Deborah L. Huntley joined Archaeology Southwest in September, 2007. Although her expertise is in Southwestern prehistory, particularly ceramic studies, she has been involved in a wide variety of archaeological research projects in Arizona, New Mexico, southern California, and even Germany.
Deb completed her undergraduate studies in Anthropology at the University of Colorado, graduating in 1991. She received her Master’s degree in 1995 (in Anthropology and Museum Studies) and her Doctoral degree in Anthropology in 2004, both from Arizona State University. She worked for several years in Cultural Resource Management in San Diego, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also has taught Anthropology courses at several Arizona and New Mexico community colleges.
Deb’s dissertation research focused on the organization of ceramic production and exchange in the Zuni region of west-central New Mexico. Her broader research interests include late prehistoric socio-political organization, prehistoric technology and the transfer of knowledge (especially related to pottery production), migration and long-distance interaction, and interpreting archaeology for the public. Most recently, she has been collaborating with Jeff Clark, Brett Hill, and Rob Jones on NSF-sponsored research in the Upper Gila and Mimbres regions of New Mexico. Test excavations at a late prehistoric site near Mule Creek are revealing evidence of multiple migrations from southeastern Arizona into this area. Deb also is collaborating with Jeff Clark, Barbara Mills (University of Arizona), and other researchers on an ambitious interdisciplinary project to explore late prehistoric interactions and demographic shifts among Southwestern communities using concepts from the eclectic field of network theory.
In her role as Preservation Archaeologist, Deb hopes her diverse research and teaching experiences will contribute to Archaeology Southwest’s current research focus on late prehistoric demographic reorganization, as well as Archaeology Southwest’s mission to promote public involvement in archaeology and cultural resource preservation.
Contact Deb by email or telephone at (520) 882-6946.