Biography
Dr. Callaghan is an anthropological archaeologist who studies Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican societies to understand the origins of social complexity. Dr. Callaghan specializes in the study of the ancient Maya with an emphasis on ceramic analysis. His research on ceramics informs the study of how technology and production contribute to changes in social structure.
Dr. Callaghan graduated with his BS (1998) and PhD (2008) from Vanderbilt University. His work on archaeology and ceramic analysis have been published in the journals Ancient Mesoamerica, Latin American Antiquity, Journal of Archaeology Science: Reports, Economic Anthropology, and PLosOne among others. He is also author of the The Ceramic Sequence of the Holmul Region, Guatemala (University of Arizona Press). He is the co-author of the Open Educational Resource (OER) Exploring our World through General Anthropology (UCF STARS) and co-editor of The Inalienable in the Archaeology of Mesoamerica (Archaeological Publications of the American Anthropological Association). Dr. Callaghan’s research also appears in book chapters of edited volumes published by university presses.
Dr. Callaghan is currently co-director of the UCF El Mirador LiDAR Project, which uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to identify cultural features in a 500 square km area of the Mirador region (including the site of El Mirador), for purposes of mapping, ground-truthing, and excavation. Prior to his work at Mirador, Callaghan was co-director of the Holtun Archaeological Project, where he investigated the development of social inequality as it relates to crafted objects, public ritual, household activities, and monumental architecture at the site of Holtun, Guatemala. In the past ten years, Dr. Callaghan has received over 1 million dollars in research grants from multiple institutions including the Fundación Patrimonio Cultural y Natural Maya (PACUNAM), the National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, National Geographic Society/WAITT Program, and University of Central Florida.
At UCF, Dr. Callaghan directs the research of post-doctoral scholars, PhD students, and undergraduate honors students. He teaches courses for graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of general anthropology, ceramic analysis, ethics in anthropology, archaeological pseudo-science, gender in archaeology, and the anthropology of Walt Disney World Theme Parks in Florida.
Research Specializations
- Maya Archaeology
- Ceramic Analysis
- Craft production
- Trade and exchange
- Economy
- Ritual
- Gender in archaeology
- Ethics in Archaeology
Working with Dr. Callaghan
I believe advanced undergraduate and professional degrees in archaeology should:
- Expose students to fundamental theoretical concepts in anthropology and archaeology
- Teach students a transferable methodological specialization
- Give students experience in first-hand data collection, analysis, and interpretation
- Professionally prepare students for a career within, or related to, the archaeological sciences
I am seeking motivated students with a desire to conduct primary field and/or laboratory research related to the ancient Maya. Students who choose to work with me will have the opportunity to perform research at field sites in the Maya area and/or in the laboratory here at UCF. I hope to guide students in the creation of theoretically informed theses founded upon the analysis and interpretation of an original dataset of archaeological material. Students will have the opportunity to conduct archaeological research; write, present, and publish archaeological papers; and network with international colleagues and senior members of the Maya archaeological community.
Dr. Callaghan is looking for graduate students with an interest in:
- Maya archaeology
- Ceramic classification, analysis, and interpretation
- Experimental ceramic production
- Ceramic ethnoarchaeology
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Examples of research projects conducted by Dr. Callaghan’s students:
- Archaeological ceramic classification using the type-variety: mode system
- Attribute analysis (paste, form, finishing, and firing) of archaeological ceramics
- Handheld XRF analysis of archaeological ceramics
- Stereoscopic and petrographic analyses of archaeological ceramics
- Iconographic analysis of ancient Maya pottery
- Ethnoarchaeology with contemporary Maya potters in Guatemala
- Mapping and GIS analysis of Maya archaeological sites
