Dr. George Leader

Biography

Dr. Leader is an archaeologist interested in a wide range of transmission of cultural traditions and behaviors found in the material culture record. His research interests include hominid behavior and cognitive abilities as evidenced by the stone tool record in South Africa. He excavates sites in central South Africa that have yielded thousands of stone tools displaying high levels of complexity in the manufacturing process. These sites, located in the Vaal River basin, are dated using cosmogenic nuclide burial dating to between 1.7 and 1.2 million years ago. His focus on technological changes over long sequences of time provides insight into the social traditions and cognitive abilities of hominids over various periods. The careful production of highly standardized localized Victoria West prepared cores is seen as an archaeological record that displays unique cultural indicators for hominids living in the region during that time. Dr. Leader’s research extends into the Namib desert, where he leads a team investigating the earliest hominin occupations in arid and hyper-arid landscapes, examining technological and behavioral adaptations. In mid-Atlantic, he is the principal investigator for research projects in colonial America, including the Arch Street Project in Philadelphia, where excavations recovered artifacts linked to trade from England during the 18th and 19th centuries. His work has been featured in the New York Archaeology Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and he has appeared on the Discovery Channel and NPR.

Research Interests