Research

Supervisor

Current Research

Mesolithic antler technology

My research focusses on the manufacture and use of antler tools in the British Mesolithic. Although typological studies have long acknowledged the existence of a range of antler tools in Britain, comprehensive, national-scale research has been undermined by a lack of contextual data for much of this material. However, recent methodological and theoretical developments in the study of osseous technologies have now presented the opportunity to study the British Mesolithic worked antler corpus in a new light. The use of experimentally generated reference material in the identification of Mesolithic bone and antler working techniques (David 2007) on sites in Europe has been pivitol the study of Mesolithic technical choices and operational sequences across the continent. Following training in this technique, my research aims to apply this method of analysis to the British material in order to better understand the technology, knowledge and thinking behind the manufacture and use of these artefacts. Alongside these recent developments in methodology, the current theoretical climate within British Mesolithic studies has stressed the importance of animal agency in association with the use and deposition of animal materials (Conneller 2011). In accordance with this, my thesis will attmept to situate antler technology within the wider context of human and deer relationships, by considering the ways in which different species may have been encountered and interacted with. This allows the technical choices made by people when working antler to be situated within an ecological and landscape context.

Research Interests

• Human/animal relations in Prehistory
• Osseous technologies
  
• The relationship between technology and landscape
  
• Experimental archaeology
  

Qualifications

Qualifications

• 2005-2008 1st class BA (Hons) in Archaeology from the University of York
• 2008-2009 Distinction grade MA in Mesolithic Studies from the University of York
• 2010-2011 Preparing Future Academics HEA certificate
  

Funding

Funding History

• Charles Welbeloved Award for Undergraduate Dissertation Award (Yorkshire Philosophical Society, 2008)
• Tuition Fee Waiver for MA in Mesolithic Studies (University of York, Department of Archaeology)
  
• Departmental Research Priming Fund for traveland expenses whilst attending the Experimental Archaeology Conference in Edinburgh (University of York Department of Archaeology, 2008)
• Full Doctoral Scholarship (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 2009)
• John and Bryony Coles Bursary (The Prehistoric Society, 2010)
• Departmental Research Fund for travel and accomodation expenses whilst visiting museums across England, Scotland and Wales in order to analyse Mesolithic antler artefacts (Univeristy of York Department of Archaeology 2011)

IMPACT

IMPACT

Publications

Elliott, B and Milner, N (2010) "A Critical review of the Barbed Point Manufacturing Process Practised at Star Carr" Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 76, 75-94

Milner, N, Conneller, C, Elliott, B, Koon, H, Panter, I, Penkman, K, Taylor, B, Taylor, M (2011) "From Riches to Rags: Organic Deterioration at Star Carr" Journal of Archaeolgical Science 38 (10) 2818-2832

Public Engagement

• Contributed to the Scarborough Archaeological Society's "Star Carr Day School" by presenting a public lecture on my research at Star Carr (2010)
  
• Presented findings from my doctoral research as a guest speaker at the Scarborough Archaeological Society (2011)
  
• Appeared as a specialist on the BBC2 series "Digging For Britain" in a feature about Star Carr (2011)
• Committee member for the AHRC-funded Sensory Stories project aimed at training humanities researchers in communicating their research to the public
• Directed the "Life Stories" project at The Oaks Care home, York which involved conducting oral history interviews with dementia sufferers and then using the interview recordings as inspiration for University of York-based performance groups and a local school to develop them into small performance pieces. These peices were then delivered, alongside a presentation of my own research, to The Oaks residents and families 

Conference Presentations

I have presented the following papers at these academic conferences:

• "The Beaver Hunters: New interpretations of people/animal interaction at Star Carr" at the Northern Hunter-Gatherer Forum, York 2008
• "Barbed point manufacture at Star Carr" at the 3rd Experimental Archaeology Conference, Edinburgh 2008
• "The Beaver Hunters: New interpretations of people/animal interaction at Star Carr" at TAG, Southampton 2008
• "Variations in barbed point manufacturing techniques at Star Carr" at the 7th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group, Wroslaw 2009
• "Animal Objects: Tracing Networks of people and red deer at Star Car" at TAG, Durham 2009
• "Antlerworking at Star Carr" at the Scarborough Archaeologcial Society, Scarborough 2010
• "Animal Objects: Tracing Networks of people and red deer at Star Carr" at the European  Association of Archaeologists, The Hague 2010
• "Animal Identities: Inter-specific Social Relations at Star Carr" at the 8th International Conference on the Mesolithic in Europe, Sanatander 2010
• "Technical choices at the riverside: Examining the châine operatoiré of Mesolithic antlerworking from the River Thames" at the Deer and People conference, Lincoln 2011
• "People and Deer in the British Mesolithic" Scarborough Archaeological Society Guest Lecture 2011
• "People and Deer in the British Mesolithic: considering antler technology within broader human/animal landscapes" University of York Archaeology Departmental Research forum

Experience

Experience

Excavation experience

• 2005 Castel Henllys Iron Age hillfort and Medeival Manor House field school
• 2006 Burdale field school
• 2007 and 2008 Star Carr excavator
• 2008 and 2009 Flixton House School on-site supervisor
• 2010 Star Carr on-site supervisor
• 2011 Gawthorpe Manor on-site supervisor
  

Teaching Experience

• History and Theory of Archaeology Yr 1 module
• Accessing Archaeology Yr 1 module
• Mesolithic Themes Yr 2 module
• Fieldwalking Yr 1 practical
• Field school supervisor at Gawthorpe Manor, Harewood
• Co-designed and organised an AHRC funded postgraduate trainig day for humanities researchers from across the country. Titled "Making Sense of Public Engagement", this day was aimed at promoting the use of objects, narrative and the media in communicating doctoral-level research to wider audiences, as part of the Sensory Stories project.
  

Employment within Archaeology

• Antler analyst for the Vale of Pickering Research Trust, recognised by English Heritage
• Machine Watching for the Landscape Research Centre