Elizabeth C. Clay

Elizabeth Clay is a historical and anthropological archaeologist. At Central, she is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and directs the Archaeology Laboratory for African and African Diaspora Studies.

Dr. Clay’s research interests include the comparative study of slavery and freedom in the colonial Americas, French colonialism and postcolonialism, and critical cultural heritage. Her methodologies engage with archaeological excavation and collections-based analyses, archival research, the study of landscapes, community-based collaborations, and remote sensing technologies. Her most recent projects investigate the afterlives of slavery in French Guiana, an overseas department of France in South America, using methods from anthropology, history, and Caribbean Studies.