Nicholas Puente
- President - Anthropology Graduate Student Association
Hale 130M
In person Tuesday 2-3pm and Friday 1-2pm, or zoom by appointment
Nicholas is an anthropological archaeologist that specializes in ancient Mesoamerica, specifically the Maya of the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Nicholas has participated in several archaeological excavations across Mexico including the states of Oaxaca and Yucatán. His research interests include collaborating with contemporary Maya peoples through community archaeology, understanding how ancient Maya peoples utilized caves, and investigating how non-elite Maya communities were affected by the Terminal Classic period transition. Nicholas Puente holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University Chicago and an MA in Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder where he is currently a PhD candidate.
Nicholas’ dissertation research considers how ancient Maya peoples navigated periods of intense and frequent drought, during what is known as the Terminal Classic period “collapse” (900 – 1100 CE), at the archaeological site of Punta Laguna, in Yucatán, Mexico. Specifically, he analyzes how ancient Maya peoples engaged with subterranean spaces. Caves are conceptualized by Maya peoples as liminal entryways into the underworld realm of deities. As such, caves were frequently used to engage with deities and ancestors. Nicholas has been a member of the Punta Laguna Archaeological Project (PLAP), co-directed by Dr. Sarah Kurnick and David Rogoff, since 2020. The PLAP has conducted investigations at the archaeological site of Punta Laguna since 2014. Nicholas currently works with the PLAP as the director of the Punta Laguna Caves Project, a subproject that explores how Maya peoples interacted with caves.