Nathan Goodale
Professor of Anthropology, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Co-Director of Geoarchaeology
Nathan Goodale is a scientifically oriented anthropological archaeologist with interests in the origin of villages and small-scale, semi-sedentary societies as well as technological adaptations. He specializes in the rise of complex hunter-gatherers in the interior Pacific Northwest, the forager/farmer transition in Southwest Asia and rural coastal adaptations in western Ireland.
Goodale's research emphases include paleodemography, technological adaptations, modeling human behavior with quantitative methods, lithic technological organization, and geochemical spatial analysis, all couched in an evolutionary theoretical framework to understand human behavior. He earned his doctorate in anthropology from Washington State University.
Recent Courses Taught
History of Ideas
Method and Theory in Archaeology
Analytical Methods in Archaeology
Geographic Information Systems
Archaeological Field Methods
Principles of Archaeology
The Archaeology of Hamilton’s Founding
Hunter-Gatherers
Research Interests
Paleodemography, technological adaptations, modeling human behavior with quantitative methods, lithic technological organization, geochemical spatial analysis, geographic information systems and evolutionary theory
Selected Publications
- Goodale, Nathan, Madeleine Bassett, David G. Bailey, Ryan Lash, Ian Kuijt. 2017. "Early Medieval seascape in Western Ireland and Geochemistry of Ecclesiastical cross stones." Special issue titled “Geography on a Human Scale: Global Case Studies Exploring Landscape Archaeology” edited by Lisa M. Fontes* and Rachel A. Horowitz* Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.06.015.
- Goodale, Nathan, Katherine Hill, David G. Bailey, Alissa Nauman, Anna M. Prentiss, Emily Rubinstein, Bruce Wegter, Khori Newlander. 2017 "Geochemical Characterization of Fur Trade Period Floor Sediments from Housepit 54, Bridge River Village." In Anna M. Prentiss (editor) The Last House at Bridge River: The Archaeology of an Aboriginal Household in British Columbia during the Fur Trade Period. Pp 165-181. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
- Goodale, Nathan and William Andrefsky Jr. (Editors). 2015. Lithic Technological Systems and Evolutionary Theory. Cambridge University Press.
- Andrefsky, William Jr. and Nathan Goodale. 2015. "Lithic technology under the evolutionary tent." In N. Goodale and W. Andrefsky Jr. (eds) Lithic Technological Systems and Evolutionary Theory, pp. 3-28. Cambridge University Press.
- Goodale, Nathan William Andrefsky Jr., Curtis Osterhoudt, Lara Cueni*, Ian Kuijt. 2015. "Cultural transmission and the production of material goods: Evolutionary pattern and measuring morphology." In N. Goodale and W. Andrefsky Jr. (eds) Lithic Technological Systems and Evolutionary Theory, pp 239-252. Cambridge University Press.
- Prentiss, Anna M., Nathan Goodale, Lucile E. Harris, and Nicole Crossland. 2015. "Evolution of the slate tool industry at Bridge River, British Columbia." N. Goodale and W. Andrefsky Jr. (eds) Lithic Technological Systems and Evolutionary Theory, pp 267-292. Cambridge University Press.
- Chesson, Meredith and Nathan Goodale. 2014. "Population Aggregation, Residential Storage and Socioeconomic Inequality at Early Bronze Age Numayra." Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 35:117-134.
- Goodale, Nathan, David G. Bailey, Theodore Fondak, Alissa Nauman. 2013. “iTrowel: Mobile Devices as Transformative technology in Archaeological Field Research.” The SAA Archaeological Record 13:18-22.
- Goodale, Nathan, David G. Bailey, George T. Jones, Catherine Prescott*, Elizabeth Scholz*, Nick Stagliano*, Chelsea Lewis*. 2012. “pXRF: A study of inter-instrument performance.” Journal of Archaeological Science 39:875-883.
- Goodale, Nathan, William Andrefsky Jr. Heather Otis*, Ian Kuijt, Bill Finlayson, Ken Bart. 2012. “Reaping ‘rewards’ in sickle use-wear analysis.” Journal of Archaeological Science 39:1908-1910.
- Goodale, Nathan, George T. Jones, and Charlotte Beck. 2011. “Natural selection and material culture.” Evolution: Education and Outreach 4:427-434.
- Kuijt, Ian, Ryan Lash*, Michael Gibbins, Nathan Goodale, Jim Higgins. 2010. “Reconsidering Early Medieval coastal seascapes: New insights from Inis Airc, Co. Galway, Ireland.” Journal of Irish Archaeology 19:51-71.
- Goodale, Nathan, George T. Jones, and Charlotte Beck. 2011. “Natural selection and material culture.” Evolution: Education and Outreach 4:427-434.
- Kuijt, Ian and Nathan Goodale. 2006. “Chronological frameworks and disparate technology: An exploration of chipped stone variability and the forager/farmer transition at ‘Iraq ed-Dubb, Jordan.” Paléorient 32(1):27-45.
- Goodale, Nathan, Ian Kuijt, and Bill Finlayson. 2007. “Chipped Stone Variability: An Overview of the PPNA Lithic Assemblage from Dhra‘, Jordan.” In: Systems Techniques et Communautes du Neolithique Preceramique au Proche-Orient. Edited by L. Astruc, D. Binder and F. Briois, pp. 63-74. APDCA, Antibes
- Goodale, Nathan, Ian Kuijt, Shane Macfarlan, Curtis Osterhoudt, Bill Finlayson. 2008. “Lithic Core Reduction Techniques: Modeling Expected Diversity.” In Lithic Technology: Measure of Production, Use and Curation. Edited by William Andrefsky Jr. pp. 317-336. Cambridge University Press.
- Kuijt, Ian and Nathan Goodale. 2009. “Daily practice and the organization of space at the dawn of agriculture: A case study from the Near East.” American Antiquity. 74:403-422.
- Goodale, Nathan, Heather Otis*, Andrefsky, William Jr., Ian Kuijt, Bill Finlayson, Ken Bart. 2010. “Sickle blade life-history and the transition to agriculture: an early Neolithic case study from Southwest Asia.” Journal of Archaeological Science 37:1192-1201.
- Goodale, Nathan, William C. Prentiss and Ian Kuijt. 2004. “Cultural Complexity: A Case Study from the Upper Columbia Region of the Northwest.” In Complex Hunter-Gatherers: Evolution and Organization of Prehistoric Communities on the Plateau of Northwestern North America. Edited by W.C. Prentiss and I. Kuijt, pp. 36-48, Utah Press Publisher.
National Media
- Zandbergen, Rebecca. "Discovering the Slocan Valley Pithouses." Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Radio West July 9, 2013.
- Stovel, Laura. "Archaeologists study aboriginal village that dates back thousands of years." The Revelstoke Current July 2013.
- Rooney, David. "Archaeologists’ talk about their Sinixt village excavation was fascinating." The Revelstoke Current July 31, 2013
- Monaghan, Peter. "Archaeologists uncover markers of an ‘extinct’ ancient tribe on contested land." Chronicle of Higher Education September 17, 2012.
- Davis, Rebecca Frost. "Undergrads do archaeology, civic engagement and digital humanities." Liberal Education in a Networked World September 17, 2012.
- Lane, Hillary. "Hamilton College students uncover local history at archaeology dig." WKTV Utica NBC affiliate. September 1, 2011.
- Nesteroff, Greg. "Slocan pithouse village a window in time." Nelson Star July 28, 2011.
College Service
Chair – Committee on Academic Policy: 2017-18
Committee on Academic Policy (CAP): 2016-19 term
Chair, Anthropology Department: 2017-20
Co-Director Hamilton Analytical Lab: 2015-current
CAP Subcommittee for Committee on Academic Policy for Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies requirement: 2016-17
Working Group on Historic Preservation for Hamilton College ad hoc committee: 2016-current
Professional Affiliations
American Anthropological Association
Sigma XI: The Scientific Research Society
Council for British Research in the Levant
Society for American Archaeology
Appointed to the Faculty
2009Educational Background
Ph.D., Washington State University
M.A., The University of Montana
B.A., Western State Colorado University
