I am an archaeologist and Egyptologist with over 20 years’ experience of research in the U.K., and Egypt.
I use digital humanities, GIS and satellite remote sensing to investigate, present and explain ancient society and culture, providing a new perspective on our shared past that informs our understanding of the present.
I believe that the past can illuminate every aspect of our lives, challenge our assumptions about ourselves and our world, and drive us to do better. But it is only when we approach the past on its own terms that we reap the benefits. We need to undertake archaeological research and present archaeological remains with respect for the people who generated them and a determination to hear their voices rather than our own preconceived ideas. Only when we present archaeological data in their physical and cultural context, can we expect to benefit as individuals and as a society.
Beyond research, I undertake freelance archaeological work as a post-excavation researcher, cartographer and geographic information systems (GIS) specialist. I also teach courses on geographic information systems (GIS) at the Egypt Exploration Society and Southend University, provide Egypt-themed workshops to schoolchildren and adult learners and am Chair of the Essex Egyptology Group, and on the Friends of the Petrie Museum committee. I am an Honorary Fellow at the University of Liverpool. I believe that there should always be a place for Independent Researchers in academia and am a member of the National Coalition of Independent Scholars, and treasurer of its British partner group the Forum for Independent Research Endeavours (FIRE-UK).
Find me online at Google Scholar, academia, researchgate, or follow me on social media:
Don’t miss my latest blog posts:
- ‘I see your true colours . . ‘ creating a composite ‘true colour’ Landsat-8 satellite image of Gebel Asyut el-Gharbi
How to create a natural ‘true colour’ image from single Landsat-8 satellite image bands. - Exhibition Review: ‘Tutankhamun the Boy: Growing up in ancient Egypt’ at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology
A review of the Petrie Museum’s new exhibition ‘Tutankhamun the Boy’. - Review of the British Museum’s ‘Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt’ exhibition
The British Museum’s crowd-pleasing exhibition on Hieroglyphs features the Rosetta Stone, but how does it deal with the complexity of decipherment and the role of Egyptians? - What’s the point of an exhibition? or ‘How to Wellcome change in the museum space’
As I write this in late November 2022, academic and museum Twitter has just seen an almighty row about the Wellcome Collection‘s decision to close and replace its ‘Medicine Man’ gallery. (In fact, ‘row’ probably isn’t even the right word for it – we need a new word for these Twitter events, something that encompasses …Continue reading What’s the point of an exhibition? or ‘How to Wellcome change in the museum space’
- Five years on: Reflections on Reflectance Transformation Imaging research at Hatnub Quarry P in 2017
Reflection on reflectance transformation imaging at Hatnub in 2017
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Scribe in the House of Life: Hannah Pethen Ph.D. 