Megan Kassabaum

Megan Kassabaum is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Weingarten Associate Curator for North America at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts and Sciences. She holds affiliations with the Penn Museum, the Center for Ancient Studies, and the Native American and Indigenous Studies program. Her research focuses on prehistoric North American archaeology, particularly the Eastern Woodlands region, with specialties in monumental architecture, communal ritual, and foodways. Kassabaum directs the Natchez Bluffs Archaeological Project and the Heritage West community archaeology initiative in West Philadelphia. She earned her PhD from the University of North Carolina and BA from Beloit College.

Her work integrates archaeological fieldwork, material analysis, and public engagement to explore topics like platform mound ceremonialism, Mississippian precursors, and Coles Creek cultural practices. Recent projects investigate ring middens, sweetgum ritual use, and the Key Marco Collection. Over 150 peer-reviewed publications and a book (A History of Platform Mound Ceremonialism, 2021) highlight her contributions to understanding prehistoric social complexity and ritual landscapes.

Kassabaum teaches courses on archaeological theory, Native North American prehistory, and ceramic technology. She actively promotes community archaeology and museum-based research, emphasizing the intersection of past and present Indigenous cultures. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges material analysis with theoretical discourse, addressing questions of cultural memory, feasting practices, and monumental architecture's role in social organization.