Crawford, Gray

Gary Crawford
Professor
Anthropology
905-828-3783
g.crawford@utoronto.ca
http://www.profgarycrawford.ca/
Research & Expertise Keywords: 
archaeology, archaeobotany, palaeoethnobotany, East Asia, Japan, China, Korea, eastern North America, Ontario, origins of agriculture, food production, domestication, Ainu, Princess Point

Full Research Description:
My current research focuses on East Asia (particularly China) where I am investigating both human and plant interactions and the origins and intensification of agriculture. The work is mainly in the Huanghe (Yellow River) valley of Shandong and Henan provinces. My research also involves the Jomon and Ainu of northern Japan.

I have also investigated human and plant interactions in eastern North America (mainly Ontario and Kentucky). For a number of years I have been particularly interested in the beginnings (ca. 400-1100 A.D) of the maize, bean, squash and sunflower production complex in Ontario.

My work is informed by ecological theory as well as a comparative approach. The similarities and difference between Eastern North America and East Asia between 10,000 and 1000 years ago are especially intriguing to me.