Christopher Dostal
  • Assistant Professor
  • Frederick R. Mayers Professorship in Nautical Archaeology II
  • Director of Conservation Research Laboratory
  • Director of Analytical Archaeology Laboratory
  • Director of Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation
  • Pronouns: He/Him/His
  • Phone: 979-845-5242
  • Email: dostalc@tamu.edu
  • Office: Anthropology 102
  • Document: CV
Research Areas
  • Nautical Archaeology

Biography

Courses Taught:

  • ANTH 313/607 – Historical Archaeology
  • ANTH 605 – Conservation of Archaeological Resources I
  • ANTH 606 – Conservation of Archaeological Resources II
  • ANTH 617 – Conservation III--Preservation of Organic Materials
  • ANTH 663 – Analytical Methods in Archaeology and Conservation

Current Graduate Students:

Research Interests

  • Historical-period maritime archaeology in North America and Western Europe
  • The conservation and long-term preservation of waterlogged archaeological artifacts
  • In situ preservation and documentation techniques for underwater archaeological sites
  • X-ray fluorescence elemental analysis of archaeological artifacts
  • Digital imaging and 3D modeling of archaeological artifacts
  • Public outreach

Educational Background

  • PhD, Texas A&M University, 2017
  • MA, Texas A&M University, 2015
  • BA, University of Colorado, 2011

Selected Publications

    • Dostal, C. 2025. Improving the Final Atmospheric Seal of Conserved Archaeological Iron from Marine Sites: A Case Study of Cannon Conservation in Louisiana. Journal of Maritime Archaeology.Vol 20, pages 409–418 June 2025.

    • Breyfogle, K and Dostal, C. 2025. Addressing the Precipitation of Hydrated Carbonates on a Bronze Cannon from the Alamo. ACS Omega. 10.1021/acsomega.5c03779

    • Breyfogle, K and Dostal, C. 2025. The chelation of silicone-treated wood artifacts to address sulfate precipitation, Journal of Cultural Heritage, Vol 75, Pages 237-244

    • Dostal, C. Breyfogle, K, and Kennedy, C. 2025. A Call to Action Regarding Vinegar Syndrome Degradation of 1:1 Drawings in Nautical Archaeology. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 1-8.

    • DeCasien, S. Dostal, C., and Grieco, G. 2025. An Experimental Archaeological Project in Recreating an Ancient Bronze Naval Ram. Journal of Archaeological Science. Volume 178, June 2025, 106217.

    • Dostal, C., Ioset, B. and Kennedy, C., 2025. An Analysis of an 18th Century Sailing Lighter Discovered Along the Alexandria, VA Waterfront. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. 1-14. 

    • 2024 Casimiro, T.M., Dostal, C., Castro, F. et al. Metal Objects Were Much Desired: A Sixteenth-Century Shipwreck Cargo off the Coast of Esposende (Portugal) and the Importance of Studying Ship Cargos. J Mari Arch 19, 23–40. 
    • 2023 Dostal, C. X-Ray fluorescence as a method of characterizing inorganic pigment patterns in the work of Julian Onderdonk. Heliyon, 9(10).
    • 2023 Kennedy, C. and Dostal, C. Note de recherche. Shipwrecked at Land’s End: The Gaspé Maritime Archaeology Project 2022 Field Season. Archéologiques. June 2023, No. 36, p. 17-33. 
    • 2020 Grieco, G, Fix, P, Kennedy, C, Herbst, J, Shultz, L, Borrero, R, and Christopher Dostal. 2020. The Documentation and Reconstruction of an 18th Century Wooden Ship from Alexandria, VA. Digital Application in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. Vol. 16. 
    • 2020 Integrating digital and conventional recording techniques for the documentation and reconstruction of an 18th-Century wooden ship from Alexandria, VA. With Glenn Grieco, Peter Fix, Carolyn Kennedy, Julia Herbst, Lauren Shultz, and Ricardo Borrero. (Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Vol. 16)
    • 2018 Dostal, C, and Yamafune, K. Photogrammetric Texture Mapping: A Method for Increasing the Fidelity of 3D Models of Cultural Heritage Materials, with Kotaro Yamafune. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 18C pp. 430-436
    • 2018 Photogrammetric Texture Mapping: A Method for Increasing the Fidelity of 3D Models of Cultural Heritage Materials, with Kotaro Yamafune. (Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 18C pp. 430-436)
    • 2017 Recording, Publishing, and Reconstructing Wooden Shipwrecks, with Castro, F, Bendig, C, Berube, M, Budsberg, N, Monteiro, A, Smith, C, Torres, R, and Yamafune, K. (Journal of Maritime Archaeology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11457-017-9185-8 )