Donald Slater
“Where else could I take students to connect with an original 1661 Eliot Bible and ancient Maya ceramics—all without leaving campus?”Ever since I was a young child I was fascinated by objects, places, and stories connected to the past; a passion that led me to study to become an archaeologist. My primary areas of interest focus on religion, cosmology, and iconography of the ancient Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures. I direct an archaeological project that discovers, explores, and studies ancient Maya ritual caves in Yucatan, but I also have a deep interest in Colonial sites in New England . Before joining the Department of History and Social Science, my time at Andover began with 12 years at the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology—an incredible resource here on campus with which I remain closely involved. One of the highlights of my work at Andover has been leader/co-leading Learning in the World programs for students to a variety of regions in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Peru. I am fortunate that in addition to archaeology, my other greatest passions - hiking, photography, travel, and numismatics - seamlessly blend into both my professional and personal life here at Andover.