Specialties

Archaeology, group identity, landscape and spatial analysis, households. Eastern Africa.

Geographically I am interested in African archaeology broadly, although recently I have adopted a focus in Eastern Africa on the Swahili coast. Fortunately, because of the nature of the coastal population's interregional links this necessitates a concern with the interior of Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as with the wider Indian Ocean world. I am interested in exploring regional variation along the coast.

On a theoretical basis I am interested in the manifestation of group identity in the past. In particular I am interested in pursuing the extent to which cultural constructions of landscape reflect the maintenance of group boundaries. Other interests include spatial analysis broadly and the archaeology of households. Ultimately I am most intrigued by the relationships between material correlates and cultural ideas.

MA Paper:

Swahili Heterogeneity: Understanding Regional Differentiation in Coastal Eastern Africa