The goal of this course is to take a broad perspective on artifacts, objects that are at once material and cultural. The perspective is essentially anthropological and archaeological, but we will read broadly from disciplines including architecture, sociology, and philosophy. The focus is on the way objects become integrated into the self, and to look at aspects relating to the body, the mind, and the invisible. While this is a discussion-based seminar, students will also be developing an applied project where the focus is a particular type or class of artifacts. There is a great deal of flexibility in the topics chosen for these projects, and the way that the final project is formatted, but students will be encouraged to draw on objects related to their research interest. Students from all disciplines working with material culture are welcome to participate in this course.