An Archaeologist’s Greatest Treasure: The Stories Behind the Science
with Mat Saunders,
Founder And Executive Director, American Foreign Academic Research
It takes a certain kind of person to become an archaeologist. They must be scientists, of course, experts in history, excavation, and data crunching. But more than that, they must be hardy, fearless, inventive, unflappable, with a streak of masochism and a stomach of steel. Mat Saunders teamed up with co-editor Pamela Voelkel to create Maya Archaeology: Tales from the Field; a brand new book published by Precolumbia Mesoweb Press. In this unique anthology, over thirty leading Maya archaeologists and anthropologists describe what it’s really like to live and work in the field. From sublime moments of discovery to the highs and lows of camp life, these real-life Indiana Joneses take you into rainforests, mangrove swamps, cave systems, and ancient tombs to hear the stories that never make it into academic journals. Join Saunders for a light-hearted evening as he shares highlights of the book as well as never-before-heard tales from the field.
Mat Saunders is the founder and director of American Foreign Academic Research (AFAR) and serves as the director of international research at Davidson Day School. Saunders has devoted his career to advancing international research opportunities to students, focusing his efforts on finding ways to bridge the professional world of science with underserved populations such as pre-collegiate students. Mat teamed up with co-editor Pamela Voelkel to create Maya Archaeology Tales from the Field: a brand new book published by Precolumbia Mesoweb Press. Mat also coordinates the annual Maya at the Playa and Maya at the Lago conferences.