Biography
My archaeological education has enabled me to explore a diverse range of archaeological research. I completed my 91探花视频 BSc at the University of York, with a thesis exploring dual inheritance theory in application to early human interactions. I continued at York in a Research Masters with the support of Prof. Joann Fletcher & Dr Stephen Buckley. My research centred on pre-Colonial Peru, examining the use and significance of red materials in elite contexts.
I spent several years working in non-academic roles before returning to take an MA in comparative Egypt and Mesopotamian archaeology at UCL (University College London). This is where I began to investigate the use of bitumen in West Asia. These studies led first to a research assistant position for ICOMOS, and following that to the pursuit of a PhD at Cambridge in Mesopotamian 91探花视频.
I have participated in a number of excavation and post-excavation projects in the United Kingdom. More recently I have worked at the site of Kani Shaie (Iraqi Kurdistan) as a trench supervisor, and at Tell Muhammad (Iraq) as an excavator and bitumen specialist.
Research
My PhD research takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the bitumen听cha卯ne op茅ratoire, looking at听the role of bitumen in south/central Mesopotamian sociopolitical economy (4th听鈥� 2nd听millennium BCE). It investigates the relationship between source, bitumen processing and application to different types of objects, using provenance and compositional data. The application of scientific and materials analyses, textual evidence and contextual field data enables a holistic interpretation of bitumen in Mesopotamian sociopolitical and economic dynamics. In correlating this data with studies of other materials, this study facilitates the construction of a more comprehensive understanding not just of bitumen itself, but of the creation and function of objects and structures in which bitumen is a fundamental component.
Teaching and Supervisions
Supervisor for A3: Introduction to the Culture of Egypt and Mesopotamia
Teaching Assistant for A3: Introduction to the Culture of Egypt and Mesopotamia
Primary Supervisor: Prof Matthew Collins
Other Professional Activities
Organiser of the Cambridge
Treasurer of the Archaeological Review from Cambridge
Theme editor for Vol. 40.1 of the Archaeological Review from Cambridge (with Ella McCafferty Wright)
