Traci Ardren

Traci Ardren received her PhD from Yale University in 1997 and is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Miami. Her research has centered on the Classic Maya city of Yaxuna for over thirty years where she works with the community of Yaxuneros to interpret the material remains of their ancestors. Recent publications utilize lidar data, excavation, and epigraphy to address the changes at Yaxuna after the arrival of Sacbe 1 from Coba, the longest ancient Maya road, and an overview of the nature of queenly power during the Classic period. Traci has also directed research at the trade centers of Chunchucmil and Xuenkal and is a member of the Hive Team at the Mayan Melipona Bee Sanctuary. The rise of culinary tourism at Yaxunah and the intersection of gender, food, and power are her current preoccupations. Find more of Traci’s current research in her most recent book, Everyday Life in the Classic Maya World (Cambridge 2023).