Dylan Gaffney

Dylan Gaffney is Associate Professor of Palaeolithic Archaeology at the University of Oxford's School of Archaeology. He serves as Tutorial Fellow in Archaeology at Hertford College and is a Stipendiary Lecturer at St Hugh's College. Additionally, he holds an honorary fellowship with the University of Otago and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

• BA at the University of Otago, double majoring in anthropology and classical studies
• BA Honours and MA theses completed at University of Otago under Glenn Summerhayes and Anne Ford
• PhD at the University of Cambridge, supervised by Cyprian Broodbank and Graeme Barker, funded by Gates Cambridge
• Junior Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford (2021-2023)

Dr. Gaffney's research focuses on human behavioral fluctuations across centuries, millennia, and tens of millennia, with particular emphasis on the behavioral and ecological dynamics of human migration around the Pacific and Island Southeast Asia. His work involves reconnaissance survey, excavation, lithic analysis, geochemical characterisation, and zooarchaeological studies to understand technological, subsistence, and exchange patterns of ancient populations. A significant portion of his current research explores how the earliest seafarers moved from Asia to the Pacific over 50,000 years ago and how humans transformed island ecologies through animal translocation, rainforest composition changes, and altered foraging practices.

Analysis of Dr. Gaffney's recent publications reveals a strong chronological and methodological progression in Pacific archaeology research. His work demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary integration, combining zooarchaeological, lithic, and geochemical analyses to build comprehensive understandings of ancient human behaviors. The research shows particular strength in connecting early human dispersals with ecological transformations, with a consistent focus on the Raja Ampat Islands as a critical region for understanding Pacific settlement patterns. His publications highlight methodological innovations in analyzing material culture and subsistence patterns across diverse island environments.

• Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

Dr. Gaffney teaches undergraduate tutorials in Archaeology & Anthropology at Hertford College, including world archaeology and human evolution for first-year students. He also lectures on the MSc Archaeology course and supervises undergraduate theses. He welcomes inquiries about Master's and Doctoral supervision on topics relating to the archaeology of the Pacific and Southeast Asia, as well as global Pleistocene archaeology. His current research project in the Raja Ampat Islands explores early human seafaring and ecological transformations, with implications for understanding contemporary environmental practices and indigenous conservation approaches. The project combines archaeological fieldwork with community engagement and capacity building in West Papua.