Mallory Melton

Mallory Melton is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at Lycoming College, affiliated with the Department of Anthropology/Sociology and the Archaeology Program. She holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and both an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prior to joining Lycoming, she completed a one-year fellowship in Pre-Columbian Studies at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.

Her research focuses on the archaeology of sociopolitical change and crisis, using paleoethnobotanical methods such as macrobotanical, starch, and phytolith analysis to explore food security, cultural contact, and early urbanism across North, Central, and South America. Her work spans diverse regions including the Andes, Mesoamerica, and Eastern North America, with particular attention to how daily life and subsistence practices respond to political upheaval and colonialism.

The trends in her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on microbotanical analysis and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding ancient diets and agricultural resilience. Her studies on chuño in the Andes and food insecurity in colonial North Carolina demonstrate a consistent theme: how communities adapt subsistence strategies during times of stress. These works integrate archaeological science with anthropological theory, contributing to broader understandings of human adaptability.

Mallory is deeply committed to mentoring students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, and promoting inclusivity in academia. She actively works to make field-based and hands-on learning accessible to individuals with disabilities through workshops and conference participation. While no formal scientific awards are listed, her involvement in collaborative, high-impact research projects reflects recognition within the archaeological community.

She advises students and is involved in research grants related to paleoethnobotany and sociopolitical change, though specific grant details are not provided. Her current projects are active in Eastern North America, Mesoamerica, and the Andes, indicating a broad geographical and methodological scope.

Mallory contributes to academic discourse through her role in the Archaeology Program and interdisciplinary collaborations. Her lab and fieldwork focus on microbotanical sample processing, particularly starch and phytolith extraction, often in partnership with institutions like the Illinois State Archaeological Survey and international teams in Peru.