Alex Marshall

Areas of interest

Landscape archaeology
Bronze Age ringwork
GIS
Phenomenology

Research projects

Late Bronze Age Ringwork Enclosures in Britain and Ireland: A Comprehensive Synthesis

My research is a national survey of ringworks, an enclosure type characteristic of the Late Bronze Age. Ringworks appear to have been the focus of numerous activities in the period including occupation, craft specialisation and deposition, with the evidence suggesting that

their locations were chosen to utilise specific views of the surrounding landscape. However, their forms and use histories varied markedly, and our understanding of ringworks is currently limited to individual case studies rather than an overarching survey. My project will address this research gap by exploring ringworks across Britain and Ireland, analysing their locations, distribution, designs, chronology, material culture and social context to understand how they were used in multiple regions. I will draw upon my experience with GIS mapping software to consider whether landscape settings determined how ringworks were constructed. The goal is for the resulting synthesis to be used as a framework for archaeologists when researching ringworks.

Supervisors:

Professor Duncan Garrow (University of Reading)

Professor Rob Hosfield (University of Reading)

Background

I have a BSc Psychology (First Class) from the Open University and an MA Archaeology (with Distinction) from the University of Reading. My MA dissertation explored viewsheds, or the visual profile, of Springfield Lyons Late Bronze Age ringwork in Essex, which is where I’m based. My findings support existing assumptions that ringworks were designed to stand out in a region, and that visibility of monuments reflected ‘power’ over a landscape in this period. I specialise in landscape archaeology, GIS and British prehistory, particularly the Bronze Age, although I also have an interest in Roman and Anglo-Saxon archaeology. I am also a keen follower and utiliser of phenomenological and experiential approaches to archaeology, particularly the frameworks of Chris Tilley. I have post-excavation experience at Colchester Archaeological Trust and I currently volunteer as a Collections Assistant at Braintree District Museum. I also lead a team of volunteers in maintenance and public engagement at Springfield Lyons, where I run annual tours.