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The University of Southampton
Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute

Peter Campbell

PhD Studentship on Social Aspects of Maritime Technology and the Roman Warship Ram

Peter Campbell's Photo

Hi, I'm Peter Campbell and I studied within Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute at the University of Southampton.

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee) in 2006 and a Master of Arts (East Carolina University) in 2009. I worked with Clemson University, University of Nottingham, and RPM Nautical Foundation before joining the Archaeology PhD program and Centre for Maritime Archaeology in Semester 2011.

This doctoral research examines technological innovation and development from a maritime point of view, using a primary data set of seven recently discovered bronze rams that were formerly attached to ancient warships. The project is multidisciplinary, with quantitative data gathered for analysis at the National Oceanographic Centre and tested at Ship Science in the Engineering Department, while the findings are interpreted to understand social aspects of ancient technology at Archaeology. Only two waterline rams have ever been discovered previously, so this project offers insight into some of the rarest artefacts from antiquity. This unique collection will help elucidate trends in technological innovation and change in the first instance relating to maritime technology of antiquity but with a broader application to all maritime technology, past and present. The strength of this research lies in its cross-faculty approach, which draws data from each discipline and conclusions that are relevant to all.

The research supervisors are an impressive group of scholars, many who collaborated on analysing the Belgammel Ram in 2010. Professor Ian Croudace specializes in geochemistry at the National Oceanographic Centre that oversaw analysis of the Belgammel Ram. Professor Stephen Turnock and Dr Dominic Hudson are specialists in maritime engineering at Ship Science. Professor Simon Keay is an expert in Roman archaeology and Professor Jon Adams specializes in maritime archaeology and led the research into the Belgammel ram. Dr Julian Whitewright is an expert on maritime technological change in Antiquity. Dr Lucy Blue, Director of the Centre for Maritime Archaeology, is a specialist in maritime archaeology and appointed PhD supervisor. Research relating to the ancient rams would not have been possible were it not for the continued support of Dr Jeff Royal, Director of RPM Nautical Foundation, and Dr Sebastiano Tusa, Sovrintendente del Mare.

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