Megan Williams

Megan Williams is a Junior Permit Archaeologist for Ember Archaeology. She joined Ember in 2022, after working primarily at archaeological sites in Central and South America. She specializes in ancient economies, artifact analysis, and the excavation of monumental architecture. At Ember Archaeology, Megan has expanded her work into more local environments and hopes to contribute to our knowledge of trade and pre-contact economies in Alberta. Her proficiency navigating wild landscapes and her expertise in artifact analysis make her a valuable member of the team. During the winter months, Megan aids Permit and Project Archaeologists with artifact cataloguing, photography, data cleanup, and report writing.

Megan started her professional career during her undergraduate studies at Athabasca University where she was a research assistant for the Stann Creek Regional Archaeology Project in Belize. During this time Megan became certified in the use of X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) from Natural Resources Canada. She supervised at the field school and completed her Honours thesis on the XRF analysis of obsidian artifacts from the site of Alabama in Belize. Megan continued this work into her masters degree at The University of Calgary where she analyzed over 1,000 obsidian tools to determine trade routes and economic patterns at the site of Tenam Puente in the Chiapas region of Mexico. After the global pandemic forced her to more a local arena, Megan continues her use of raw materials analysis in her archaeological career in Alberta and with Ember Archaeology.

Megan has a passion for the outdoors and when she isn’t in the wilderness doing archaeology she can be found in the back-country camping, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, biking, and exploring. In her spare time Megan enjoys watching live music, reading, attempting to raise small humans, and planning her next adventure!