Donald Blakeslee

Donald Blakeslee is a Professor of Anthropology at Wichita State University's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His primary focus is archaeology of the Great Plains, with research spanning from early human settlement to the historic period. He has conducted extensive fieldwork across the region, emphasizing native trails, sacred sites, and radiocarbon dating methodologies.

Blakeslee’s expertise includes Middle Ceramic period studies, protohistoric adaptations, and Walnut River basin archaeology. He has held leadership roles in organizations like the Professional Archaeologists of Kansas and the Amateur Archaeology Society of Kansas (AASCK). His methodologies integrate drone surveys, chaîne opératoire analysis, and multi-sensor technologies for site investigation.

Key contributions include reinterpreting Coronado expedition routes, analyzing Wichita settlements, and exploring meteorite shrine significance. His work bridges archaeological evidence with ethnohistoric records to reconstruct cultural landscapes. Current projects emphasize protohistoric period dynamics and long-term settlement patterns in Kansas.

Blakeslee advocates for preservation of sacred sites like Waconda Lake and has critiqued traditional theories on Caddoan adaptations and Panhandle Aspect relationships. His research consistently applies rigorous radiocarbon dating and interdisciplinary approaches to resolve chronological and cultural questions.