Title

Lecturer in Anthropology

Anthropology

Expertise

Ancient cultures of Mesoamerica
Cave archaeology
Religion and ideology
Iconography
Ancient technologies
GIS

Profile

Donald Slater is a Ph.D. candidate studying anthropology and archaeology at Brandeis University. He holds a master’s degree from Brandeis and a bachelor’s degree from UNH, both in anthropology. Since 2002 he has also served on the staff at the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology at Phillips Academy, Andover. His primary research interests focus on religion, cosmology, and iconography of the ancient Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures, but other interests include Paleoindian, Southwestern, Andean, and Colonial New England studies. For his dissertation research he developed and directs the Central Yucatan Archaeological Cave Project (C.Y.A.C.). One of the largest cave surveys ever undertaken in Mesoamerica, C.Y.A.C. aims to study ancient socio-political and religious power associated with elite cave ritual among the ancient Maya. Through Phillips Academy he also co-designed and leads the B.A.L.A.M. Project (Bilingual Archaeological Learning Adventure in Mesoamerica) and the Andean H.U.A.C.A. Project which are expeditionary programs that guide high school-aged students on explorations of ruins, caves and modern settlements in Mesoamerica and Peru, respectively. Slater is a life-long resident of New England. His wife, two year old daughter, and he currently reside in southern New Hampshire.