Assistant Professor
Biography
I use zooarchaeological and stable isotope analyses, as well as Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) to explore a range of topics concerning the relationships between humans and animals in the past. This includes examining the development and spread of pastoralism through Africa and other parts of the world, interrogating early herd management strategies in Kenya and Tanzania, and assessing the diverse nature of the incorporation of domestic fauna into native foodways and ranching economies in California.
I direct the Zooarchaeology Laboratory and Vertebrate Osteology Collections, and advise undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students pursuing research using faunal remains to understand the past. Researchers interested in accessing the Vertebrate Osteology Collections can contact me (ajanzen@utk.edu).
Stable Isotope and ZooMS Laboratory
I also manage a laboratory space for sampling and preparation of archaeological material for stable isotope and ZooMS analysis. I welcome all students who are interested in using these methods in their research.
Education
2015 Ph.D. University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Anthropology
2010 M.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, Department of Anthropology
2007 B.A. University of California, Berkeley, Integrative Biology and Anthropology
Teaching
African Archaeology (ANTH 364)
Stable Isotope Ecology (ANTH 431)
Archaeological Science (ANTH 520)
Principles of Zooarchaeology (ANTH 464)
Seminar in Zooarchaeology (ANTH 520)
Laboratory Studies in Zooarchaeology (ANTH 521)
Publications
2021 Janzen, A., K. K. Richter, S. Brown, O. Mwebi, V. Onduso, F. Gatwiri, E. Ndiema, M. Katongo, S. T. Goldstein, K. Douka, N. Boivin. Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry in Africa: Distinguishing among African bovids and new insights into Iron Age foodways. PLOS One 16(5), e0251061
2021 Culley, C.*, A. Janzen, S. Brown, M. Prendergast, C. Shipton, E. Ndiema, M. Petraglia, N. Boivin, A. Crowther. Iron Age hunting and herding in coastal eastern Africa: ZooMS identification of domesticates and wild bovids at Panga ya Saidi, Kenya. Journal of Archaeological Science 130, 105368
2021 Bleasdale, M.*, K. K. Richter, A. Janzen, S. Brown, A. Scott, J. Zech, S. Wilkin, K. Wang, S. Schiffels, J. Desideri, M. Besse, J. Reinold, M. Saad, H. Babiker, R. Power, E. Ndiema, C. Ogola, F. Manthi, M. Zahir, M. Petraglia, C. Trachsel, P. Nanni, J. Grossmann, J. Hendy, A. Crowther, P. Roberts, S.T. Goldstein, N. Boivin. Direct evidence for ancient milk consumption in eastern Africa. Nature Communications 12 (632). https://doi.org/10.1038/
2020 Janzen, A., C. Bataille, S. Copeland, R. Quinn, D. Reed, M. Hamilton, V. Grimes, M. P. Richards, S. H. Ambrose, P. le Roux, P. Roberts. Spatial variation in bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr ratios in eastern Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 109957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
2020 Janzen, A., M. Balasse, S. H. Ambrose. Early pastoral mobility in Kenya assessed through stable isotope analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 117: 105099
2020 Grillo, K. M., J. Dunne, F. Marshall, M. E. Prendergast, E. Casanova, A. O. Gidna, A. Janzen, Karega-Munene, J. Keute, A. Z. P. Mabulla, P. Robertshaw, T. Gillard, C. Walton-Doyle, H. L. Whelton, K Ryan, R. Evershed. Molecular and isotopic evidence for milk, meat and plants in prehistoric eastern African herder food systems. PNAS https://doi.org/
2020 Roberts, P. R., M. E. Prendergast, A. Janzen, C. Shipton, J. Blinkhorn, J. Zech, M. Petraglia, N. Boivin. Late Pleistocene to Holocene human palaeoecology in the tropical environments of coastal eastern Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 537: 109438.
2019 Sawchuk, E. A. Susan Pfeiffer, C. E. Klehm, M. E. Cameron, A. C. Hill, A. Janzen, K. M. Grillo, E. A. Hildebrand. The bioarchaeology of mid-Holocene pastoralist cemeteries west of Lake Turkana, Kenya. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 11:6221–6241.
2019 Chritz, K. L, T. E. Cerling, K. H. Freeman, E. A. Hildebrand, A. Janzen, M. E. Prendergast. Climate, ecology, and the spread of herding in eastern Africa. Quaternary Science Reviews.
2018 Prendergast, M. E., A. Janzen, M. Buckley, K. M. Grillo. Sorting the sheep from the goats in the Pastoral Neolithic: morphological and biomolecular approaches at Luxmanda, Tanzania. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
2018 Schneider, T. D., A. Janzen, G. M. Deantoni, A. Hill, A. J. Apodaca. Indigenous Persistence and Foodways at the Toms Point Trading Post, Tomales Bay, California. Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology 38(1)51–73.
2018 Hildebrand, E. H., K. Grillo, E. Sawchuk, S. Pfeiffer, L. Conyers, S. Goldstein, A. Hill, A. Janzen, C. Klehm, M. Helper, P. Kiura, E. Ndiema, C. Ngugi, J. Shea, H. Wang. A monumental cemetery built by eastern Africa’s first herders near Lake Turkana, Kenya. PNAS.
2018 Ventresca-Miller, A., R. Fernandes, A. Janzen, A. Nayak, J. Swift, J. Zech, P. Roberts. A visual demonstration of sampling and pretreatment of tooth enamel for paleodietary and paleoenvironmental stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis. Journal of Visualized Experiments (138).
2017 Janzen, A. A. Hill, T. D. Schneider. Toms Point zooarchaeology: Archaeological faunas shed light on the diets of past Toms Point residents. Ardeid 2017:10-13.
2017 Janzen, A. Using stable isotopes to explore ancient wildebeest biogeographies in the context of pastoral expansion. Backdirt: Annual Review: 20-25.
2014 Monroe, J. C. and A. Janzen. La fête du Dahomey: Politique et les pratiques culinaires des elites en 18e et 19e siècle Afrique Occidental. Afriques (En ligne) 5.
2014 Janzen, A., R.E.B. Reid, A. Vasquez and D. Gifford-Gonzalez. Smaller fragment size facilitates energy-efficient bone grease production. Journal of Archaeological Science 49:518-523.
2014 Monroe, J.C. and A. Janzen. The Dahomean Feast: Royal Women, Private Politics, and Culinary Practices in Atlantic West Africa. African Archaeological Review 31(2):299-337.
2014 Janzen, A. Exploring ancient pastoral mobility through stable isotope analysis: A case study from Kenya. Backdirt: Annual Review.
2013 Balasse, M., A. Bălăşescu, A. Janzen, J. Ughetto-Monfrin, P. Mirea, R. Andreescu. Early herding at Măgura-Boldul lui Moş Ivănuş (early sixth millennium BC, Romania): environments and seasonality from stable isotope analysis. European Journal of Archaeology 16(2):221-246.
2009 Janzen, A. and T.D. Schneider. Analysis of fauna from the Thomas Site, a shell mound in Marin County, California. SCA Proceedings 23: 1-9.