Gift Giving Guide 15: Finding the Best Present for Your Favorite (Budding and/or Established) Anthropologists

 Every year I dedicate two blog posts to something a little different and fun: gifts for the anthropologist.  I attempt to highlight handmade and/or fair trade items as these most closely mirror the values of anthropology in cultural understanding and preservation.  If you happen to know an anthropologist, someone with interests in anthropology, an anthropology major or graduate, or someone who shares these same values feel free to look into one of these amazing gifts.

 

A gift idea for the Cultural Anthropologist

Cultural anthropologists navigate the complicated social worlds that modern humans occupy and exist in.  Sometimes cultural anthropologists derive inspiration for their work through a specific anthropologist.  For those who turn to Zora Neale Hurston this t-shirt may be the perfect gift!  Created by BushwickTrader, it comes in three color options, meaning you have some customizable options!

A gift idea for the Archaeologist

Archaeologists spend their time interpreting the material cultural evidence of the past, which they often collect through thorough and precise excavations.  To better help them accomplish this work perhaps a custom made trowel and trowel sheath (to protect the trowel and the user) is the perfect gift!  TheAnvilandYew shop makes two different sized trowels, providing versatility in your purchase.  The trowel sheath (pictured below) comes separately, and while not required it may make a perfect addition to your special gift.

 Gifts for Linguistic Anthropologists

 Learning about the intersections of language and culture can be exciting, but it also requires sustenance.  This linguistic themed glass may be the perfect thing for the linguistic anthropologist in your life.  Created by RealPeopleGoods they offer a variety of options for this morpheme inspired treat, meaning if you don't want this glass you can get another, or a t-shirt, or something more suited for your gift receiver!  

Gifts for Biological (Physical) Anthropologists

The broadest of the four subfields, encompassing everything biologically related to the human species (and nonhuman primates), it can sometimes be difficult to find the perfect gift for the biological anthropologist.  Regardless of their specific area of interest or expertise perhaps these inspirational signs, quoting renowned primatologist, Jane Goodall, are the right fit!  These pieces are created by the talented MirandaLMcNulty, whose shop has various other options if you need to find something different.