Colleen Morgan
@clmorgan.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer at the University of York. Director of the Wolfson Digital Archaeology and Heritage Lab & Centre for Digital Heritage.
I post about beautiful archaeology, digital phantasmagoria and anarchist imaginaries & realities.
She/her 🏴
I post about beautiful archaeology, digital phantasmagoria and anarchist imaginaries & realities.
She/her 🏴
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
Still time to register for this talk this afternoon. Papoli-Yazdi is an important and exciting thinker about how archaeological practice intersects with extremism and a vibrant garbology researcher docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Archaeology in the Age of Extremism: Garbology and Archaeological Practice
In the context of rising extremism and reduced research funding, Dr Leila Papoli-Yazdi explores how archaeological practice can adapt to political and material constraints. The talk focuses on garbolo...
docs.google.com
February 12, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Still time to register for this talk this afternoon. Papoli-Yazdi is an important and exciting thinker about how archaeological practice intersects with extremism and a vibrant garbology researcher docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
In 2005 a Museum of London community archaeology project excavated a WW2 bombsite beneath Shoreditch Park in Hackney. I volunteered on the dig and recorded interviews with local residents about their memories of the area in wartime.
February 12, 2026 at 8:22 AM
In 2005 a Museum of London community archaeology project excavated a WW2 bombsite beneath Shoreditch Park in Hackney. I volunteered on the dig and recorded interviews with local residents about their memories of the area in wartime.
Good morning!
Today I'm teaching the first session of my 3rd year undergraduate "special topic" module: Digital Archaeology. It's intended as an almost postgraduate level survey of theory and practice in Digital Archaeology. Here's the structure--the titles of the sessions are slightly shortened.
Today I'm teaching the first session of my 3rd year undergraduate "special topic" module: Digital Archaeology. It's intended as an almost postgraduate level survey of theory and practice in Digital Archaeology. Here's the structure--the titles of the sessions are slightly shortened.
February 12, 2026 at 6:09 AM
Good morning!
Today I'm teaching the first session of my 3rd year undergraduate "special topic" module: Digital Archaeology. It's intended as an almost postgraduate level survey of theory and practice in Digital Archaeology. Here's the structure--the titles of the sessions are slightly shortened.
Today I'm teaching the first session of my 3rd year undergraduate "special topic" module: Digital Archaeology. It's intended as an almost postgraduate level survey of theory and practice in Digital Archaeology. Here's the structure--the titles of the sessions are slightly shortened.
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you:
Tiara
You all would have been in BIG trouble
Tiara
You all would have been in BIG trouble
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you:
Ursula
Very sweet meaning (little girl bear) but I think I might have struggled in life
Ursula
Very sweet meaning (little girl bear) but I think I might have struggled in life
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you: Angharad. Which is a lovely Welsh name but I am quite sure that it would have been a massive millstone growing up in the US and Canada in the 70s where none of the kids in the playground would know how to pronounce it.
February 11, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you:
Tiara
You all would have been in BIG trouble
Tiara
You all would have been in BIG trouble
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
Professor Penny Spikins, Prof of Archaeology of Human Origins at University of York, will be honoured with Europa prize for her contributions to European prehistory & conference will explore issues salient to Professor Spikins’ work, focusing on how prehistory contributes to our understanding of:
February 11, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Professor Penny Spikins, Prof of Archaeology of Human Origins at University of York, will be honoured with Europa prize for her contributions to European prehistory & conference will explore issues salient to Professor Spikins’ work, focusing on how prehistory contributes to our understanding of:
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
I love being in archaeology because we're legit one of the fields that draws in folks great at a range of things? Super quanty? We do that. Super arty? That too. Love hands on learning and making physical things? Hell yeah that's our bread and butter. Great writer? Awesome! Lab dweller? We 💙 you!
Funny story: my career in drones exists because I have a arithmetic learning disability, tested awfully in math and couldn’t study STEM in college, and became so angered by how normal it was to look down upon non-tech people in the 2010s that I decided to master a hard tech field out of pure spite.
February 11, 2026 at 4:44 AM
I love being in archaeology because we're legit one of the fields that draws in folks great at a range of things? Super quanty? We do that. Super arty? That too. Love hands on learning and making physical things? Hell yeah that's our bread and butter. Great writer? Awesome! Lab dweller? We 💙 you!
Also introduced a team-taught module wherein I cover mobility, landscape & cosmology in Bronze Age Arabia.
And marked!
And got a bunch of bad grant news! A MCSA I was supporting and a big consortium grant. So it goes.
(Welcome to my live blogging day one of the semester)
And marked!
And got a bunch of bad grant news! A MCSA I was supporting and a big consortium grant. So it goes.
(Welcome to my live blogging day one of the semester)
February 9, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Also introduced a team-taught module wherein I cover mobility, landscape & cosmology in Bronze Age Arabia.
And marked!
And got a bunch of bad grant news! A MCSA I was supporting and a big consortium grant. So it goes.
(Welcome to my live blogging day one of the semester)
And marked!
And got a bunch of bad grant news! A MCSA I was supporting and a big consortium grant. So it goes.
(Welcome to my live blogging day one of the semester)
Fantastic sesh today with critically engaged masters students! They came with examples of “good” and “bad” AI in archaeology and heritage and we had a fab discussion about context and authenticity.
Next week is a dedicated session on ethics, bias and accessibility.
Next week is a dedicated session on ethics, bias and accessibility.
First class in our new Archaeology & AI module tomorrow!
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
February 9, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Fantastic sesh today with critically engaged masters students! They came with examples of “good” and “bad” AI in archaeology and heritage and we had a fab discussion about context and authenticity.
Next week is a dedicated session on ethics, bias and accessibility.
Next week is a dedicated session on ethics, bias and accessibility.
First class in our new Archaeology & AI module tomorrow!
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
February 8, 2026 at 7:01 AM
First class in our new Archaeology & AI module tomorrow!
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
We're reading Gattiglia's 2025 overview and @blkheathhopper.introspectivedigitalarchaeology.com's Algorithmic agency to discuss basic concepts and the importance of critical engagement with AI and digital technology in archaeology. 🏺
It would be super nice to be confident in our union leadership amidst all the tumult of UK higher ed. Please vote @ucucommons.org
From tomorrow, Friday 30 January, ballot papers will start to arrive by post for VP (HE and FE), and several key positions on our NEC.
We're supporting our own @markpendleton.bsky.social for VP (HE) and independent @suzitoole.bsky.social for VP (FE) & lots of other great people. Please share! #UCU
We're supporting our own @markpendleton.bsky.social for VP (HE) and independent @suzitoole.bsky.social for VP (FE) & lots of other great people. Please share! #UCU
February 7, 2026 at 10:52 AM
It would be super nice to be confident in our union leadership amidst all the tumult of UK higher ed. Please vote @ucucommons.org
My (desert) Morphine
a rambly little post about my recent work in the UAE
middlesavagery.wordpress.com/2026/02/07/m...
a rambly little post about my recent work in the UAE
middlesavagery.wordpress.com/2026/02/07/m...
My (desert) Morphine
I mostly listen to bluegrass when I’m working in the desert. The slow-plucking guitars and raspy voices perfectly accompany tracing the yellow-red horizon against the brilliant blue sky. My w…
middlesavagery.wordpress.com
February 7, 2026 at 6:48 AM
My (desert) Morphine
a rambly little post about my recent work in the UAE
middlesavagery.wordpress.com/2026/02/07/m...
a rambly little post about my recent work in the UAE
middlesavagery.wordpress.com/2026/02/07/m...
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
I spent last week in Iraq with Hayder Aqeel, Jaafar Jotheri & @runeisforr.bsky.social presenting our project CDLI-ACT, translating the interface for the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative: cdli.earth/postings/225
February 6, 2026 at 7:29 AM
I spent last week in Iraq with Hayder Aqeel, Jaafar Jotheri & @runeisforr.bsky.social presenting our project CDLI-ACT, translating the interface for the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative: cdli.earth/postings/225
A big LED ticker board that just displays feeds taken from excavation whatsapps all over the world in real time
February 5, 2026 at 3:19 PM
A big LED ticker board that just displays feeds taken from excavation whatsapps all over the world in real time
Happy to have gotten to the point in my career where I think it’s funny to get in “trouble” for social media
February 5, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Happy to have gotten to the point in my career where I think it’s funny to get in “trouble” for social media
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 AM
True love will find you in the end by Daniel Johnston
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7l...
Also Lose the Motorcade (and live it up)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzt...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7l...
Also Lose the Motorcade (and live it up)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzt...
February 4, 2026 at 10:32 AM
True love will find you in the end by Daniel Johnston
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7l...
Also Lose the Motorcade (and live it up)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzt...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7l...
Also Lose the Motorcade (and live it up)
m.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzt...
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
With the extension of the EAA 2026 deadline, it may be good to reiterate the need for a boycott of the event until the EAA executive steps down.
Tired of excuses and obfuscation from the EAA Executive?
Want a collegial and supportive society fit for its members? Then #boycottEAA
Read our call for voting and boycotting below!
If you want a detailed description of the events so far please read: drive.google.com/file/d/1jdGO...
Want a collegial and supportive society fit for its members? Then #boycottEAA
Read our call for voting and boycotting below!
If you want a detailed description of the events so far please read: drive.google.com/file/d/1jdGO...
February 2, 2026 at 12:48 PM
With the extension of the EAA 2026 deadline, it may be good to reiterate the need for a boycott of the event until the EAA executive steps down.
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
We are looking for a research project manager for the upcoming FORAGER ERC Synergy Project. Based at the University of York, this is an exciting opportunity to work in a team of 37 researchers from the UK, the US, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Japan. Join us!
jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese...
jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese...
Jobs - The University of York
jobs.york.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 11:21 AM
We are looking for a research project manager for the upcoming FORAGER ERC Synergy Project. Based at the University of York, this is an exciting opportunity to work in a team of 37 researchers from the UK, the US, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Japan. Join us!
jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese...
jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese...
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
A day late for Freya Stark's birthday, here's a couple of images from her 1934 journey in Yemen, of which she writes: "When the Roman roads cut the forests & swamps of England, the Arabian trader built his many-storied mansion, crowned its parapet with ibex horns & saw them shine in the morning sun"
February 1, 2026 at 1:10 PM
A day late for Freya Stark's birthday, here's a couple of images from her 1934 journey in Yemen, of which she writes: "When the Roman roads cut the forests & swamps of England, the Arabian trader built his many-storied mansion, crowned its parapet with ibex horns & saw them shine in the morning sun"
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
True highlight of my life today, seeing this replica Bronze Age boat, built with traditional techniques and materials. Just imagining this bad boy sailing up to the tombs on Umm an Nar island gives me chills. 🏺
🤩
🤩
January 31, 2026 at 3:05 PM
True highlight of my life today, seeing this replica Bronze Age boat, built with traditional techniques and materials. Just imagining this bad boy sailing up to the tombs on Umm an Nar island gives me chills. 🏺
🤩
🤩
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
All i can say is that a an archaeologist (a) i wish my specialist knowledge a was LESS relevant to the present moment and (b) nothing breaks the spell of capitalist violence faster than taking just how long we existed without it and that there have always been alternatives
Indeed, I think a core part of our problem right now is that people with humanities degrees and humanities jobs have felt obligated to constantly *apologize* for it for a long time now.
January 29, 2026 at 12:30 AM
All i can say is that a an archaeologist (a) i wish my specialist knowledge a was LESS relevant to the present moment and (b) nothing breaks the spell of capitalist violence faster than taking just how long we existed without it and that there have always been alternatives
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
Question: if you could choose 1 book to be buried with, what would it be, and why?
For me, probably M.R. James' Complete Ghost Stories.
For me, probably M.R. James' Complete Ghost Stories.
January 27, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Question: if you could choose 1 book to be buried with, what would it be, and why?
For me, probably M.R. James' Complete Ghost Stories.
For me, probably M.R. James' Complete Ghost Stories.
Reposted by Colleen Morgan
Writing up my Excavation Report for the recent community excavation in Sackville Gardens has given me the chance to handle our finds again, so I thought I'd share a few of my favourite contemporary (1970-present) finds from the site...
📸 Is a 1979 Smiths Crips Salt and Vinager Wrapper.
1/9
📸 Is a 1979 Smiths Crips Salt and Vinager Wrapper.
1/9
January 27, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Writing up my Excavation Report for the recent community excavation in Sackville Gardens has given me the chance to handle our finds again, so I thought I'd share a few of my favourite contemporary (1970-present) finds from the site...
📸 Is a 1979 Smiths Crips Salt and Vinager Wrapper.
1/9
📸 Is a 1979 Smiths Crips Salt and Vinager Wrapper.
1/9
Obviously our finds lab is in the most bangin’ abandoned palace done in a Gulf-modernist style 🏺
January 27, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Obviously our finds lab is in the most bangin’ abandoned palace done in a Gulf-modernist style 🏺