Geologist, ceramic specialist and laboratory manager for the Archaeomaterials Group. My primary interest is the raw materials of artifacts, exploring: (1) where they came from and how and why they were used; (2) the technical vs social development of ancient manufacturing processes; (3) the relationship between material culture and landscape.
Recent research activities focus on two World Heritage sites,
1) Çatalhöyük Project. Investigating the role of clay, both as a raw material and a landscape determinant.
2) Chinese high-fired ceramics - a raw materials perspective. A long-standing research theme now in collaboration with the Palace Museum, Beijing. Moving away from conventional chemical characterisations to a more holistic approach that explains ceramic development through raw materials: initially focusing on the Five Great Wares of the Song Dynasty (Ding, Ru, Jun, Guan and Ge wares).
