David Roberts
@davidrobertsarch.bsky.social
Archaeologist at Cardiff University, directs Teffont Archaeology. Views my own not my institution's.
Pinned
Our @antiquaries.bsky.social Low Ham book (myself, Roger Leech and @thepostexcox.bsky.social ) is now available OA - library.oapen.org/handle/20.50... - the first synthetic publication of one of Britannia's largest villas, with reports on strat, finds, & enviro remains, & fully contextualised. 1/10
Reposted by David Roberts
Demanding for academics to be subjected to a ‘strategic research management regime’ is one of the most idiotic and ignorant things I’ve heard in some time. Only someone with no understanding of what universities are for could come up with such utter shite.
'We likely require fewer academics with research in their remit, but those that do need greater time allocated, and must be subject to a strategic research management regime'.
I remain very sceptical/negative about the medium- and long-turn impacts of separating research and teaching. 1/2
I remain very sceptical/negative about the medium- and long-turn impacts of separating research and teaching. 1/2
For Everything to Stay the Same, Everything Must Change
... a riposte to academic nostalgia
profserious.substack.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Demanding for academics to be subjected to a ‘strategic research management regime’ is one of the most idiotic and ignorant things I’ve heard in some time. Only someone with no understanding of what universities are for could come up with such utter shite.
Reposted by David Roberts
An open letter to @theguardian.com about their article last week about the Crown’s Silence, requesting that the Black scholar of Caribbean heritage who did the years of archival research behind this claim, and published it in 1979, Roger Norman Buckley, be acknowledged as the source of this reveal:
January 29, 2026 at 7:04 PM
An open letter to @theguardian.com about their article last week about the Crown’s Silence, requesting that the Black scholar of Caribbean heritage who did the years of archival research behind this claim, and published it in 1979, Roger Norman Buckley, be acknowledged as the source of this reveal:
Reposted by David Roberts
Looking for a postdoc opportunity outside the UK/US? I'm happy to support up to two JSPS postdoc applicants for the coming round for two-year posts starting from Sep./Oct. 2026 onwards at UTokyo. The application to be submitted before the end of March. 1/n
January 29, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Looking for a postdoc opportunity outside the UK/US? I'm happy to support up to two JSPS postdoc applicants for the coming round for two-year posts starting from Sep./Oct. 2026 onwards at UTokyo. The application to be submitted before the end of March. 1/n
Reposted by David Roberts
Really proud to see this out. A fantastic achievement that rests heavily on the hard work, expertise and dedication of all those mentioned here, not least @davidrobertsarch.bsky.social ! An excellent summary of all our contributors and of the overall findings. Now go read the book!
Our @antiquaries.bsky.social Low Ham book (myself, Roger Leech and @thepostexcox.bsky.social ) is now available OA - library.oapen.org/handle/20.50... - the first synthetic publication of one of Britannia's largest villas, with reports on strat, finds, & enviro remains, & fully contextualised. 1/10
January 14, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Really proud to see this out. A fantastic achievement that rests heavily on the hard work, expertise and dedication of all those mentioned here, not least @davidrobertsarch.bsky.social ! An excellent summary of all our contributors and of the overall findings. Now go read the book!
Reposted by David Roberts
Has anyone spotted any Heritage analysis around this yet? Another couple of months.
The consultation on the revised NPPF is open for 12 weeks, and we will be working intensively with the sector over that period to refine our proposals and make sure the final version delivers on our objectives. Have your say here 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/c...
www.gov.uk/government/c...
National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system
We are seeking views on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system.
www.gov.uk
January 13, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Has anyone spotted any Heritage analysis around this yet? Another couple of months.
Our @antiquaries.bsky.social Low Ham book (myself, Roger Leech and @thepostexcox.bsky.social ) is now available OA - library.oapen.org/handle/20.50... - the first synthetic publication of one of Britannia's largest villas, with reports on strat, finds, & enviro remains, & fully contextualised. 1/10
January 13, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Our @antiquaries.bsky.social Low Ham book (myself, Roger Leech and @thepostexcox.bsky.social ) is now available OA - library.oapen.org/handle/20.50... - the first synthetic publication of one of Britannia's largest villas, with reports on strat, finds, & enviro remains, & fully contextualised. 1/10
Reposted by David Roberts
Senior Research Technician post in our department at Exeter! Closing date 4 Jan - be quick! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPV452/s...
Senior Research Technician at University of Exeter
Explore professional services job openings, including the Senior Research Technician position, on jobs.ac.uk. Apply today and discover more about this role.
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Senior Research Technician post in our department at Exeter! Closing date 4 Jan - be quick! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPV452/s...
Reposted by David Roberts
I will add that even after that time I was obviously statistically much more likely to get a permanent job and the reason for that is very clear: I’m a straight white male and the child of comfortably off baby boomers. I went to private school. These things insulate you to a great extent.
That academic hiring grievance article doing the rounds: look, there are simply very few jobs and lots of people, relatively speaking, who could be hired. I was precarious for nine (!) years. And now Britain, at least, is trying to solve the issue by having most universities go bankrupt.
December 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
I will add that even after that time I was obviously statistically much more likely to get a permanent job and the reason for that is very clear: I’m a straight white male and the child of comfortably off baby boomers. I went to private school. These things insulate you to a great extent.
Reposted by David Roberts
Experience in #archaeological #proteomics?
Interested in #Roman economy / organic artefacts?
Background in data analysis for #ZooMS?
Then apply for a 3-year RA post working to join PELLIS project with the wonderful @gtaylortu.bsky.social to investigate Roman leather economy
Apply by 12/01/2026
Interested in #Roman economy / organic artefacts?
Background in data analysis for #ZooMS?
Then apply for a 3-year RA post working to join PELLIS project with the wonderful @gtaylortu.bsky.social to investigate Roman leather economy
Apply by 12/01/2026
T: 01642 342201
E: [email protected]
tuwpapps.tees.ac.uk
December 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Experience in #archaeological #proteomics?
Interested in #Roman economy / organic artefacts?
Background in data analysis for #ZooMS?
Then apply for a 3-year RA post working to join PELLIS project with the wonderful @gtaylortu.bsky.social to investigate Roman leather economy
Apply by 12/01/2026
Interested in #Roman economy / organic artefacts?
Background in data analysis for #ZooMS?
Then apply for a 3-year RA post working to join PELLIS project with the wonderful @gtaylortu.bsky.social to investigate Roman leather economy
Apply by 12/01/2026
Reposted by David Roberts
When will this crisis get any attention whatsoever!? A THOUSAND ACADEMIC STAFF AT ONE INSTITUTION SERVED REDUNDANCY RISK NOTICES! And that's not counting what's surely being visited on professional services staff too. This is an economic catastrophe, to say nothing of the intellectual catastrophe!
Ongoing decimation of British universities part 252:
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Apx. 1000 academic staff at University of Essex just received formal ‘risk of redundancy’ letters via email.
Please share @ucuessex.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 8:47 PM
When will this crisis get any attention whatsoever!? A THOUSAND ACADEMIC STAFF AT ONE INSTITUTION SERVED REDUNDANCY RISK NOTICES! And that's not counting what's surely being visited on professional services staff too. This is an economic catastrophe, to say nothing of the intellectual catastrophe!
Reposted by David Roberts
Open access and hot off the presses for anyone interested in the end of Roman Britain.
Establishing a Chronology for Roman and Post-Roman Stanwick, Northamptonshire | Britannia | Cambridge Core
Establishing a Chronology for Roman and Post-Roman Stanwick, Northamptonshire
doi.org
December 9, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Open access and hot off the presses for anyone interested in the end of Roman Britain.
Reposted by David Roberts
I’ve written the @resprofnews.bsky.social Sunday Read this week. I’ve looked at the value and importance of the arts, humanities and social sciences and what policymakers might do to support them at a time we are seeing major cutbacks in universities www.researchprofessional.com/news-article...
December 7, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I’ve written the @resprofnews.bsky.social Sunday Read this week. I’ve looked at the value and importance of the arts, humanities and social sciences and what policymakers might do to support them at a time we are seeing major cutbacks in universities www.researchprofessional.com/news-article...
Reposted by David Roberts
The recent White Paper called for more specialisation in HEIs. But let’s avoid a one size fits all mindset here for research - social science, humanities & arts (SHAPE) don’t tend to have the high capital costs of some STEM disciplines & so you can have excellent departments in many institutions
December 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
The recent White Paper called for more specialisation in HEIs. But let’s avoid a one size fits all mindset here for research - social science, humanities & arts (SHAPE) don’t tend to have the high capital costs of some STEM disciplines & so you can have excellent departments in many institutions
Reposted by David Roberts
In the meantime, we are seeing big changes in universities. I suggest that in England the Office for Students should take on the mantle that HEFCE used to have to monitor the health of disciplines and to watch for ‘cold spots’ of provision
December 7, 2025 at 1:17 PM
In the meantime, we are seeing big changes in universities. I suggest that in England the Office for Students should take on the mantle that HEFCE used to have to monitor the health of disciplines and to watch for ‘cold spots’ of provision
Phwoar. What a job..
Principal Curator of Collection Development (Archaeology)
National Museum of Wales
Salary: Grade F £44,793.83 - £47,360.00
Closing Date: December 23, 2025
Based in Cardiff
www.bajr.org/job-ad/princ...
National Museum of Wales
Salary: Grade F £44,793.83 - £47,360.00
Closing Date: December 23, 2025
Based in Cardiff
www.bajr.org/job-ad/princ...
Principal Curator of Collection Development (Archaeology) - BAJR - British Archaeology Jobs and Resources
Salary: Grade F £44,793.83 - £47,360.00Closing Date: 23/12/25Location:
www.bajr.org
December 7, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Phwoar. What a job..
Reposted by David Roberts
Terrific find
"It was initially believed the mosaic depicted a scene from Homer's Iliad. But new research has determined the piece presented an alternative version of the Trojan War story, first popularised by the Greek playwright Aeschylus"
As you might have read in British Archaeology in Dec 2021
"It was initially believed the mosaic depicted a scene from Homer's Iliad. But new research has determined the piece presented an alternative version of the Trojan War story, first popularised by the Greek playwright Aeschylus"
As you might have read in British Archaeology in Dec 2021
December 7, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Terrific find
"It was initially believed the mosaic depicted a scene from Homer's Iliad. But new research has determined the piece presented an alternative version of the Trojan War story, first popularised by the Greek playwright Aeschylus"
As you might have read in British Archaeology in Dec 2021
"It was initially believed the mosaic depicted a scene from Homer's Iliad. But new research has determined the piece presented an alternative version of the Trojan War story, first popularised by the Greek playwright Aeschylus"
As you might have read in British Archaeology in Dec 2021
Reposted by David Roberts
This article suggests the possibility of training AI on pre-existing proposals and their review reports, scores and related decisions. I.e. training them on a system which is known to preferentially award larger amounts of money to white men. What could possibly go wrong?
UKRI exploring use of AI in grant review - this will prompt debate but interested to know if people think it’d encourage novelty or the opposite? www.chemistryworld.com/news/ukri-op...
UKRI opens up grant proposal data to explore using AI to smooth peer review
Surging applications has led the UK's main funder to look at ways to reduce the burden on reviewers
www.chemistryworld.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This article suggests the possibility of training AI on pre-existing proposals and their review reports, scores and related decisions. I.e. training them on a system which is known to preferentially award larger amounts of money to white men. What could possibly go wrong?
Reposted by David Roberts
Very much looking forward to next week’s @royalarchinst.bsky.social lecture @antiquaries.bsky.social by Dr Al Oswald - ALL WELCOME!
#Neolithic
#Neolithic
December 4, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Very much looking forward to next week’s @royalarchinst.bsky.social lecture @antiquaries.bsky.social by Dr Al Oswald - ALL WELCOME!
#Neolithic
#Neolithic
Lots of good stuff in this new Wessex Arch book, including (briefly) a nice little Roman building.. but I'm mainly there for a nostalgic return to / interesting new evidence in the landscape of, my earlier work on Neolithic pits with the excellent AVT, Pete M, Ruth P, et al!
My dear hubby and @leivers.bsky.social have just published this book, which I'm sure is of interest to many of you. Also, free to download! Happy Christmas! ☺️
The Archaeology of the Stonehenge Visitor Centre
wessexarchaeologylibrary.org
December 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Lots of good stuff in this new Wessex Arch book, including (briefly) a nice little Roman building.. but I'm mainly there for a nostalgic return to / interesting new evidence in the landscape of, my earlier work on Neolithic pits with the excellent AVT, Pete M, Ruth P, et al!
Reposted by David Roberts
Please share!
Two new postdoc positions have opened in the RADHEART project at the University of Bergen.
The first is on ancient Rabbinic literature from the 2nd – 7th century CE.
#AcRel #sblaar #AncientBlueSky
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Two new postdoc positions have opened in the RADHEART project at the University of Bergen.
The first is on ancient Rabbinic literature from the 2nd – 7th century CE.
#AcRel #sblaar #AncientBlueSky
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Study of Religion (289814) | University of Bergen
Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Study of Religion (289814), Employer: University of Bergen, Deadline: Friday, March 6, 2026
www.jobbnorge.no
December 2, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Please share!
Two new postdoc positions have opened in the RADHEART project at the University of Bergen.
The first is on ancient Rabbinic literature from the 2nd – 7th century CE.
#AcRel #sblaar #AncientBlueSky
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Two new postdoc positions have opened in the RADHEART project at the University of Bergen.
The first is on ancient Rabbinic literature from the 2nd – 7th century CE.
#AcRel #sblaar #AncientBlueSky
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Reposted by David Roberts
What a wonderful story - and a beautiful illustration of the power of the arts.
Great writing expands our imagination. It helps us to see the world in new ways.
And that has consequences that can never be measured by "average starting salaries" or "contribution to GDP".
Great writing expands our imagination. It helps us to see the world in new ways.
And that has consequences that can never be measured by "average starting salaries" or "contribution to GDP".
December 2, 2025 at 9:35 AM
What a wonderful story - and a beautiful illustration of the power of the arts.
Great writing expands our imagination. It helps us to see the world in new ways.
And that has consequences that can never be measured by "average starting salaries" or "contribution to GDP".
Great writing expands our imagination. It helps us to see the world in new ways.
And that has consequences that can never be measured by "average starting salaries" or "contribution to GDP".
Reposted by David Roberts
Labour lied to voters when they said they would protect peatland in their manifesto. For over a year Labour has actively harmed peatland by delaying the ban on peat compost, which was good to go.
In the Environmental Improvement Plan, Gov. has sidestepped its obligations and flunked defining a firm plan to deliver legislation to end peat sales.
Our full response:
peatfreepartnership.org.uk/peat-free-pa...
@marycreagh.bsky.social #climate #nature #peatfree #environment
Our full response:
peatfreepartnership.org.uk/peat-free-pa...
@marycreagh.bsky.social #climate #nature #peatfree #environment
Peat-free Partnership response to the Environmental Improvement Plan - Peat Free Partnership
Today the UK Government published their revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). The Government has sidestepped its obligations and flunked defining a firm plan to deliver legislation to end peat...
peatfreepartnership.org.uk
December 1, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Labour lied to voters when they said they would protect peatland in their manifesto. For over a year Labour has actively harmed peatland by delaying the ban on peat compost, which was good to go.
Reposted by David Roberts
This Roman kiln is one of many incredible finds the #OCAArchTeam are discovering on site @sizewellc.bsky.social that build up the story of Suffolk's past - want to learn more? Dig in here: oxfordcotswoldarchaeology.org.uk/project/sizewell/
@cotswoldarch.bsky.social #suffolk #heritage #archaeology
@cotswoldarch.bsky.social #suffolk #heritage #archaeology
November 27, 2025 at 12:47 PM
This Roman kiln is one of many incredible finds the #OCAArchTeam are discovering on site @sizewellc.bsky.social that build up the story of Suffolk's past - want to learn more? Dig in here: oxfordcotswoldarchaeology.org.uk/project/sizewell/
@cotswoldarch.bsky.social #suffolk #heritage #archaeology
@cotswoldarch.bsky.social #suffolk #heritage #archaeology
Reposted by David Roberts
Are you interested in doing a PhD about what humans infer about animal minds?
Check out this opportunity @northumbriapsy.bsky.social with me, @mdconstable.bsky.social and Lee Shepherd!
Deadline 23 Jan 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Check out this opportunity @northumbriapsy.bsky.social with me, @mdconstable.bsky.social and Lee Shepherd!
Deadline 23 Jan 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Bridging the Species Divide: Animal minds and the human-animal relationship (Ref: RDF26/HW/PSY/RENNER) at Northumbria University on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Bridging the Species Divide: Animal minds and the human-animal relationship (Ref: RDF26/HW/PSY/RENNER) at Northumbria University, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Are you interested in doing a PhD about what humans infer about animal minds?
Check out this opportunity @northumbriapsy.bsky.social with me, @mdconstable.bsky.social and Lee Shepherd!
Deadline 23 Jan 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Check out this opportunity @northumbriapsy.bsky.social with me, @mdconstable.bsky.social and Lee Shepherd!
Deadline 23 Jan 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...