemblages.

Submitted on: Oct. 17, 2022

 

presented

Constance Arzigian, Archaeology & Anthropology, presented "Burned in situ: Remnants of an Oneota Food Storage Pit from La Crosse, Wisconsin" at 2022 Midwest Archaeological Conference on Oct. 15 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The poster discussed the plant remains from a unique archaeological feature, a storage pit with portions of the original contents burned in situ and therefore preserved.

Submitted on: Oct. 17, 2022

 

served

Constance Arzigian, Archaeology & Anthropology; and Wendy Holtz-Leith, Katherine Stevenson and Vicki Twinde-Javner, all MVAC; served as MAC Conference Co-Chairs. The 2022 Midwest Archaeological Conference was held in La Crosse on October 13-15, with over 250 archaeologists from around the Midwest sharing their research in 114 papers in symposia, general sessions, and workshops. A major component was a panel session by Wisconsin's Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, supported by UWL and other Wisconsin Colleges and Universities as part of the conference theme, Sharing Perspectives. Cynthia Stiles, Tribal Archaeologist (retired) Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, coordinated Indigenous participation in the conference.

Submitted on: Oct. 17, 2022

 

presented

Constance Arzigian, Archaeology & Anthropology, presented "Exploring Prehistoric Archaeology" at Historic Indian Agency House on July 21 in Portage WI. Also see the following links:

https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/from-nails-shards-of-glass-and-bone-a-picture-of-the-past-emerges-in-portage/article_bf68fa3d-b869-515b-bf41-5fa6bbddec8b.html

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/wi/a-picture-of-the-past-emerges-in-portage/article_5ddc2024-c75a-53b7-ab11-a30ef5952406.html

Submitted on: Aug. 13, 2020

 

presented

Constance Arzigian, Archaeology & Anthropology, and James Theler, Archaeology and Anthropology, presented "Ritual Contexts from Oneota Sites in La Crosse Wisconsin" at Midwest Archaeology Conference on Oct. 12, 2019 in Mankato, Mn. The paper was part of a symposium on "Ritual as Function and Process in Midcontinental Pit Features."

Submitted on: Oct. 14, 2019

 

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