I am currently at work on several research projects:
Eastern Oklahoma Archaeology: Along with colleagues Amanda Regnier and Scott Hammerstedt we are studying the late preColumbian people of Eastern Oklahoma, including the ancestors of the modern Caddo nation.
Spiro: Along with collegaues Amanda Regnier and Scott Hammerstedt from the Oklahoma Archeological Survey and Jami Lockhart, George Sabo, Tim Mulvhill, and John Samuleson from the Arkansas Archaeological Survey, we have worked to research Spiro and the late prehistory of the Arkansas River Valley including remote sensing at the Spiro site.
Digital Image Analysis: This project was funded by the NCPTT and involves the analysis of ceramic edges using high-resolution digital cameras and digital image analysis software to map and measure the shell-temper inclusions in pottery. The goal is to find a less expensive method of measuring certain temper in order to discover if fine-grained analysis of temper practice can unlock additional information about the past.
Mississippian Archaeology: I am very interested in the dynamics of social interaction and leadership in the Mississippian world. My research has included ways that Mississippian polities may influence their neighbors and the size of Mississippian polities.
Size of Mississippian Polities: Using custom GIS algorithms, this project looked at the distance between mound sites using David Hally’s set of Southern Appalachian Mississippian sites. The goal was to convert distance to travel time, allowing travel to occur either by pedestrian travel or canoe.
GIS, Computer, and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology: I am very interested in advancing various useful methods in archaeology and I will occasionally post helpful tips, code, and data. The first of these is a link to repackaged NHDPlus data for better mapping of prehistoric riverways in the US.