I’ve been thinking about lithic scatters a lot recently. For the uninitiated a lithic scatter is a collection of stone tools. They tend to be found on the ground surface, usually across the surface of a ploughed field, but they may also occur in other Continue reading Scatter sites: more than meets the eye
It can’t have been the Spring Publicity campaign that Cadbury planned. On the face of it, the idea: to encourage families into exploring the outdoors and engaging with heritage, was such a good one. How could it all go so horribly wrong?
Not only have they been encouraging illegal behaviour (the ransacking of archaeological sites is covered by legislation in each of the countries of the United Kingdom), it is also irresponsible. I doubt that they would suggest that kids go out and collect birds’ eggs from nests. So why was it deemed acceptable to Continue reading Chocolate: not as Relaxing as You Thought
I’ve a chapter in a new book. And, though I blow my own trumpet, it is a brilliant book. Not only does it cover a theme that is interesting to me: the relationship between people and the sea, but it combines an unusual mix of anthropology and archaeology so that you have papers on cruise ship crews from the Philippines sitting alongside papers on Neolithic archaeology. It makes for fascinating reading.
The publication started out as a session at a conference held in Bristol many years ago. Now, the editing of conference volumes is a thankless and demanding task so my heartfelt thanks must go to Gary and Tanya who took on the job for this one! I am sure that at times they despaired of ever getting everything together – editing took place across the continents just to add to the fun of it! Anyway, at last the book is out and everyone can relax.
As you will see, you do need a second mortgage in order to buy a print copy. In addition to the cheaper e-book, there is a 50% discount with the code KIN420 on print copies ordered through the Berghahn website UNTIL 30th April 2019. They are encouraging us to spread the word.
At the end of February I spent a long weekend in Aberdeenshire, investigating one of the largest, and most significant, hunter-gatherer sites in Scotland. Of course, I was not working alone, there was a big team of us including Continue reading Fun in the Test Pit
Autumn is the time when you start to think about your plans for the forthcoming year. Many of us have become accustomed to putting together research projects and considering the finance applications that we will need to make in order to run them. I’ve been very lucky, for much of my career I have been able to work Continue reading Planning problems
I’ve recently reached the end of a long process and I have been looking forward to this point. I have been working, flat out, on a new book. Actually, the process started over three years ago. Continue reading Production Issues
The submerged landscape touches us all, wherever we work. We need to bring a basic understanding of the original lie of the land to our site analyses. However, therein lies a problem. In many places, current understanding of the past position of the Continue reading The limitations of modelling
I am honoured to have been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
The Society was founded in 1780 and since then it has played an active role in promoting the heritage of Scotland. It is an impressive record. Clearly, over the years, it has had to change: matters that were considered significant 50 years ago Continue reading The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
When I studied archaeology, it was a very different topic. We learnt about cultural change through the examination of specific artefact and monument types, often assuming that the pieces that we found were finished and perfect. Continue reading Archaeology: the Pick and Mix Profession
Yesterday I finally received a copy of my new book from the publisher. It is always a process that brings out mixed emotions. Partly I am so fed up with going through the text and illustrations that I can barely bring myself to open it. Partly, Continue reading New Book: Landscape Beneath the Waves