#  The FAS Current | New faculty director gives Zooarchaeology Lab a refresh 

 





April 14, 2026

 

 

The Zooarchaeology Laboratory at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is entering a new chapter under the leadership of [Shayla Monroe](https://anthropology.fas.harvard.edu/people/shayla-monroe), Assistant Professor at Harvard Anthropology.

A “hidden gem” within the museum, the lab houses more than 1,300 animal specimens and one of the world’s most significant zooarchaeological collections, built over decades by [Richard H. Meadow](https://anthropology.fas.harvard.edu/people/richard-h-meadow). Now only its second director, Monroe—working alongside Lab Manager [Jesse Wolfhagen](https://anthropology.fas.harvard.edu/people/jesse-wolfhagen)—has reimagined the space to better support research and hands-on learning.

Gone are rows of exposed bone trays—replaced with carefully catalogued specimens, updated workspaces, and a brighter, more flexible layout designed for students and researchers alike.

“This space is very important to our discipline,” Monroe said. “I was cognizant that it deserved more resources.”

A specialist in faunal analysis, Monroe studies the relationships between humans and animals in the ancient world, with a focus on northeastern Africa. Her teaching brings that expertise into the lab, where students work directly with specimens to build skills in archaeological analysis.

“Zooarchaeology is such a difficult specialty,” she noted. “For those who choose it, they’re going to spend a lot of time in this lab—I wanted a lovely, comfortable space for that kind of sustained attention.”

**Read the full story** [**here**](https://current.fas.harvard.edu/stories/new-faculty-director-gives-zooarchaeology-lab-refresh)**.**



 

 

 



 

 

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