Tate Paulette

Tate Paulette is Associate Professor of History at North Carolina State University, specializing in ancient urban food systems and state formation. His research integrates agricultural practices, gastro-politics, and material culture studies in Mesopotamia and Cyprus, with particular focus on ancient alcohol production and distribution systems.

Research explores three interconnected domains: agricultural intensification in early cities, political economy of food distribution, and cultural significance of fermented beverages. Experimental archaeology forms a significant component of his methodology, notably in reconstructing Sumerian brewing techniques.

Recent publications examine beer's role in state formation, pastoral economies as political capital, and methodological innovations in archaeochemical analysis. His work demonstrates consistent thematic attention to how subsistence strategies both shaped and reflected socio-political structures in early complex societies.

Current field research includes co-direction of the Makounta-Voules Archaeological Project in Cyprus, investigating prehistoric settlement patterns through survey and geophysics.