Material Culture and Data Science

Co-ordinator: Thilo Rehren
Deputy Co-ordinator: Ethan Cochrane
Graduate Co-ordinator: Bastian Asmus

The Material Culture and Data Science Research Group brings together individuals with a research interest in the instrumental and numerical analysis of archaeological materials, and generally the application of quantitative methods within a broader archaeological framework. A major aim of the group is the comparative study of ancient technologies and their development over time and space by analysing the form and composition of artefacts, raw materials and waste products, and by means of experimental studies. As a group, it aims to optimize the research productivity of the Institute's considerable assets in this area, and to promote the understanding of science-based archaeological information as part of a network of social, cultural, economic and environmental interactions. A primary means to this end is for the group as a whole to facilitate the integration of quantitative methods and data within projects being developed by other research groups, and for its individual members to actively contribute to ongoing research, in addition to their own projects.

The Material Culture and Data Science Research Group is the youngest of the Institute's five primary research groups : it indicates the increasing importance of scientific and numerical approaches within archaeology in general, and reflects the Institute of Archaeology's long-standing contribution and commitment to this field.

Within this group, there are two intentionally overlapping broad themes: i ) the study of artefacts and their interaction with the humans who made and used them, and ii) the comparative study of the primary production of metals, glass, ceramics, lithics and pigments, as constrained by their raw materials and necessary physico-chemical conditions, and the human adaptation of production processes to changing environmental, technical, and economic parameters. There is considerable co-operation between these two themes and other Research Groups, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the research. Major projects include:

• Ceramics and metal working in early Medieval Novgorod; this is the first comprehensive investigation using modern materials science methods in this high-profile Russian excavation project (further details, [1],[2])
• Study of indigenous ceramic production and distribution in the Andes (further details) and Pacific (further details) as a function of ecological and cultural changes and constraints
• Metallurgy and ceramics in ancient China; a major area of activity with several papers already in press and several projects just starting, including a major externally-funded project in co-operation with the Terracotta Army Museum for the first systematic analytical investigation of the terracotta figures and their metalwork (further details, [1],[2],[3])
• Development of early metallurgy and analytical chemistry in Renaissance Europe combining archaeological evidence and written sources (further details, [1], [2])
• Metallurgy of pre-modern lead and silver production in Europe, China and South America; particularly noteworthy is the project near Potosi, Bolivia which is the first documented silver production site in South America (further details)
• LBA glass and bronze production in Egypt, including the first firm identification of glassmaking in ancient Egypt (further details)
• The social context of raw material acquisition in antiquity, including application of social models to production data from 2nd millennium BC quarry sites in Egypt (further details)
• Stone vessel production in the east Mediterranean Bronze Age (further details, [1],[2])
• Development and integration of experimental archaeology as a teaching and research tool, for ceramic, metal and glass production (further details, [1], [2],[3])

Meetings and and Further Information

Please see the following links for forthcoming events or a selected list of previous events.

In 2007-8, this Research Group was involved in hosting or co-hosting internal seminars as part of the Current Research at the Institute of Archaeology series, as well as preparing the 10th European Meeting for Ancient Ceramics for 2009.

For further details of our activities, please contact the Research Group coordinator or see our Research Group Reports:

• 2006-07
• 2005-06
• 2004-05

This page last modified 20 October, 2009 by [IoA Webmaster]