Friday, November 28, 2014

Gift Giving Guide: Anthropology Style 2.0

It's that time of year when many cultures around the world practice some sort of gift giving tradition.  In line with those traditions, here are some gifts that you can get your favorite anthropologist (and you can look at the summer edition of this same series of posts):

For the Cultural Anthropologist

Cultural anthropologists study modern peoples and cultures, which allows a variety of gift possibilities.  Here are a few that I think will be great for all cultural anthropology types:

NG Art Prints has a variety of vintage prints.
Surrender Dorothy has several vintage photo prints depicting cultural groups around the world and throughout history.
For the not-so-art fan there is this great poster by Steve's Poster Art.
If your favorite anthropologist studies religion, this Rogue Attire shirt may just be what he or she is looking for this holiday season!
 For the Archaeologist

Archaeologist focus on excavating (digging) and understanding past human cultures through the systematic analysis of their material cultural remains.  These gifts are sure to delight all varieties of archaeologist:

A trowel shaped bottle opener is the perfect gift after a long day out in the field.  Available through Archaeosoup.

Dornick Designs has a variety of archaeologically themed jewelry pieces that a perfect for archaeologists who specialize in specific geographical or cultural areas.
Dig Geek's collection focuses on archaeological tools of the trade in jewelry form.

Here is the perfect gift for a budding young archaeologist (or a seasoned archaeologist who still loves to play)!  By AnthroEstranged.


For the Linguistic Anthropologist

Linguistic anthropologists study everything to do with language, both past and present, so here are a few things that may leave your favorite linguist speechless (in a good way!):

KnittyThingsAndSuch has this cool T-shirt in a variety of colors, making it perfect for every linguist (anthropological or traditional).
NicholasandFelice make a variety of linguistic themed jewelry accessories such as this necklace.  Get the matching earrings at their shop, too!
A history lesson of where language families existed in the past may be the perfect gift for a historical linguistic.  Available through EleanorsVintage.
SophieMakesThings has this beautiful cross-stitch pattern of the phonetic alphabet, so if you're crafty you can make your own gift for your favorite linguist!

For the Physical Anthropologist

Physical Anthropology is one of the most broad sub-disciplines, but physical anthropologists in general focus on humans from a biological standpoint.  Areas of focus include primatology, human biology, and human evolution.  With so many interests one has a lot more variety to chose from:

DeadWilderArt produces limited edition prints, pendants, cards, and t-shirts of a variety of primatology and skeletal biology images.  Portions of the sales of some of these items do go toward the Duke Primatology Research Institute.

Do you know a paleoanthropologist who loves coffee or tea?  Then this mug is the perfect gift!  Available through JavaDrive, and there are other options available for genetic anthropologists through this store.
BlackChocolateCompany (bottom picture) makes this life size and completely chocolate skull, which is a favorite among many human biologist types of phys anthros.  This skull, however, is quite pricey, but who wants to skimp out for the chocolate love in their life?  If you are more price conscious but still want to get chocolate, check out SweetBelleCakes (top picture).  This shop sells bone truffles in a variety of flavors and colors and they are much more reasonably priced.
Fraggles and Friggles offers a coupons to those who join the store facebook group, and this tshirt comes in a variety of colors and is available for both men and women.  I already have mine in teal and I love it!  NOTE: This store is offering a 30% off deal for Monday, December 1 through Etsy.  At check out include the coupon code Holiday2014 to receive 30% off your purchase.


31 comments:

Unknown said...

Hard to believe that skull is made entirely out of chocolate.. How cool. I'm not a linguistic anthropologist, nor do I know any, but the map of the language families is fascinating also.

Anonymous said...

I like the I love Lucy shirt, Its just like you're. The jewelry is nice I would get them. Now the bottle opener is cool too.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

That is actually where I got my Lucy shirt. She's an amazing artist who makes a few cool and quirky shirts, not just anthropology related. :)

Anonymous said...

All these gifts are super interesting and cool. I think anyone who appreciates different cultures would like them!
-Laura Redl

Hayden Lloyd said...

I find is awesome and amazing that almost all aspects of culture and science have their own individual subcultures, which includes things such as memes, inside jokes, and associated items to go with it. All these gifts are amazing and a great example of this. The shovel/bottle opener is definitely my favorite! Not only is it creative but it serves two very important purposes!
-Hayden Lloyd

Jessica Kitchingman said...

I really love some of these gifts and wouldn't mind getting one myself! The trowel bottle cap opener is so cute and I really like the linguistic language family map.

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

The closet cultural anthropologist in me is curious and amused at the demographic who finds the bottle opener fascinating and fun. ;)

April B said...

I also love the bottle opener, it's cool. For some reason it really grabbed my attention and I started wondering if I need it or if I could gift it to someone.

Anonymous said...

James K. - Antho 101

What about a nice skeleton style watch, or did I misinterpret what "focused on skeletal biology" means =P

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

You are right on for skeletal biology, but as this is one of many similar posts I try to change it up each time. :)

Unknown said...

Anthropology 102:1002
Some of these gifts are really nice, but I have to be honest and say that the chocolate skull would kind of freak me out.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I really like the I Love Lucy shirt. These are all great gifts for people interested in anthropology and its sub-disciplines.
Courteney Hedicke, Anth 101

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

I do, too. I wear mine all the time (and I think I wore it in class recently). It is pretty high quality given the wash and wear it has gone through and yet it still looks fairly new. :) She sells all sorts of science themed shirts as one of my bio friends has purchased her (the seller's) shirts, too.

Cami Cazier said...

I loved looking at all of these items! I personally loved the jewerly and I bookmarked the "mug" website on my laptop (haha!). My jaw dropped when I looked at the prices of the chocolate skulls. I wonder how long it takes to make one?

Dr. Christine Elisabeth Boston said...

I'm not sure how long it takes to make those chocolate. If had to wager a guess it probably does take some time given the size of the skulls, which are real to size for actual skulls. I knew a chocolate maker in graduate school, and I remember it used to take some time for him to make bite size truffles. I imagine that a piece that is the equivalent to a human skull would require a great deal of ingredients & time.

Anonymous said...

I love how they can focus on jewelry trade and there vintage prints which makes it more exciting to understand there cultural .The skull reminds me of the day of the dead back in mexico but, we use it with sugar instead of chocolate.
Briana Banuelos
Anthro 102 1001

girlmeeko said...

pretty cool stuff, I like the chocolate skull , of course and the art work of the what looks like American Indians but could be any indigenous peoples found just about any where.

Anonymous said...

I love the variety and creativity of these gifts! They are so fascinating! I love the picture of the natives for cultural anthropologists. I also love the beer opener shovel; I want that just to have a shovel that opens beer! The wheel barrel necklace is very cool as well, I would totally wear it. Very interesting gifts, I loved looking at them!!

Zachary Forrester
anthro 101 3001 summer

Anonymous said...

That chocolate skull would be amazing for a lot of my friends, but I'm rather interest in the language map. Before switching majors, I was contemplating studying Linguistics and my SO is. The map would look lovely in our home.

Unknown said...

Omg those were all really good gift ideas! I especially liked the BBQ spatula, I think that would be a great idea for my dad. For myself I enjoyed the I love lucy tshirt! Thanks for the fun gift ideas.

Charlie Goggin said...

The skull! Oh my! It would be hard to eat something so well done. I think I would rather have a lump of chocolate and a model of that skull. It would be sad to eat it. I have several real skulls (non human animals) including a reproduction of a dire wolf skull I got as a gift. I love bones, but I could not eat that chocolate skull.

C. Medrano said...

Woodblock prints are so pretty and so rich in cultural significance. I think it's amazing how much we have progressed from the days in which woodblocks were the primary method of mass information dissemation. I think it truly is the perfect gift for a phystical anthropologist--lemurs are cool, and this one is even holding a book (in an ode to the old method, perhaps?). The fact that it wears glasses makes him so refined and scholarly.

Perfect!

Anonymous said...

The one gift that caught my eye was the chocolate skull. I know plenty of who would love that, and I know some people who that probably wouldn't last around, me for example. It is also pretty cool how much items and their makings has changed over time.
Aaliyah Caldwell

Jaeda Lowe said...

I like looking at all of these items! I loved that chocolate skull!

Ashley Jacobson said...

I don't think I could get myself to eat bone truffles or a skull cake that just creeps me out a tad!!! You on the other hand I know you would or probably have done something like this ;)

Mara Caudel said...

I love looking at all of these different gift ideas!

Anonymous said...

Dalyla Jordan

out of all the gifts id probably prefer the jewelry or the t-shirt. i dont think i would even try to eat bone truffles or a skull cake. Its interesting how so many items can be made from hand and still be amazing gifts

Unknown said...

the trowel bottle opener has been my favorite one I have seen thus far in all the gift guides! that is so awesome.

Anonymous said...

I like the dig geeks wheel borrow necklace (i hope that a wheel borrow). i've always liked necklaces or bracelets with little charms or them that describe something about a person or something charms that represents something that person likes.

-Kyla Thomas

Anonymous said...

If I were to give a gift it would most definitely be the chocolate skull because I feel like anthropologists like creepy stuff like that. not to mention you can eat it! 2 gifts in 1!
-JASMINE BUSBY

Anonymous said...

It's hard to imagine the entire skull is made of chocolate.  Like really chocolate, I still don't believe that, it'll have to be proven. - Maka'la Reynolds