In the past 20 years, I have participated in and directed all phases of cultural resource management and have written dozens of CRM reports. I have worked as a field crew member in many locations in the U.S. and have extensive laboratory experience with historic and prehistoric artifacts. In the gradual course of gaining a B.A. (Mississippi State University, 1989) and a M.A. (Memphis State University, 1994), I have also had varied related experience such as documentation of historic architecture, technical illustration, exhibits design and preparation. My formal education has included graduate and undergraduate geology and geography classes and experience in the field description of geomorphological/pedological features such as earthquake induced sandblows, alluvial natural levees, loess, and the mysterious prairie mounds of the Trans-Mississippi South.

Much of my education came through volunteer work, and I am still committed to voluntary contributions to the public. After all, the taxpayer and the developer pay most of the expense of American archaeology. I maintain a commitment to archaeology for the public through programs such as lectures and demonstrations. I am happy to work with anyone in the Delta to increase our knowledge of archaeology on the academic and popular level. 

Contract Archaeology

Rates? As I am an independent contractor doing mostly small jobs, my rates are highly competitive with local service providers. Please contact me with the details of your needs. Critical factors in providing cost and time estimates include surface conditions, vegetation, land use history, soil type, and planned impact. Acreage and a map showing your project area are essential.

I occasionally take temporary employment as a field or project director on larger surveys or excavations. For neat Mississippian sites or geomorphological oddities, I am happy to work as an expert excavator or as an area director for students, volunteers or young professionals. Contact me with any such offers to see if I am available.

I am also willing to conduct specific analytic or editing tasks on an hourly/reimbursement or fixed fee contract. For contractors based outside of the MidSouth, I could be an asset to projects in the area because of my extensive familiarity with the local prehistoric ceramics. I know the offices and regulations of MidSouth state archaeological agencies and can travel to Moundville, Alabama; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Columbia, Missouri; and Nashville, Tennessee, to conduct required site file and document searches. Also, I have on hand the resources to produce culture histories and background studies tailored to fit your project area, and am located an hour from the University of Mississippi and Memphis Public libraries and within two hours of a number of the Arkansas Archeological Survey research stations.

Education and Civic Groups

I enjoy working with graduate and undergraduate students in the capacity of editor and advisor to research projects. I give serious, careful, and some would say brutal, consideration to all draft student papers. Bring on the questions, I will try to answer you or at least point you towards an answer. Cheap, trade, or work it off.

As always, I am available whenever possible to give talks to the Mississippi Archaeological Association (MAA) and Arkansas Archeological Society (AAS) chapters, on my current research or other desired topics. Any other local civic organizations are encouraged to contact me for archaeology programs. For instance, in 1997 I gave a lecture to the Phillips County (Arkansas) Historical Society on the history of archaeological work in that prehistorically rich county. I may also be able to help with Scout badge programs. Reasonable terms; buy my supper and a little gasoline.

For talks to your grade school or college classes, please inquire well in advance. Information as to group size, age composition, and time available are critical to developing handouts and slide shows. In 1999, I was a guest lecturer in the Delta State University honors history/interdisciplinary studies class on the Mississippi Delta. I can also provide school programs for Memphis, North Mississippi, and East Arkansas teachers to serve as a unit in a Social Studies class or on more specialized topics such as archaeological field data collection methods, low-fired native clay ceramics, and North American or African prehistory. I am also sometimes available for science and careers fairs. Any travel reimbursement, cafeteria food, or honoraria appreciated.