Training for archaeological study of Bronze Age civilisation

Emma Johnston, from Bristol University is conducting interdisciplinary vulcanological and archaeological research into the Bronze Age eruption of Santorini, Greece. Her study is focused on the social, economic and religious impacts that large-scale eruptions have had on prehistoric societies, with a particular focus on civilisations at medial-distal regions from volcanoes, investigating how longer-term, secondary impacts can culminate and how this effects the demographic of a community.

Emma is seeking to use an advection-diffusion model to map the tephra deposits from the Bronze Age eruption of Santorini to see what they can indicate about the size and potential impacts the eruption in question had on human civilisations however she has no geological field experience to complement her archaeological background. As such the JWCT provided Emma with a £400 grant to contribute to the costs of a field trip to the Azores, a group volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, in May 2011 so that she can build upon her experience in examining and interpreting deposits in preparation for her own fieldwork.

The grant continues the JWCT’s support for field research by Bristol University students, and provides a legacy for Jeremy’s previous academic and research work at the institution.

No reports available.