Participant Info

First Name
Patty
Last Name
Hamrick
Country
United States
State
NY New York
Affiliation
Independant Scholar
Website URL
Keywords
Archaeology, Bronze Age, Indus Civilization, Harappans, Ancient South Asia, Ancient India, Colonial New York City, Slavery in New York City, the American Revolution in New York City, the African Burial Ground
Availability
Media Contact
Additional Contact Information
PhD
other credentials

Personal Info

Photo
About Me

I am a historian and archaeologist with a passion for bringing academic knowledge to a popular audience. In that vein, I research and teach on a variety of topics for the public at Brooklyn Brainery. I also write articles explaining the latest technical research in understandable terms at Massive Science and other websites.

I received my M.A. in archaeology from New York University. My work focused on Bronze Age South Asia, the urban civilization known as the Indus or the Harappans. I studied how social identities (such as gender and class) were expressed through material culture, writing a thesis titled “Ornaments and Value: Bangles in the Indus”. As part of my research, I worked on archaeological excavations in the United States, Cyprus, Syria, Oman, and India.

Recently I switched research focus to the African Burial Ground, a cemetery for enslaved and free African-Americans that was used from the late 1600s until 1795. The cemetery is located in modern-day lower Manhattan and was excavated by archaeologists in the 1990s. Although it is now the site of a memorial and small museum, knowledge of its existence is not widespread. I am working on a manuscript of popular narrative history to bring more awareness to the African Burial Ground. 

Recent Publications
Media Coverage
Country Focus
United States, India, Pakistan
Expertise by Geography
India, United States
Expertise by Chronology
Ancient, 18th century
Expertise by Topic
American Revolution, Colonialism, Material Culture, Public History, Race, Slavery, Urban History