Susan Erickson

Susan Erickson is a Professor of Art History at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, affiliated with the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters and the Department of Language, Culture, and the Arts. Her teaching spans Art History/Applied Art and Human Centered Engineering Design, with office hours held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00pm to 3:00pm or by appointment.

Her academic foundation includes:

• Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota
• M.A. from the University of Minnesota

Dr. Erickson's research focuses on Ancient China through the lens of Chinese Art History, specializing in Han Dynasty material culture. Her work examines jade pendants, tomb architecture, funerary practices, and ritual monuments like Que pillars, bridging archaeological evidence with cultural interpretation. This scholarship explores how material objects mediated social, political, and spiritual dimensions in early Chinese society.

Her publication trends from 2003-2018 reveal deep specialization in Han Dynasty archaeology, with consistent contributions to journals (*Archives of Asian Art*, *Arts Asiatiques*) and major exhibition catalogues. Key thematic patterns include systematic analysis of jade artifacts, spatial organization of tombs, death rituals, and sacred site monuments across Henan and Sichuan provinces. Her work demonstrates enduring collaboration with institutions like Cambridge University Press and museum curators.