Skip to main content
Skip to main menu Skip to spotlight region Skip to secondary region Skip to UGA region Skip to Tertiary region Skip to Quaternary region Skip to unit footer

Slideshow

Victor Thompson

UGA Arch
Distinguished Research Professor
Director, Laboratory of Archaeology

I study significant transitions in human history, specializing in the application of archaeological science to the study of collective social formations and the historical ecology of wetland and coastal environments. In the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, my recent research focuses on socioecological histories and zooarchaeological indicators to achieve high resolution, localized histories of human-climate dynamics. More broadly, my work centers on the nature of Indigenous governance by addressing cases that demonstrate the variability in the forms that democratic institutions might take. I am also engaged with NAGPRA (Native American Graves and Repatriation Act, to make sure that ancestors cared for by UGA are treated respectfully and repatriated to their descendent communities. 

Research Interests:
  • Collective action 
  • Indigenous governance   
  • Historical ecology 
  • Native American Archaeology
  • Radiocarbon dating 
  • Shell midden archaeology 
  • Stable oxygen isotopes 
  • Remote sensing 
  • Geographic Information Systems 
  • Southeastern Archaeology
Selected Publications:

Thompson, Victor D. (2022) Considering Ideas of Collective Action, Institutions, and “Hunter-gatherers” in the American Southeast. Journal of Archaeological Research. (in press)

Thompson, Victor D., Jake Lulewicz, RaeLynn Butler, Turner Hunt, LeeAnne Wendt, James Wettstaed, Mark Williams, Richard Jefferies, Suzanne K. Fish (2022) The Early Materialization of Democratic Institutions among the Ancestral Muskogean of the American Southeast. American Antiquity. 1-20. doi:10.1017/aaq.2022.31.

Thompson Victor D., Torben Rick, Carey J. Garland, Karen Y. Smith, David Hurst Thomas, Matt Sanger, Bryan Tucker, Isabelle Lulewicz, Anna M. Semon, John Schalles, Christine Hladik, Clark Alexander, Brandon T. Ritchison (2020) Ecosystem Stability and Native American Oyster Harvesting along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Science Advances 6:eaba9652

Grants:

2022       $20,700. University of Georgia, Faculty Research Grants Program for the project: The Timing of Community at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. (Turner Hunt, Raelynn Butler, LeeAnn Wendt, Jennifer Birch co-P.I.s). 

2022       $90,183. Integrating Oaxaca Survey Data to Improve Models of State and Urban Origins. National Science Foundation, Victor D. Thompson (P.I.), Stephen Kowalewski (co-P.I.), Richard Blanton, (co-P.I.), Gary Feinman (co-P.I.), Linda Nicholas (co-P.I.).

2021       $78,694. NAGPRA Consultation Grant, Evaluating UGA’s Existing Holdings. National Park Service. Victor Thompson (P.I.), co-P.I. Amanda Roberts Thompson.

Education:

PhD, Anthropology, University of Kentucky, 2006

Articles Featuring Victor Thompson
Tuesday, October 12, 2021 - 1:40pm

UGA Anthropology alumni, Dr. Brandon Ritchison (PhD ‘19), current postdoc, Dr. Carey Garland (PhD ‘19), and Professor & Lab of Archaeology Director, Dr. Victor Thompson, along with Dr.

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 12:51pm

UGA Research spotlights the Lab of Archaeology in their recent article titled, "Keepers of history: UGA’s Archaeology Lab preserves relics of Georgia’s past." This feature highlights the lab's vast array of artifacts, their ability to transition during the…

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 - 12:23pm

Dr. Victor Thompson, Dr. Brandon Ritchison (PhD '19), and PhD candidate, Isabelle Holland Lulewicz, along with Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Bryan Tucker and US National Park Service's John A Turck recently had their article, "Climate change,…

Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - 12:11pm

UGA Research article, "A million little rings: Using dendrochronology to explore the ancient environment" features PhD student, Kat Napora. The article takes a deeper look into Kat's dendrochronology research and what inspired her to study trees.

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 - 11:41am

UGA Laboratory of Archaeology's Dr.

Monday, October 2, 2017 - 6:08pm

Several faculty members and an alumnus were featured in UGA's fall issue of Georgia Magazine.

Support Anthropology at UGA

Your support helps bring in speakers of note, provides student research funding, assists in student fieldwork and conference travel, and creates new resources to further enrich each learner's experience. Learn more about how you can support the Department of Anthropology.

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.