Revised Research Framework of Post-Roman Ceramic Studies in Britain

English Heritage summaries 2008/2009

This project will produce a revised research strategy and agenda for the study of post-Roman ceramics in England, Scotland and Wales. In 1994 English Heritage published ‘Medieval Ceramic Studies in England. A Review for English Heritage’ by Maureen Mellor and this project will build on that important contribution. The aims of the project are to review of developments since 1994, assess current research priorities and examine the status of the sector. The remit has also been extended to include post-medieval ceramic studies.  The project will also extend to Scotland and Wales so that the whole of Britain is represented. The review stage will lead to the production of a revised agenda for future research and development and a revised strategy for achieving that agenda. The project is being undertaken by Duncan H. Brown on behalf of the Medieval Pottery Research Group (MPRG) with funding support from English Heritage and Cadw. The Societies for medieval and post-medieval archaeology are project partners.

Given the changes that have taken place in professional archaeology since 1994, most obviously with the introduction of PPG16, this project is most timely, especially with a new PPS imminent. We expect to see a profound change in the way ceramics are now analysed and reported on in Britain and there will doubtless be issues around dissemination and research. There have also been advances in the use of scientific techniques to inform the dating and characterisation of ceramics.

Four phases of work are planned. The first will review what has been achieved so far in respect of the recommendations in ‘Medieval Ceramic Studies in England’. The second will assess the present state of the discipline in England, Scotland and Wales to examine: the state of knowledge nationally and regionally; the quantity and quality of unpublished material; modes of professional practice, with methods of analysis and reporting; the character of the human resource; the provision of training and the development of the discipline; inter-dependencies and relations with other archaeological disciplines. This will be a consultative exercise that will gather information through questionnaires and meetings of the MPRG regional groups. The third phase will be the development of a revised agenda incorporating new recommendations and aims based on results from the review and consultation stages. The final phase will produce a new medium-term research strategy for the development of post-Roman ceramic studies, together with a programme for completing the revised agenda. The MPRG will then take responsibility for refreshing and updating that strategy within an agreed timeframe.

This page was published on 20/10/2009