The Secret Life of Anthropology 1130

If you’ve ever wandered through the Yard on Thursday afternoons, you’ve probably wondered why a bunch of Harvard students are out in front of Matthews digging away at a giant hole in the scorching sun gross misty rain. The answer to that question, simply put, is Anthropology 1130: Archaeology of Harvard Yard. But dig a little bit deeper and the story gets all the more intriguing.

Though the course description claims that the dig provides a “richer and more nuanced view of the 17th through 19th century lives of students and faculty,” another theory has been swirling around the yard. Have you ever speculated about what happened to that one guy who thought it’d be funny to jump off Weeks Bridge in broad daylight in plain view of a couple HUPD officers? Or maybe you’ve wondered about that suite in your entryway that was ad-boarded, but with seemingly no punishment? Here is where a stroll through the yard on Thursday afternoons is the answer. This is Anthropology 1130.

Ask a couple of students why they’re enrolled in the class, and you might hear some seemingly thoughtful responses.“It has a through the roof Q-Score!,” “It’s a concentration requirement,” but be skeptical, because once comments become anonymous, the truth comes out—and the Q never lies:

“You form strong bonds with other students through weekly physical labor!”
Because there’s really no other way to do that. Right?

“Be ready to dig... a lot”
And if you find something of interest to the Professor, do you get the next class off? Some secrets are too big to keep hidden.

“If you think worms are, like, totally gross, don't take this class”
And if you find digging like, you know, totally annoying, and like gross, don’t take this class.

Unfortunately, Stanley Yelnats and Zero could not be reached for an interview. The Warden also declined to comment. Though the students may come from many backgrounds, their sentence remains the same: one shovel, one semester, and one giant hole.