Professor Ian Armit
Principal Investigator; University of York
Ian’s research centres on the cultural archaeology of the European Later Bronze and Iron Ages, the role of conflict and violence in non-state societies, and the demographic and genetic prehistory of European populations. The COMMIOS Project examines the structure and social dynamics of Iron Age societies in Britain, including household and kin-group composition, the identification of familial relationships, gender-specific mobility, and the development of social inequality.
Professor David Reich
Co-Investigator; Harvard Medical School
David’s research centres on the population genetics of ancient humans through the analysis of genome-wide patterns of mutations. The David Reich Lab has collected genome-wide data on more than 10,000 ancient individuals and researched topics ranging from early hominid evolution to the population history of the Indian subcontinent.
Professor Jane Evans
Co-Investigator; British Geological Survey
Jane is a senior research scientist with specialisms in geoarchaeology, isotope geochemistry and strontium isotope biosphere mapping. Her research applies these techniques to the provenance and diet of archaeological populations, including integrated multi-isotope studies of the diet and mobility of communities gathering at Neolithic monuments such as Stonehenge.
Dr Derek Hamilton
Co-Investigator; SUERC, University of Glasgow
Derek is a radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling specialist whose research includes the archaeology of contact and colonisation in later prehistoric north-west Europe, the movement and mobility of prehistoric societies, human-environment interactions, and the reconstruction of chronologies at the human scale. His current research includes the use of artefact typology and dendrochronology to refine radiocarbon chronologies, particularly the Hallstatt Plateau.
Dr Lindsey Büster
Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Funerary Archaeology); University of York
Lindsey’s research focuses on the intersection of ritual and domestic life in later prehistoric Britain and Europe. With interests in the ritualisation of the domestic sphere, non-normative funerary practices and the application of contemporary social theory to past societies, Lindsey’s role as research lead for funerary archaeology on the COMMIOS Project will explore what mortuary practice can tell us about social identity in Iron Age Britain and the Near Continent.
Dr Claire-Elise Fischer
Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Ancient DNA); University of York
Claire-Elise’s research investigates the genetic identity of Iron Age populations, applying a systematic confrontation of archaeological and genetic data in order to place the communities in their local, regional and macro-regional perspective.
Dr Madeleine Bleasdale
Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Isotopes); University of York
Maddy is a bioarchaeologist specialising in the isotopic and palaeoproteomic analysis of archaeological human and animal remains. Her research with the COMMIOS Project will use a multi-isotope approach to explore the diet and mobility of communities across Iron Age Britain and Europe.
Dr Michael Legge
Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Funerary Archaeology); University of York
Michael’s research centres on exploring regionality and large-scale patterning in the treatment of the dead during the British Iron Age. He is particularly interested in understanding complex and atypical mortuary processes, and the significance of fragmentary human remains. As funerary archaeologist on the COMMIOS project, Michael is contextualising the biomolecular data with multi-scalar analysis of the mortuary record, so as to better understand the roles of the dead among the living.
Dr Laura Castells Navarro
Post-Doctoral Research Associate (Osteoarchaeology); University of York
Laura is a human osteoarchaeologist specialising in palaeopathology and biological identity. She’s particularly interested in improving diagnostic methods and criteria, and in developing interdisciplinary approaches to investigate health and disease in past societies. In her most recent project, she worked with the Barcelona History Museum to integrate research on archaeological human remains to the exhibition ‘Feed Barcelona. City, Supply and Health’.
Dr Charlotte Primeau
Project Partner; University of Warwick
Charlie is an osteologist specialising in the growth, development and health of past populations. Her recent work involved the archaeological analysis of commingled and fragmentary remains from mortuary cave environments. Charlie also works with human remains in a forensic context using medical and micro imaging techniques to understand circumstances surrounding death and post-mortem treatment.
Dr Tom Booth
Project Partner; Francis Crick Institute
Tom is a bioarchaeologist specialising in the microscopic and biomolecular analysis of archaeological human remains. He has primarily been involved with the analysis of ancient human DNA to document and understand genetic change in Britain over the last 10,000 years. Tom also investigates bone diagenesis to try to understand early taphonomic processes and the preservation of ancient biomolecules.
Dr Michelle Alexander
Project Partner; University of York
Michelle is a bioarchaeologist who specialises in isotopic analysis of archaeological human and animal remains to examine diet and migration in past societies. Her current research focuses on dietary practices at the interface of major socio-cultural and economic transitions. She is particularly interested in the relationship between diet and faith.
Dr Jo Buckberry
Project Partner; University of Bradford
Jo is a bioarchaeologist specialising in biological identity and palaeopathology. She integrates biological data from the skeleton with funerary archaeology and the broader archaeological context to understand societies and health in the past.
This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and grant innovation programme under grant agreement No 834087
COMMIOS 