Experience

Freelance Consultant

• Australia
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Archaeometallurgist

  • May 1996 - Present

  Summary:1) Archaeometallurgy: Examination, quantification & writing of reports on iron slag, and occasional reports on waste from other high temperature technologies (copper alloy, glass & lead). Clients: at least eighteen archaeological units in England & six in the Irish Republic.2) European Research Council. Support Officer (freelance consultant) for The Times of Their Lives project - Re-dating the European Neolithic (see TOTL.eu) (2013 - 2017).3) Small finds (Roman and later): Assessment & publication reports; selection of finds for x-radiography, cleaning & illustration. Freelance work at Pre-Construct Archaeology London (2000-5).4) Sessional Lecturer, Faculty of Continuing Education (Birkbeck College, University of London): a. Small Finds Recording and Publication for Post-Graduates (2005-2007);b. Finds’ Supervisor, Training Excavation (summers 2000-2003).I have particular expertise in identification and post-excavation analysis of iron smelting and smithing slags from the early Iron Age to post-medieval periods in the UK and Republic of Ireland. In addition I have specialist knowledge of copper-alloy working and glassmaking/glassworking waste. I have made a significant contribution to the understanding of Iron Age iron smelting in Ireland, and to the study of changes in smelting technology involved during the transition from the late Iron Age to early Roman period in southern England. My personal interest is early to middle Anglo-Saxon smelting and smithing. I've worked on many Anglo-Saxon assemblages in southern England (London; Suffolk, including Staunch Meadow, Brandon & Rendlesham; and Kent, including Canterbury and Lyminge).I have written numerous reports on UK and Irish iron slag, and London small finds. I wrote an advice document for the use of field archaeologists for the Historical Metallurgy Society (http://hist-met.org/hmsslagintro.pdf).I am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.



Museum of London

• United Kingdom
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Senior Finds Archaeologist

  • 1991 - May 1996

  1990-1996: Senior Finds Archaeologist: cleaning, recording, cataloguing of finds; x-radiography of metal objects; production of assessment reports; arranging displays for developers.1993: Finds Supervisor, Beirut, Lebanon. Sub-contracted to UNESCO for first post-civil war excavations in the city centre. Organised a modern finds processing & recording programme for the international teams.1994-1995: Finds Supervisor, (Anglo-AUB team, Nov-Jan.), American University of Beirut excavations, Lebanon.

• Finds supervisor

  • 1986 - 1996



Department of Urban Archaeology (Museum of London)

• Field archaeologist then finds archaeologist

  • May 1986 - May 1991

  Finds' work involved cleaning, recording & cataloguing of finds; x-radiography of metal objects; arranging displays for developers.Having read a Russian-language book on the archaeology of medieval Rus (Dryevnyaya Rus: Gorod, Zamok, Zelo) I was asked to write a review (Medieval Archaeology 31 (1987), 204-5).Was a finds’ researcher (Medieval Finds Project publication programme) writing up the glass and wooden vessels for inclusion in Egan G (ed.): "The Medieval Household" (1988)I was awarded an international scholarship to work during the summer of 1990 at the Birka (Viking emporium) excavations, Björkö, Sweden. While there I retrieved and identified finds from samples & recorded finds on computer.1987-90: Museum of London in-service training & University of London extra-mural courses on post-Roman pottery.



Department of Urban Archaeology

• Mediaeval finds researcher ("The Medieval Household")

  • 1989 - 1990



(Freelance) Tour guide

• Tour guide

  • 1980 - 1988

  Casual work as a tour guide and lecturer in London, compiling my own itineraries and talks for different audiences. The tours ranged from Roman London to London and the Suffragettes.Delivered a lecture - with slides - of my own devising on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in its cultural and archaeological background to a large group of retired Americans with a special interest in English literature and history. Took the group by coach to Canterbury and led them on a walk around the city and its monuments, presenting a background to the medieval pilgrimage which was Chaucer's vehicle for The Canterbury Tales.



Passmore Edwards Museum, Newham Museum Service

• Field archaeologist then finds supervisor

  • Apr 1985 - May 1986

  Field archaeologist at Romford Market and Barking Abbey, Essex before becoming finds supervisor for the Barking Abbey excavations.Received in-service training from Dr Mark Redknap on Middle Saxon & medieval pottery. Field archaeologist at Romford Market and Barking Abbey, Essex before becoming finds supervisor for the Barking Abbey excavations.Received in-service training from Dr Mark Redknap on Middle Saxon & medieval pottery.



Mucking Post-Excavation

• Draughtsperson

  • Aug 1982 - Oct 1982



Department of Urban Archaeology (Museum of London)

• 1975-1982: Weekend & holiday on-site volunteer excavator with City of London Archaeological Society

  • 1974 - 1982

  Dug on Trig Lane (briefly), GPO, Peninsular House and other sites in the City of London. Dug on Trig Lane (briefly), GPO, Peninsular House and other sites in the City of London.



Women's Royal Australian Naval Service

• Radio Operator (Telegraphy)

  • Nov 1966 - Nov 1970

  Served at various naval bases around Australia. Served at various naval bases around Australia.