John O’Hara
Ph.D. in Archaeological Anthropology
NYU Department of Anthropology
Email: johara9@gmail.com
Research Interests
- Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic Europe
- ornamentation and symbolic technologies
- lithic analysis
- archaeological theory
- Paleolithic archaeology
- symbolic technologies
- stable isotope analysis
- heritage management
Current Research
I am an archaeologist with a particular interest in the Palaeolithic. My dissertation focuses on the Magdalenian complex in France and Spain, using typo-technological variability and stable isotope analyses ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and δ 18 O) of perforated teeth and shells to access the cultural geographies and social organization of these Late Upper Palaeolithic societies. My research is funded by a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation, and a Dissertation Fieldwork Grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation.
More broadly, my interests also extend across Palaeolithic and Mesolithic archaeology, lithic analysis, archaeometry, geoarchaeology, GIS, archaeological method and theory, social and symbolic technologies, and the use of stable isotopes analysis in archaeology. I have worked as a Field Director at the open air Late Upper Palaeolithic site of Peyre Blanque (Ariège, France) for several years, where my responsibilities include supervising excavation and instructing field school students. I have also worked for several years in heritage management, and remain interested in the legislation, promotion and research potential of compliance-driven archaeology.
Publications
[ Academia | ResearchGate ]O’Hara, J., White, R., Garrett, Z. S., Higham, T., & Roussot, A. 2016. The Aurignacian Site of the Abri de la Souquette (commune de Sergeac, Dordogne): A History of Archaeology. P@lethnology 7: 98-117.
Rigaud, S. & O’Hara, J. 2013. Les objets de parure de Rochereil (Grand-Brassac, Dronne): premiers résultats, compléments méthodologiques et perspectives analytiques. Peuplements et cultures à la fin du Tardiglaciaire dans le Nord du Périgord, entre Dronne et Tardoire: Rapport intermédiaire d’opération archéologique.
O’Hara, J. 2011. Retour sur la collection lithique (fouille Roussot) de l’Abri de la Souquette: recherches en cours. Abri Castanet, Secteur Sud et d’autres interventions dans le vallon de Castel-Merle (Commune de Sergeac, Dordogne): Rapport de fouille programmée (et demande de renouvellement pour 2012).
White, R. & O’Hara, J. 2010. Reprise des données pour l’abri de La Souquette. Abri Castanet, Secteur Sud et d’autres interventions dans le vallon de Castel-Merle (Commune de Sergeac, Dordogne): Rapport de fouille programmée (et demande de renouvellement pour 2011).
Selected Presentations
O’Hara, J. Reconstructing Social Geographies in Late Glacial Franco-Cantabria. 81st Society for American Archaeology Meetings, Orlando, FL, April 6-10, 2016.
O’Hara, J. Assembling Identity with Pieces of Places: Personal Ornaments in the Magdalenian. North American Theoretical Archaeology Group 2015 Conference, New York, NY, May 22-24, 2015.
O’Hara, J. The Social Geographies of Personal Ornamentation in Magdalenian Franco-Cantabria. 80th Society for American Archaeology Meetings, San Francisco, CA, April 15-19, 2015.
O’Hara, J. Ongoing Research at the Abri de la Souquette: Reinterpreting an Aurignacian site in the Dordogne, France. Where The Wild Things Are 2.0: Further Advances in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Research, Durham, U.K., January 8-10, 2014.
O’Hara, J. Re-analysis of an Aurignacian-period site in the Dordogne, France. Aurignacian Genius: Art, Technology and Society of the First Modern Humans in Europe, International Symposium, New York, NY, April 8-10, 2013.