The research team comprises researchers from University of Bristol and University of York, in collaboration with The National Trust and the Archaeology Data Service, with support from Historic England, and English Heritage. An expanded group of advisors and experts are all contributing to bringing the Avebury archive into glorious, open-access technicolour.
Meet us below, and follow our blog for updates.
Principal Investigator (PI): Professor Mark Gillings
Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology, in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at University of Bristol
Mark’s research interests concentrate upon the productive spaces that emerge through the integrated study of landscape, archaeological theory and digital archaeology. Much of his recent research has centred upon the Neolithic landscapes of south western Britain and the monumental structures and traces of everyday dwelling that can be found there.
Co-investigator (Co-I): Dr Colleen Morgan
Senior Lecturer in Digital Archaeology and Heritage in the Department of Archaeology at the University of York
Colleen’s research is on digital media and archaeology, with a special focus on embodiment, avatars, genetics and bioarchaeology. Through archaeological making Colleen explores past lifeways and our current understanding of heritage, especially regarding posthumanism and the cyborg, feminism, and interstitial spaces between past and present.
Postdoc: Dr Ben Chan
Postdoctoral Research Assistant at University of Bristol
The main focus of Ben’s research is on macroscopic (techno-typological) and microscopic (use-wear) analyses of stone tools. Ben uses these approaches to investigate the role that technology played within prehistoric societies, and more specifically, to investigate how craft and subsistence activities bound societies together. Within the context of Neolithic Britain this has led to a particular interest in the broader setting of settlement, craft and subsistence activities in which gatherings at prehistoric monuments occurred.
Postdoc: Dr Fran Allfrey
Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of York, July 2022-July 2025.
Fran’s research explores how premodern heritage narratives are crafted between historiography, institutions, mass media, and participants.
Drawing together approaches informed by phenomenology and ethnography, Fran is interested in the use of premodern remains and myths in identity-making practices and contemporary arts, especially as related to constructions of race, nation, and gender.
Dr Rosamund Cleal
Curator at The National Trust
Volunteers and contributors
2023 Digitisation placement student at Bournemouth University, writing a dissertation on how to provide better access to heritage with technology.
Micro Placement students and student projects
Kiri Liu
Matthew Morton
Dushyant Naresh
Georgia Smith
Louise Bedford
Luke Ashworth
Tony Hearn
Francine Tomaselli
Ros Preuss
Dai Davies
Greg Sparke
Bev Stapleton
Mike Robinson
Prue Saunders
J Muscott
Lorna Robinson
Mike Williams
Hazel
M
John BR
Kathy Davies
Martin Foster
Karen Lucas
Nick Bowditch
BC
CC
Sara
Adrián
Andrew Snowden
Phil Stokes
Marion
Keith
Jane
Celia
Mike
Barbara
Michael Boyton
Nicole
Lesley
Moira
Lynda
And other anonymous volunteers – you know who you are!
With thanks to the National Trust for facilitating volunteer recruitment.
Suppliers
We are using a repro-system supplied by Lensart to photograph the prints, diaries, and letters of the Avebury archive.