Katie Richards

Dr. Katie Richards is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at New Mexico State University. Her research focuses on the archaeology of the American Southwest, particularly the Fremont and Four Corners regions. She specializes in pottery analysis, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and the study of social identity and frontiers. Her work integrates multi-scalar approaches to understand cultural interactions and community organization in prehistoric societies.

Dr. Richards teaches courses such as ANTH 1115G: Introduction to Anthropology, ANTH 1160G: World Archaeology, and ANTH 388/488/522: Archaeological Field School. She is affiliated with the NMSU Archaeological Field School, providing students hands-on experience in field methods and excavation techniques.

Her research interests include analyzing ceramic designs to trace cultural relationships between Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan groups, examining monumental architecture’s role in community structure, and investigating household variation as evidence of social dynamics. Recent projects include studies on Wolf Village (42UT273) and Coal Bed Village, exploring architectural variability and cultural landscapes.

Dr. Richards’ publications (2012–2022) highlight themes of cultural frontiers, material culture analysis, and the organization of prehistoric communities. She emphasizes interdisciplinary methods to reconstruct past social and environmental contexts.