Education

Ph.D. in Archaeology, Boston University, 1989
M.A. in Archaeology, Boston University, 1985
B.A. in Anthropology, The College of William and Mary, 1980

Research Interests

Transition to Agriculture
I am interested in the unique socio-economic dynamics behind the transition to agriculture in the western Mediterranean. This was a time characterized by the rapid appearance of domesticated plants and animals, pottery, and ground stone artifacts. The transition to settle village agriculture, however, took 1000 years.

The Production and Distribution of Early Pottery
Through the examination of the production of ceramics, it is possible to gain insight into the location of pottery production, the resources and techniques used, and to identify culturally imposed technology choices that are an aspect of vessel style. Ceramic distribution patterns can reveal the exchange of ceramics and help identify territories and interactions. By comparison to stylistic data, it is possible to reconstruction aspects of the socio-economic framework of early agricultural societies.

Petrographic Analytical Techniques
The examination of pottery depends upon the identification of ceramic paste, temper and other inclusions, and microstructural detail. By examining thin sections of pottery using petrographic microscopes, I have been able to identify the origins of ceramic clay deposits, how they have been modified in the manufacture of vessels, and their movement across the landscape.