Mark Warner is an historical archaeologist with over 35 years of experience in archaeology. He has worked in many parts of the U.S. and conducted major excavations in Maryland, Oklahoma and in the Inland Northwest. Recent work in the region included the Sandpoint Archaeology Project, an extensive archaeological and historical study of the early settlement of Sandpoint, Idaho (the largest excavation in the state’s history) and multiple public archaeology projects in Boise, Coeur d’Alene, and Moscow, Idaho. His research interests include zooarchaeology, foodways, historical inequalities and collections management. He also served as president of the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) 2018-2020.

When not obsessing over various archaeology-related topics, Warner is fixating on the current state of Detroit’s professional sports teams and the wellbeing of Michigan athletics in general. He is originally from Michigan and is married to Amy Grey. They have two children, Tom and Sam.

• Historical Archaeology
• Zooarchaeology
• Food Studies
• Archaeologies of Inequality
• Material Culture Studies
• Collections Management
• Western U.S.

Books and other major projects

• Using and Curating Archaeological Collections. Mark Warner and S. Terry Childs, eds. Society for American Archaeology Press, Washington, DC 2019
• Historical Archaeology through a Western Lens. Mark Warner and Margaret Purser, eds. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE 2017
• Eating in the Side Room: Food, Archaeology and African American Identity. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 2015.
• The Other Side of Sandpoint: Early History and Archaeology Beside the Tracks Robert M. Weaver, James C. Bard and Mark S. Warner, Principal investigators (Four volume report on excavations)
• Annapolis Pasts: An Historical Archaeology of Annapolis, Maryland. Paul A. Shackel, Paul R. Mullins, and Mark S. Warner, eds., University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee. 1998

Journals Edited—Thematic Issues

• Historical Archaeology in Idaho. Molly Swords and Mark Warner, eds. Idaho Archaeologist 41(2) 2018.
• Living in Cities’ Revisited: Trends in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Urban Archaeology. Mark S. Warner and Paul R. Mullins, eds. Historical Archaeology. 42 (1) 2008.

Selected Articles

• Urine on the Shelves: Odious Materials in Archaeological Collections. Mark S. Warner and Ray von Wandruszka. Advances in Archaeological Practice (in press).
• Epilogue: Widening the Western Lens. In The Archaeology of Place and Space in the West. Carolyn L. White and Emily Dale, eds. Pp. 129-132. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, UT. 2022.
• Recognizing and Analyzing Chinese Stone Drugs. Ray von Wandruszka and Mark S. Warner. Historical Archaeology Technical Briefs. 55(4):597-605. 2021.
• “A WEAK MAN can now cure himself…” Brothels as Alternative Venues for Treatment of “Private Diseases of Men” – and other afflictions. In Historical Sex Work: New Contributions from History and Archaeology, Kristen R. Fellows, Angela J. Smith, and Anna M. Munns, eds. Pp 234-246. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 2020.
• Every Artifact is (not) Sacred: A Call to Rethink Historical Archaeology’s Collections Management Assumptions and Practices. In Using and Curating Archaeological Collections. S. Terry Childs and Mark S. Warner, eds. Pp. 141-150. Society for American Archaeology Press, Washington DC. 2019.
• Writing Tensions: Voices that Help—and Those that Don’t. Journal of Northwest Anthropology 53(1):162-164. 2019.
• A Practical Approach to Chemical Analysis of Historical Artifacts. Ray Von Wandruszka and Mark Warner Historical Archaeology 52(4): 741-752. 2018.
• The Wild, Mild West: Settling Communities and Settling Households in Turn of the Century Idaho. Pp. 304-322 In Historical Through a Western Lens. Mark Warner and Margaret Purser, eds. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln NE.2017.
• Public Archaeologies in the West: A Case Study from Boise, Idaho. Mark Warner, Tracy Schwartz, Stacey Camp, Jessica Goodwin, Amanda Bielmann, Tim Mace. Journal of Northwest Anthropology 48(2): 213-234. 2014.
• Chemical Identification of Materials Recovered from an Archaeological Excavation in Sandpoint, Idaho. Michael A. Spinner, Adeline M. Lustig, Mark Warner, Ray von Wandruszka. Journal of the Idaho Academy of Science 47(1): 29-53. 2011.
• Why I Gave Away My American Antiquity: Some Thoughts on the Relationship Between Historical Archaeologists and American Antiquity. The SAA Archaeological Record 2009 9(2): 6-7.
• “Cats here, cats there, cats and kittens everywhere” (but not in Cincinnati): An Urban Extermination. In Living in Cities’ Revisited: Trends in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Urban Archaeology. Mark S. Warner and Paul R. Mullins, eds. Historical Archaeology. 42(1): 11-25, 2008.
• Building Ties: The Collaboration between the Miami Nation and Archaeology. Mark S. Warner and Daryl Baldwin In Places in Mind: Archaeology as Applied Anthropology. Paul A. Shackel and Erve Chambers, eds. Routledge: London, 137–152. 2004.

2012 - Present: Idaho Public Archaeology (Co-PI with Katrina Eichner): Multiple Community-engaged excavation throughout the state.

• 2012: Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga Boarding House, Boise
• 2014: Ft. Boise Surgeon’s Quarters, Boise
• 2014: Campus archaeology project, Moscow
• 2015: Erma Hayman House and surrounding neighborhood, Boise
• 2016: Ft. Boise Parade Ground Testing and Mitigation, Boise
• 2016: James Castle House, Boise,
• 2019: Moscow High School, Moscow
• 2021: Ft. Sherman archaeology project, Coeur d’Alene

2015 - Present: Collaborative Agreement with Boise National Forest: Collections-centered project analyzing and curating materials recovered from multiple excavations of Chinese Diaspora sites in the Boise Basin. To date, materials have been analyzed from 16 sites (approximately 58,000 artifacts) producing one Ph.D., two M.A. theses, three technical reports, 16 conference presentations by students-- and 25 students employed on the project.

2007 - 2013: Sandpoint Archaeology Project: Excavation of multiple areas in Sandpoint Idaho, exploring early settlement of the region, collaboration with SWCA Environmental Consultants and EHC Inc. Excavations included two brothels, blacksmith shop, multiple businesses, a hotel and a Chinese residence/business.

2003 - 2004: Nora Creek Excavations: Excavation of an historical farmstead near Troy, Idaho.

1997 - Present: Collaboration with the Miami Nation: Ongoing relationship with the Miami, resulting in multiple field projects of the past 15 years. Miami, Okla.

1988 - 1998: Archaeology in Annapolis: Ongoing archaeology project exploring the many histories of a colonial town. (Annapolis, Md.)

• 12 years of public archaeology collaboration in multiple Idaho locations (see research projects).
• 20 years of active service in a variety of contexts associated with the Society for Historical Archaeology and other professional organizations.
  
   

2023: University of Idaho Donald G. Crawford Graduate Mentoring Award.

2018-2020: president, Society for Historical Archaeology

2018: University of Idaho Award for Excellence in Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Research Award (with Ray von Wandruszka)

2017: Historical Archaeology Through a Western Lens recognized as a Choice 2017 Outstanding Academic Title

2006: University of Idaho Excellence in Teaching Award

University of Idaho Alumni Award for Excellence (nine-time recipient)

Approximately $1,000,000 in grants and contracts generated ($680,000 external funding)