Human Relations Area Files

HRAF Celebrates Archaeology Day 2025

On Thursday, October 16, the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University hosted an event in celebration of International Archaeology Day. Each October, the Archaeological Institute of America and organizations around the world present archaeological…

Towards an Anthropology of Fear: are some things universally terrifying?

By Francine Barone As All Hallow’s Eve approaches, it’s once again the time of year for ghastly ghouls, wicked witches and terrifying things that go bump in the night. From haunted houses to headless horsemen,…

Pumpkins around the world

By Francine Barone Pumpkins are typically associated with Halloween in the form of carved “jack-o-lanterns” and, especially in the United States, with pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. But around the world, pumpkins have been an important…

HRAF Advanced Open-Access Course in Cross-Cultural Research Methods

  With the support of the National Science Foundation (BCS #2020156), HRAF held three years of Summer Institutes for Cross-Cultural Anthropological Research from 2021-2023. In total, these Summer Institutes trained 44 faculty, researchers, and advanced…

Register Today for an eHRAF Workshop

Please join us for one of our upcoming workshops will provide an informative overview to teaching and conducting research using the eHRAF databases: eHRAF World Cultures eHRAF Archaeology These workshops are designed for faculty members…