Award Details

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Award for Excellence in Archaeological Analysis

Nomination/Submission Deadline: 17 Jan 2025

Award Description

This award recognizes the excellence of an archaeologist whose innovative and enduring research based in skilled technical analyses has made a significant impact on the discipline. 

Who Is Eligible to Submit Nominations or Apply for the Award

Any SAA member may nominate an individual for this award. Awardees must be members of the SAA.

Nomination/Submission Materials Required

Nominators must submit a letter that describes the nature, scope, and significance of the nominee’s research and analytical contributions, as well as the nominee’s curriculum vita. Support letters from other scholars are welcome, as are any other relevant documents. Please send submissions to the committee chair.

Other Special Requirements

Prior to any award recommendation being finalized and publicly announced, anyone recommended for an award, scholarship, or grant will be required to certify the following:

(a)  I am not and have not ever been the subject of a discrimination or harassment lawsuit or related administrative complaint that resulted in an adverse finding; and

(b)  I do not have and have not had a current or pending disciplinary action such as suspension or termination of registration, resulting from a Register of Professional Archaeologists’ grievance investigation.

Nature of Award (e.g. monetary, medal, symposium)

The awardee is recognized by the SAA through a plaque presented during the business meeting held at the Annual Meeting, a citation in The SAA Archaeological Record, and  acknowledgment on the awards page of the SAA Website.

Current Committee Charge

The committee solicits nominations and selects recipients for the Award for Excellence in Archaeological Analysis. The award is presented as special recognition of excellence by an archaeologist whose technical analyses, innovative research, and enduring contributions have had a significant impact on the discipline. The award recipient will have mastered the difficult challenge of bridging good ideas with empirical evidence or interpretive methods within a particular class of archaeological materials or over a broad range of materials. The award was first given in 2001 and replaced the Ceramic Studies Award and the Lithic Studies Award. 

Committee Composition

Committee composition is one chair and at least four members.

Term Length

Term length is three years. Individuals ending their terms cycle off the committee at the close of the Business Meeting held during the annual SAA Meeting, and new appointees begin their terms at this time.

Award Cycle

N/A

Committee Chair and End of Term

Edward Jolie [2026]

Committee Chair Contact Information

Committee Members and Ends of Terms

Selection or Evaluation Criteria

Nominees are evaluated on their demonstrated ability to successfully create an interpretive bridge between good ideas, empirical evidence, research, and analysis.

Committee Deliberation Process (e.g. dates, venue)

The committee will review the materials in mid-January each year, and deliberate via either e-mail or telephone communication.

2024 Karen R. Adams
2023 Dale R. Croes and Ed Carriere
2022 David Whitley
2021 Michael B. Collins
2020 Rafael Alejandro Pastrana Cruz
2019 Jonathan Mark Kenoyer
2018 Joseph W. Ball
2017 Steven Kuhn
2016 Barbara Voorhies
2015 Barbara J. Mills
2014 Harold Lewis Dibble
2013 Gayle Fritz
2012 James Skibo
2011 Steven Shackley
2010 Timothy A. Kohler
2009 Judith Habicht-Mauche
2008 William Andrefsky
2007 Robert L. Bettinger
2006 MichaelBrian Schiffer
2005 George H. Odell
2004 David Lewis-Williams
2003 Carol Kramer
2002 Robin Torrence
2001 George L. Cowgill

The Award for Excellence in Ceramic Studies and the Award for Excellence in Lithic Studies, both first
presented in 1994, were succeeded by the Award for Excellence in Archaeological Analysis in 2001.
Awardees of the Award for Excellence inCeramic Studies and the Award for Excellence in Lithic Studies
are as follows:

2000

Owen Rye (Ceramic Studies)
Tom Hester (Lithic Studies)

1999

Warren R. DeBoer (Ceramic Studies)
Barbara E. Luedtke (Lithic Studies)

1998

Robert L. Rands (Ceramic Studies)
Kenneth Hirth (Lithic Studies)

1997

Ronald Bishop and James Hill (Ceramic Studies)
None (Lithic Studies)

1996

Dean E. Arnold (Ceramic Studies)
Jay K. Johnson (Lithic Studies)

1995

Frederick Matson and Prudence Rice (Ceramic Studies)
Harry J. Shafer (Lithic Studies)

1994

Patricia L. Crown and William A. Longacre (Ceramic Studies)
John Witthoft (posthumous) (Lithic Studies)