Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · 1d

Read the full study here #OpenAccess - www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis reveals changing connections to place and group membership in the world’s earliest village societies - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis reveals changing connections to place and group membership in the world’s earliest village societies

www.nature.com

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · 1d

🔔🧠 New research alert! 🧠🔔

Our Dr Eva Fernandez-Dominguez (senior author), Dr Kelly Blevins and Prof Janet Montgomery are part of a worldwide team that analysed patterns of mobility of the first farmer societies of Southwest Asia.

Learn more below! 👇
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

#Archaeology

Ancient teeth provide new insight into the lives of the world’s first farming villagers  - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

1 1 1

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Durham University @durham.ac.uk · 21d

We are The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2026 and ranked third overall in its Good University Guide. Congratulations to our global university community on this success. 🎉

Read more: brnw.ch/21wVU4Q

2 16 27

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Durham University @durham.ac.uk · 22d

Bronze and Iron Age farmers in the Middle East prioritised wine production over olive growing in times of climatic change. Researchers in our Department of Archaeology and @durhamearthsci.bsky.social analysed charred seeds and wood samples 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Middle East Bronze and Iron Age cultures wine production - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

1 6 10

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

David Petts @davidpetts1.bsky.social · 21d

Three early medieval namestones in one morning in the @digventures.bsky.social @arcdurham.bsky.social excavations at #Lindisfarne

Early medieval namestone.- 8th century AD - from Lindisfarne

1 1 22

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

EAMENA @eamena.bsky.social · Sep 4

📣📣 Our Bill Finlayson & fellow archaeologists help to uncover the mystery of the hundreds of 'desert kites' stretching across the Arabian desert. Find out who built these megastructures, the purpose they served & the ingenious discovery that was unearthed...👇🏻
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

3 3

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Sep 4

A well-deserved reflection of the quality of Rob's scholarship, international #research profile and excellent stewardship of @antiquity.ac.uk 👏 Congratulations to Rob and the other researchers involved!

1 1

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Sep 4

Delighted to announce that our own Dr Rob Witcher forms part of the #REF2029 #Archaeology sub-panel!

Learn more in the news story linked in the post below 👇

Durham University @durham.ac.uk · Sep 4

Congratulations to all 20 of our researchers who will be part of expert sub-panels for #REF2029.

The number and breadth of expertise demonstrates the excellence in research here at Durham.

www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

@ref2029.bsky.social #research #excellence

1 2

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Durham University Collections @ducollections.bsky.social · Aug 27

Hi! We’re Poppy & Izzy from Archaeology. Over 3 weeks on placement at the #DUMuseumofArchaeology, we explored collections care & curation. We repacked & updated records for the Greek collection and helped design a coin map showing ancient city-states through mythology & trade #DUCollections

An image of Greek collection before the repacking project surrounded by tissue paper

A display of one of our student placements preparing to create new storage for the Greek collection.

Our Greek collection after the repacking project in their now homes.

4 11

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Dan Lawrence @dl-arch.bsky.social · Aug 19

Postdoc Job! Come and work with me in Durham, and a bunch of @sse1k.bsky.social heroes in Venice and Basel, doing agent-based modelling of socio-environmental systems in the Ancient Mediterranean...
durham.taleo.net/careersectio...

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Archaeology and Agent-Based Modelling

Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

durham.taleo.net

16 19

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Durham University @durham.ac.uk · Aug 22

In this article, our Honorary Fellow in Archaeology @peterjbrown.bsky.social sheds new light on the story of the Zanj rebellion – a slave revolt that took place in the late 9th century in southern Iraq. Peter and his team have unearthed the timelines. Read more 👉 www.durham.ac.uk/research/cur...

1 2 4

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Aug 19

Congratulations to Dr Riley Snyder, awarded Best Article of the Year by 'Studies in Late Antiquity'!

Titled: 'Beyond Urban Planning: Challenges of Resource Management in the Construction of Late Antique Capital Cities'

Learn more: www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

#archaeology #research #DurhamUni

Riley Snyder Best Article of the Year - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

1 6

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · Aug 7

I still can’t get over how good this photo of Roman lead bullets taken by @arcdurham.bsky.social students Rowan Colley and Isla Mustin is 🥰.
They did amazing work on the trail I describe in this thread - please do check it out!

www.armittdigitaltrail.co.uk/roman-ambles...
#RomanFortThursday

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · Aug 7

And here is the final photo for the trail itself 😱 Recent work by Edinburgh Uni and @trimontiumtrust.bsky.social suggests the sling bullets, all found scattered extramurally, are evidence for at least one battle outside the fort between the Roman army and the local population.
#RomanFortThursday

Professional photograph of lead sling bullets from Roman Ambleside, taken by Durham archaeology students Rowan Colley and Isla Mustin. The bullets are cream coloured. Some are lemon-shaped, and others are more hastily formed blobs.

1 2 11

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · Aug 7

You can read The Armitt’s Roman Ambleside digital trail entry on the sling bullets and our knowledge of the so-called Battle of Ambleside here, researched and written by @arcdurham.bsky.social student Isla Mustin

#RomanFortThursday

www.armittdigitaltrail.co.uk/lead-bullets

Lead Bullets | Armitt

Discovered dispersed across the Ambleside Roman fort site are these lead bullets. These are evidence that there could have been a Battle of Ambleside.

www.armittdigitaltrail.co.uk

1 3 6

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · Aug 7

Isla and Rowan spent two weeks in Ambleside with me and the Armitt curator, Faye Morissey, researching the objects, designing the trail route, and writing the trail text, as part of their @arcdurham.bsky.social
Advanced Professional Training module

#RomanFortThursday

Rowan Colley, Isla Mustin and Faye Morissey discussing the tombstone of Flavius Fuscinus and Flavius Romanus, held in The Armitt

Rowan and Isla taking photographs at Ambleside Roman Fort

1 2 7

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

Dr Eleri Cousins @elericousins.bsky.social · Aug 7

So delighted to announce the official launch of The Armitt’s new digital trail through Roman Ambleside! The trail was developed by our fabulous @arcdurham.bsky.social 2nd-years Rowan Colley and Isla Mustin, with initial work by LU student Bastien Hamilton… 🧵

#RomanFortThursday #RomanBritain 🏺

Roman Ambleside | Armitt

Explore the history of the Ambleside Roman fort through archaeological objects at The Armitt in this digital trail - Roman Ambleside.

www.armittdigitaltrail.co.uk

2 9 28

Reposted by Durham Archaeology

The Gefrin Trust @gefrintrust.bsky.social · Aug 6

On Friday night #TheGefrinTrust, along with our partners #AdGefrin and @arcdurham.bsky.social, lit up the contours of Edwin's palace and grandstand. For the first time in over a millennium, the structures' footprints could be seen against the dramatic backdrop of Yeavering Bell. (Image: A. Jansen)

5 12

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Aug 8

🔗 Updated link for the news story - sorry for any confusion!
www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

Archaeology Fieldwork in Moldova 2025 - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Aug 1

📸🦣 Snapshots from our recent return to Moldova - hard at work at a 25,000-year old Upper #Palaeolithic campsite! We were also delighted to receive a visit last week from Samantha Smith, the British Deputy Ambassador to Moldova.

Learn more about what we've found: www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

Two students crouch in an archaeological section excavating mammoth bones. A label reads 'Excavating mammoth bones!'

Paul Pettitt stands by a table with several small finds in clear bags. He is speaking to Deputy Ambassador Samantha Smith who is holding a small find in her hand.

Archaeological excavation section showing mammoth thoracic vertebrae and ribs with stone tools. There is a metre stick for scale.

1 1 2

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 18

We're delighted to announce that our Professor Sarah Semple has been made a Fellow of The British Academy 👏 Congratulations Sarah on her well-deserved achievement!

Learn more about this honour in the article below!
www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

@britishacademy.bsky.social #DurhamUni #DUresearch

7

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 17

Meet PhD candidate and Egyptologist Ariadne Agryos. When asked what is research like, she replied, "This is what research looks like—slow, sacred, and filled with discovery."

#ArchaeologyInAction #PhDLife #Egyptology

1 7

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 17

Fieldwork is never boring, look at these finds.

DUACE2025 @duace2025.bsky.social · Jun 12

Day 4 - A day of recording, finds, and fashion! From recording the well from Day 3, to medieval pottery, a bishop’s roasted pig, to site fashion…It’s been a full day of #archaeology with the @arcdurham.bsky.social students!

1

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 17

Great find!

DUACE2025 @duace2025.bsky.social · Jun 13

Day 5 - We have walls! We have finds! We have a tower? 1) uncovering a large stone surface which has the trench playing the game “Tower or Buttress?”, 2) chasing the curtain wall in the top trench, & 3) finding amazing things (such as a base of a small cauldron).

@arcdurham.bsky.social

2

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 9

(4/4) A remarkable example of innovation and resourcefulness in the #ancientMediterranean world!

🔗 Read more in Scientific Reports: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#EberhardKarlsUniversitatTübingen #ressourcenkulturen #sfb1070 #DUresearch #ArchaeologicalScience

Innovation through recycling in Iron Age plaster technology at Tell el-Burak, Lebanon - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Innovation through recycling in Iron Age plaster technology at Tell el-Burak, Lebanon

www.nature.com

3

Durham Archaeology @arcdurham.bsky.social · Jul 9

This discovery sheds light on:

✅ The technical skills of Phoenician builders
✅ Early sustainable building practices
✅ The central role of wine production in the local economy

(3/4)

1 1