Research Group: Classical and historical archaeology

Within our general interest in questions of social and cultural change, we are currently exploring specific issues such as the structure and organisation Roman Empire, and broader areas such as the origins of capitalism, colonialism, social power, material culture and identity, architecture, urbanism and built space.

In Classical archaeology we are currently engaged in a number of large scale field projects, including work in Etruscan and Roman Italy, in Crete, in Roman Egypt, Spain and East Africa, and through analyses of Roman trade through material culture science. We make innovative use of emerging scientific technologies alongside our social focus, including technologies of field survey, materials analysis and digital representation.

Our work in medieval and historical archaeology has an interdisciplinary flavour, and our recent work has both consolidated a range of themes and set new agendas for research. The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture also brings together scholars from across Humanities. As ever, the social forms the bedrock of our engagements with archaeology. Specifically in the contexts of material culture, architecture, landscape and food.