Martin Welker

I am an anthropological archaeologist, specializing in zooarchaeology (the study of animal remains from archaeological sites). I serve as the Associate Curator of Zooarchaeology at the Arizona State Museum and as an affiliated professor in the School of Anthropology. My work focuses on the analysis of faunal remains from archaeological contexts to reconstruct long-term patterns of species distribution, human-animal interaction, morphological change, and ecological change. By integrating zooarchaeological data with methods from ecology and conservation biology, I aim to contribute historical baselines that inform present-day biodiversity management and conservation efforts. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, my research seeks to bridge archaeology and environmental science. I am particularly interested in how deep-time perspectives may enhance conservation strategies, offering insights into species resilience, habitat shifts, and human impacts on ecosystems in the past.