Alison Betts

Biography

I specialize in the archaeology of the lands along the Silk Roads from Western Asia to China. I have worked extensively in eastern Jordan, Karakalpakstan and Xinjiang and have a special interest in the study of nomadic peoples in mountains, deserts and steppes. My current research centres around the dispersal of early domesticated plants and animals across Asia from their centres of origin in the Middle East and China. I am exploring prehistoric economies and traditional agricultural practices along the southern rim of the Himalayas, a key crossroads for early cultural exchanges.