Dr. Alexander J. Martín is an archaeologist whose main research
interest lies in the development of prehistoric social institutions to
understand how and why human societies became larger and more complex.
Most of
his research has taken place in coastal Ecuador where he has carried out
surveys and excavations to clarify why populations there changed from small
independent villages to large polities with densely packed communities, craft
specialists, long distance trade networks, and powerful ruling elites that
looked to expand their territorial control. In particular, he explores the
roles that different economic, political, and religious institutions played in these
changes. More recently, he has begun comparing institutional change from
coastal Ecuador to that of other prehistoric populations of the Americas so as
to recognize broader patterns in social development and evolution. Dr. Martín
received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and is the current manager
of the Comparative Archaeology Database of the Center for Comparative
Archaeology.
More
information about Dr. Martín’s
research and publications can be found on his personal home page.