The School of History, Classics and Archaeology is home to several archaeologists conducting experimental archaeology.
Dr Chloe Duckworth has experience with among others Roman and medieval glass. She teaches for example the module “you are what you make”. This module explores - and helps you to learn - the skills and techniques humans have used for millennia to control, manipulate, and construct the world around us.
In practical classes, you will knap flint, make your own glass beads, and learn to smelt metal from its ores. In lectures, we will explore the methods used to reconstruct ancient technologies, and look at the 'how' and the 'why' of human invention. You'll never look at the world in the same way again.
Dr Andrea Dolfini is also based at Newcastle University. One of his main research interests is early metal technology; metalwork wear analysis; experimental archaeology; prehistoric weaponry and warfare. He was involved with the Bronze Age Tree-felling and Woodworking Experimental Project BATWEP, but is better known for Bronze Age Combat: An Experimental Approach. This project investigates Late Bronze Age sword, spear, axe and shield fighting through field experiments, combat tests, and wear analysis. For more information in this project, see: https://sites.google.com/site/bronzeagecombat/
Newcastle University is also home to EXARN (Experimental Archaeology Newcastle), a postgraduate student led Experimental Archaeology research group. EXARN, affiliated with the Cluster for Interdisciplinary Artefact Studies (CIAS), promotes the study of material culture, archaeo-materials and ancient technologies through experimental archaeology. Its aim is to bring together researchers employing experimental archaeology and to encourage, aid and inform those interested in this research method, students and academics alike. EXARN's experimental projects are mainly related to the members' own postgraduate research.
Photo: Colin Rennie, National Glass Centre, blowing experimentally recycled Anglo-Saxon glass at Jarrow Hall. This project was designed by Newcastle PhD student and current EXARN president, Victoria Lucas (in the background). Photo by Dr Chloe Duckworth.
