Megan E. O'Neil

Megan E. O'Neil is an Associate Professor of Art History at Emory University, specializing in the ancient Maya and broader Mesoamerican art and archaeology. She holds a Ph.D. in History of Art from Yale University (2005), an M.A. in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin (1999), and a B.A. in Archaeological Studies from Yale (1994). Her research focuses on ancient Maya stone sculptures, ceramics, and the materiality of objects, as well as the modern histories of collecting and exhibiting Mesoamerican art.

Her notable works include Memory in Fragments: The Lives of Ancient Maya Sculptures (2024) and co-edited volumes like Picture Worlds: Storytelling on Greek, Moche, and Maya Pottery (2024). She is co-curating an exhibition at the Getty Villa and Emory’s Carlos Museum, exploring cross-cultural vase-painting traditions. Current projects include a book on 20th-century pre-Hispanic art markets, written during her 2022–2023 sabbatical at the Getty Research Institute.

Her research bridges ancient practices and modern scholarship, addressing topics such as iconoclasm, tactile engagement with art, and the global circulation of Mesoamerican artifacts. She collaborates with institutions like LACMA and the Getty on interdisciplinary projects combining art history, conservation, and science.