Finding a Home in the Penn Museum Labs

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Eleanor Grauke ('25) is a History major with a concentration in American History, who conducted archeological research with Dr. Katherine Moore (Department of Anthropology) on materials from the Nathaniel Russell Kitchen House. This project was conducted through the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program (PURM).

This summer I worked with Dr. Katherine Moore to contribute to her ongoing research with the Center for the Analysis of Archeological Materials (CAAM) on the Nathaniel Russell Kitchen House — the working space and living quarters of many enslaved people in antebellum Charleston. I was initially drawn to the project because of both its similarities and notable differences with my existing interests and work. My studies have long focused on the politics of abolition and the lives of enslaved people in antebellum America, but previously I had never taken the archeological angle in approaching this topic.

This research is a part of a tradition I’ve long been inspired by — bringing human stories to our study of the past. Through the analysis of fabric found in the house, I had the opportunity to bring our understanding of the lives of enslaved people to the discussions around the Russell House. Some of my greatest takeaways from the experience came in the form of advocating for my own ideas. The team gave me lots of flexibility in executing the archival work in particular, allowing me to pursue my own aspirations with the work. Over the course of the summer, I became more comfortable with articulating the research paths that I wanted to explore and developing a plan to execute them alongside Dr. Moore.

The greatest highlight of my work this summer was working with Dr. Moore. I had the unique experience of being the only student working on this project, which allowed us to develop a strong relationship. She took my perspective, particularly as someone studying history, seriously from the start. If I wanted to pursue an angle — no matter how crazy it seemed — Dr. Moore was eager to discuss it and work with the rest of the Penn community to further my ideas. This made me much more confident in the skills that I can bring to research circles. I know that her support for me extends beyond my PURM work, but towards my growth as a whole.

Outside of my relationship with Dr. Moore, I greatly enjoyed working with the CAAM team at large. Other researchers at CAAM taught me conservation techniques, allowed me to participate in workshops, and lent me their equipment and expertise throughout the process. I always knew that they were looking out for me and my work. Moreover, I was surprised by how many other people in my life, from friends to families on campus tours, were interested in hearing about the work I was doing, even if they themselves didn’t study history.

I’ve traditionally defined myself as a strictly history student — I don’t often veer outside of my interest in early American and antebellum political history. However, this project gave me the opportunity to merge this interest with an archeological skillset, something I had little experience in. I discovered how rewarding it can be to examine an artifact first-hand, and then compare this understanding to archival research. In the coming semesters (and beyond), I hope to apply this approach to my own research efforts instead of limiting myself to a single discipline. - Eleanor Grauke

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