Alexander J. Martín

Dr. Alexander J. Martín is an anthropologist whose main research interest lies in the development of prehistoric social institutions to understand how and why human societies became larger and more complex. Most of his research has taken place in coastal Ecuador where he has carried out surveys and excavations to clarify why populations there changed from small independent villages to large polities with densely packed communities, craft specialists, long distance trade networks, and powerful ruling elites that looked to expand their territorial control. More recently, he has begun comparing the changes that coastal Ecuador underwent to those of other prehistoric populations across the Americas to better understand how various forms of political and economic organization pressure the development of different religious systems.

Dr. Martín is the current Associate Director of the Center for Comparative Archaeology and manager of the Comparative Archaeology Database. More information about Dr. Martín’s research and publications can be found on his personal home page.