Archaeomaterials Seminars: Gold in the City: Precious Metals Extraction at Pistyros, Northern Greece During the Classical-Hellenistic Periods

Dr Nerantzis Nerantzis,

Université libre de Bruxelles and Ephorate of Antiquities of Kavala-Thasos

28th July 2021

The systematic excavation at Pistyros, a colony of Thasos east of Neapolis in northern Greece, offers valuable new data for the study of metallurgical technology in this region during antiquity. Firstly, owing to the abundance and significance of the finds related to precious metals extraction and secondly due to their presence in securely dated contexts of the late 4th and 3rd centuries BC. This talk focuses on a preliminary study of excavated metallurgical waste, utilizing pXRF, SEM and EPMA. Contemporary evidence for mining in the Lekani mountains is also investigated, aiming to address issues of organizing metal production and the relations between Thasians of the coastal colonies and indigenous Thracians of the mining zone. Our results are significant as for the first time, archaeological evidence from well-dated contexts is used to reconstruct the process by which gold was extracted from polymetallic deposits and explore how this might have affected long-term economic orientations in this region.

Online Forum Marking Sheffield Archaeomaterials Joining the EXARC Global Network

30th June 2021

Experimental archaeology has grown at the University of Sheffield’s Department of Archaeology for over 20 years to become an integral part of the community’s research strategy and key methodological tool. Now, in becoming a higher education institution member of the EXARC global network, the Department and its dedicated archaeological materials, material culture, and experimental archaeology research group Sheffield Archaeomaterials look to explore how such a collaboration can shape the future of experimental archaeology and meaningfully further the position of archaeology in both research spheres and contemporary society, and at a local and international level.

The online forum marked Sheffield joining the EXARC network with short presentations on the history of experimental archaeology at Sheffield, the work of EXARC, and recent projects at Sheffield, culminating in a discussion on what the future of experimental archaeology holds and particularly ways to further contextualise experimental data within existing and evolving archaeological interpretations. It concluded with an opportunity to network and ask questions in a relaxed format on current research and opportunities for closer working ties.

Archaeomaterials Seminars: Same Idea but Different: Neolithic Pottery Crafting at Çukuriçi Höyük, Western Anatolia

Dr Clare Burke

Department of Prehistory and WANA Archaeology, Österreichische Archäologische Institut, and Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield

19th April 2021

The Neolithic represents a time of fundamental change in how humans lived and materialised their worlds as they moved towards becoming sedentary and agricultural communities. During this time, we see widescale pottery production as ceramic containers become more common in the daily lives of these communities, with striking similarities in shapes and finishes of pottery visible across broad areas, notably in the Aegean and Balkan regions. This talk will discuss the results of recent work examining the technological choices and practices that Neolithic potters made at the site of Çukuriçi Höyük in western Turkey. In this research, I am using a combination of macroscopic, petrographic and SEM analysis to examine the chaînes opératoires visible in the assemblage, from clay paste recipes and forming techniques, through to potential firing conditions and the raw materials of different surface finishes. The results so far indicate the presence of two broad potting traditions that were passed along the generations from the Early to the Late Neolithic. The potters belonging to each of these traditions crafted a similar range of vessel types but made specific raw material choices in order to produce vessels in particular colours. Certainly, it appears that colour played a central role in pottery making, so much so that potters adapted their chaîne opératoire to include slipping in order to ‘imitate’ or reproduce the colour of vessels belonging to other potting traditions.

Archaeomaterials Seminars: Copper in the Pacific Northwest: A Material Investigation of the Fur Trade and Colonial Periods of the late 18th to mid-20th century

Dr Lenore Thompson

Sheffield Archaeomaterials, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield

1st December 2020

Copper in the Pacific Northwest: A Material Investigation of the Fur Trade and Colonial Periods of the late 18th to mid-20th century

This talk focuses on the impacts and outcomes of the varied histories of contact and colonialism on the Northwest Coast of North American between the late-18th and mid 20th century, a timeframe that spans the fur-trade and colonial period. This is done by focusing on the changing use of copper in the region, as the metal was and has remained a conspicuous material among Indigenous communities who reside there, both prior to and following the introduction of foreign trade. The aim of this material study is to decolonise the discussion, using copper as a vehicle to look beyond established histories and explore how past decisions and interpretations, detectable through the metals changing use, have contributed to the formation and maintenance of political and social structures in place today.

Archaeomaterials Seminars: Decolonising Archaeology in Europe: a Sicilian Case Study

Dr Veronica Testolini

Sheffield Archaeomaterials, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield

3rd November 2020

We're excited to announce the first of our Autumn Semester Seminars, run by our very own Veronica Testolini:

Decolonising Archaeology in Europe: a Sicilian Case Study

Archaeology as a discipline does not have the best track of work in terms of racial prejudice, or consideration for the Other. In this talk we will discuss some of the main colonial practices that are still applied in archaeology, and we will present a case study that showcases how we can approach our discipline differently. The aim of the session is understanding what decolonising archaeology means, and discussing how we can contribute to a different archaeology that really includes other cultures.

Woodland Heritage Festival 2020

18th July 2020

While normally we run various experiments and demonstrations in person for the annual Woodland Heritage Festival (run by our partners Archaeology in the City), due to COVID-19 this year we instead created two video demonstrations: Archaeological Gardening with Dr. Lenore Thompson and Dr. Veronica Testolini, an excavation of a Sheffield garden; and Siân’s Workshop: Discovering the Past Through Making with professional coppersmith Siân Evans, who takes use through the steps to forge and craft a copper brooch.

Both videos are available on the Archaeology in the City website.

Experimental Archaeology Student Symposium (EAStS)

29th February - 1st March, 2020

After the first EAStS conference at Newcastle in 2018, Sheffield Archaeomaterials hosted the second ever student-led conference at the end of February 2020. Students from all over the UK presented the results of their research over the course of three sessions which were loosely themed around Iron Age production, methodologies in experimental archaeology, and reconstructing ancient technologies of materials. Following a very fruitful discussion we then undertook an experimental open day of smelting and casting. A full write-up by Yvette Marks is available on the EXARC website.

Woodland Heritage Festival 2019

12th May 2019

The 5th Woodland Heritage Festival was a huge success, with over 450 attendees coming to Sheffield's Ecclesall Woods in order to learn more about local history. Lead by PhD researcher and SAM member Cait Scott, the day included a bronze-casting demonstration, pot-making, cave painting and even a chance for members of the public to make their own copper necklaces. Photos form the day are available on the Archaeology in the City website.