Ellis Home Page

Research/Supervisory Interests

I am an anthropological archaeologist with major theoretical and topical research interests in hunting and gathering societies and stone tool technologies. I am particularly interested in the mobility practices of hunter-gatherers and how one can measure, document or sort out the varying effects of differing kinds of mobilities in the archaeological record, and of course, how one can explain the mobility strategies used by different groups (for a recent example see Ellis 2008a on the publication list below). The geographical focus of my investigations has been on Ontario and more broadly, Great Lakes, archaeology. Since the 1970s I have explored my research interests primarily through a focus on the earlier, preceramic, time period over 3000 years old. Much of my research has centered on the the very earliest human occupations of the area dating in excess of 10,000 years ago (Paleoindian societies) and I have published several books/monographs and numerous papers on the topic. However, I have begun to focus my interests on Late Archaic societies in Ontario dating to about 3000-4500 years ago (e.g. Ellis 2008b, 2009a, 2009b and 2010b below). This more recent research has resulted in many archaeological firsts including the discovery of the oldest known true middens and housing ever found in Ontario, finds that promise to greatly enhance our knowledge of Late Archaic lifestyles -- for more information about this most recent project click here.

While I have focused on preceramic occupations I find just about any aspect of Ontario archaeology utterly fascinating and have carried out fieldwork and supervised theses on a diversity of later dating archaeological sites/collections ranging from the Early Woodland to Historic EuroCanadian newcomers (see list of titles by clicking on the teaching tab link above) as well as theses on the archaeology of areas farther afield that fit my broader theoretical interests.

Academic Background

Hons. B.A (Anthropology, University of Waterloo, 1976); M.A. (Anthropology, McMaster University, 1979); PhD (Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, 1984; Click here to view a pdf copy of my dissertation); Archaeological Researcher (Parks Canada, 1984-1985); SSHRCC Post-Doctoral Fellow/Research Assistant Professor (Anthropology, University of Waterloo, 1985-1987); Dean of Arts Post-Doctoral Fellow/Research Assistant Professor (Anthropology, University of Waterloo,1987-1988); Assistant Professor (Anthropology, University of Waterloo, 1988-1990); Assistant Professor (Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, 1990-1993); Department Chair (Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, 1993-2001); Associate Professor (Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, 1993-2004); Professor (Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, 2004-present); Graduate Chair (Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, 2007-2009).

Recent Publications

2010b (with K. Snarey) Evidence for Bow and Arrow Use in the Smallpoint Late Archaic of Southern Ontario. In Compleat Archaeologist: Papers in Honor of Michael Spence, edited by Neal Ferris, Peter Timmins, Christine D. White and Chris J. Ellis. Joint publication of Museum of Ontario Archaeology and London Chapter, Ontario Archaeological Society, forthcoming.

2010a (with N. Ferris, C. D. White and P. Timmins) Going Beyond Professional and Research “Enclaves:” An Appreciation of Michael W. Spence. In Compleat Archaeologist: Papers in Honor of Michael W. Spence, edited by Neal Ferris, Peter Timmins, Christine D. White and Chris J. Ellis. Joint publication of Museum of Ontario Archaeology and London Chapter, Ontario Archaeological Society, forthcoming.

2009e The Debert Site Lithic/Stone Technology. Discussion paper and conference discussion. In TA’N WETAPEKSI’K: Understanding Where We Come From. Proceedings of the Workshop on the Debert Palaeo-Indian Site sponsored by the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq and Nova Scotia Provincial Museum, Debert, Nova Scotia. Eastern Woodland Publishing, Truro, Nova Scotia, forthcoming.

2009d The Crowfield and Caradoc Sites, Ontario: Glimpses of Palaeo-Indian Sacred Ritual and World View. In Painting the Past with a Broad Brush. Papers in Honour of James Valliere Wright, edited by David L. Keenlyside and Jean-Luc Pilon, pp. 317-349. Mercury Series Archaeology Paper 170. Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec.

2009c (with D. B. Deller and J. R. Keron) Understanding Cache Variability: A Deliberately Burned Early Paleoindian Tool Assemblage from the Crowfield Site, Southwestern Ontario, Canada. American Antiquity 74(2):371-397.

2009b (with E. Eastaugh, J. Keron and L. Foreman) A Preliminary Overview of the 2008 Excavations at the Davidson (AhHk-54) ‘Broad Point’ Archaic Site. Kewa 09(1-2):1-19.

2009a (with P. A Timmins and H. Martelle) At the Crossroads and Periphery: The Archaic Archaeological Record of Southern Ontario. In Archaic Societies: Diversity and Complexity Across the Midcontinent, edited by Thomas E. Emerson, Andrew C. Fortier and Dale McElrath, pp. 787-839. State University of New York Press, Albany, New York. Click here for information about this volume.

2008b (with S. Pearce) Area C of the Green Hill Site (AgHk-39): A Small Point Archaic Component. Kewa 08(3-4):1-21.

2008a The Fluted Point tradition and the Arctic Small Tool tradition: What’s the Connection? Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 27:298-314.