Our projects are based on the analysis of faunal material recovered from archaeological sites in the Levant, Caucasus and the U.S. Zooarchaeological (Zoo = animal and Archaeology = the study of ancient materials) analysis focuses on human dietary customs and subsistence patterns. This type of analysis emphasizes the analysis of medium to large mammals and utilizes our growing comparative collection and taphonomic collection.
Paleoecological (Paleo = ancient and Ecology = the study of environment) analysis focuses on the analysis of the environment humans lived in. We use a variety of methods including microwear and ecomorphology with an emphasis on the analysis of small mammals such as rodents.
Our Main Research Questions
This type of analysis emphasizes the analysis of medium to large mammals and utilizes our growing comparative collection and taphonomic collection.
Ecometrics
Analysis of paleoecology has developed over the years to include methods that are essentially taxon free (i.e., they measure ecological adaptations on skeletal remains without needing to know the taxon).
Field Work
Our lab has several collaborative field projects in the Near East and the Caucasus.