William Taylor

Biography

Dr. Taylor’s research focuses on the relationship between humans and animals, with a topical focus on horses and animal domestication, and a technical emphasis on archaeozoology, glacial archaeology, archaeological science, and emerging technologies. He has ongoing field projects in the Great Plains and the American Southwest as well as Mongolia and the Steppes of Central Asia. He also conducts museum collections research in China, Australia, and South America.

Related Media

• Horses in the North American West - CU Museum of Natural History
• "Melting Mongolian Ice Reveals Fragile Artifacts that Provide Clues About How Past People Lived" - The Conversation
• "Discovering High Plains Horsemanship through Nebraska Archeology" - History Nebraska
• "Horses Had Dentists 3,000 Years Ago" - National Geographic
• "How Ancient Exchanges in Central Asia Shaped the Modern World" - The Diplomat
• "The Khangai Nomadic Heritage Archaeology Project 2017" - National Museum of Mongolia
• "Archaeology sheds light on Mongolia’s uncertain nomadic future" - The Guardian

Graduate Studies Information

Areas of Research

•     Great Plains and the American Southwest
•     Mongolian Altai
•     Australia
•     Kyrgyzstan
•     China and the Silk Road

Working with Dr. Taylor

Dr. Taylor is currently working on establishing an Archaeozoology and ZooMS laboratory at the University of Colorado. Ongoing research projects explore the role of horses in human societies in East Asia (Mongolia/China), Australia, and the introduction of domestic horses, donkeys, and mules into the Americas.

Dr. Taylor is looking for graduate students with an interest in:

•     Plains/Southwest archaeology
•     Historical archaeology of the Americas
•     Animal domestication
•     Archaeozoology
•     3D and emerging technologies in museum studies
•     Asian and Australian archaeology

*Professor Taylor is not currently accepting Ph.D. applicants​ for Fall 2024