Nancy Benco

Areas of Expertise

Complex societies, ceramic analysis, craft production; Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Islamic archaeology. Regional focus: North Africa and the Near East.

Dr. Benco is an Old World archaeologist with particular expertise in ceramics.

To see Dr. Benco's complete CV, click here.

Current Research

Dr. Benco has conducted several seasons of field excavation at the site of al-Basra, Morocco. She is an expert on the archaeology of the Islamic world, the origins of complex societies, and ceramics. She has served as a pottery consultant for projects in Turkey, Iraq, and Peru.

Education

Ph.D. 1986, SUNY at Binghamton
Certificate (Ceramic Analysis) 1984, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.A. 1981, The George Washington University
B.A., Wittenberg University (Ohio)

Publications

Books

2004  Benco, N., ed. Anatomy of a Medieval Islamic Town. British Archaeological Reports. Oxford: Archaeopress.

Selected Articles and Book Chapters

2011  "The Production of Pottery at al-Basra, Morocco." In La céramique du haut Moyen Âge au Maghreb: Etat des recherches en cours, problèms et perspectives,P. Cressier and E. Fentress, eds., pp. 50-62. École Francaise de Rome.

2010  Robertshaw, P., N. Benco, M. Wood, L. Dussubieux, E. Melchiorre, and A. Ettahiri. "Chemical analysis of glass beads from medieval Al-Basra (Morocco)," Archaeometry 52(3): 355-79.

2004  Benco, N., A. Ettahiri, and M. Loyet. "Worked bone tools: Linking metal artisans and animal processors in Medieval Islamic Morocco," Antiquity 76(292): 447-457.

1999  Benco, N., and J.C. Boone. "Islamic settlement in Europe and North Africa." Annual Review of Anthropology 28:51-71.

Classes Taught

Anth 1003: Archaeology
Anth 3803): Old World Prehistory: First Farmers to First Cities
Anth 6103: Proseminar in Archaeology
Anth 6803: America's Archaeological Heritage
Anth 6839: Archaeology Field/Laboratory Research
Anth 6806: Technology

Last updated March 30, 2014