Christopher Rodning

Christopher Rodning is Professor of Anthropology at Tulane University's School of Liberal Arts. His archaeological research investigates Native American architecture, cultural landscapes, and colonial encounters in eastern North America. Fieldwork focuses on Cherokee settlements in the southern Appalachians, analyzing town layouts, mound complexes, and household structures.

Research explores how built environments expressed cultural values and mediated European contact. Publications examine Cherokee townhouses as ceremonial centers, shell gorget iconography, and mortuary practices. Collaborative projects include excavations at the Berry Site (location of Fort San Juan, 1566-1568) documenting early Spanish-Native American interactions.

He teaches North American archaeology, culture contact studies, and landscape archaeology. Recent books include Center Places and Cherokee Towns (2015) and Fort San Juan and the Limits of Empire (2016), analyzing household practices in colonial contexts.