David Maxwell

David Maxwell is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University (SFU). His research focuses on faunal analysis, particularly vertebrate remains, and spans regions including western North America, California, British Columbia, and Mesoamerica. He specializes in the ritual use of marine toxins among the Maya and the analysis of bison kill sites in the Plains. Additionally, he has conducted extensive studies on coastal and island hunter-gatherer societies in southern California, including subsistence practices and ritual behavior at San Nicolas Island and Los Angeles-area sites.

Education:

• BA, Simon Fraser University
• MA, Simon Fraser University
• PhD, University of Arizona (Mayanist studies)

Research Interests:

Dr. Maxwell’s work integrates material culture with political history, particularly through the analysis of Maya votive caches. He collaborates with Dr. Jonathan C. Driver on studies of bison kill site population dynamics, exploring age structures in archaeological records. His coastal research examines subsistence strategies and ritual practices among hunter-gatherer communities. He is also engaged in teaching courses such as ARCH 100: Ancient Peoples and Places and ARCH 374: Research Design in Archaeology.

Awards/Grants: No specific awards or grants mentioned.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with SFU’s Department of Archaeology facilities, including field equipment and laboratory resources for faunal analysis.