Daniela Triadan

Daniela Triadan is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona’s School of Anthropology. Her research focuses on sociopolitical development in prehistoric societies, ceramic technology, and the integration of material analyses into archaeological research. She specializes in the American Southwest and Mesoamerica, with major projects in the Maya lowlands (Aguateca and Ceibal, Guatemala), the Casas Grandes region (Mexico), and the Middle Usumacinta River drainage (Mexico/Chiapas).

Her work examines topics such as the origins of Maya civilization, political collapse, and the role of ceramics in economic and social systems. She co-directs the Aguateca Archaeological Project and the Ceibal-Petexbatun Archaeological Project. Triadan has pioneered the use of lidar technology to study ceremonial landscapes and has contributed significantly to understanding early sedentism and social complexity.

Research interests include prehistoric economic systems, the development of complex societies, and the analysis of domestic assemblages to reconstruct household organization. Her publications span archaeological journals, edited volumes, and monographs, with a focus on integrating material culture data with sociopolitical interpretations.