Event Archive

School of Geosciences Postgraduate Applicant Information Session

Join us online for a Q&A and find out more about our postgraduate programmes starting in January 2024 and September 2024.

Scottish Archaeological Forum (SAF) Conference 2023

The Scottish Archaeological Forum (SAF) is delighted to deliver a hybrid conference at the University of Aberdeen in October 2023, with the theme of 'Insiders and Outsiders in Scottish Archaeology'.

Explorathon

Celebrate research with a range of fun activities,workshops and more!

Prehistory on the Edge

Studying and celebrating the Stone Age in North-West Europe in honour of Caroline Wickham-Jones

UK Archaeological Science (UKAS) Conference 2021 in 2022!

Call for papers is now open

NARSS: Gesa Mackenthun

This event was cancelled

An academic polymath Gesa Mackenthun (Rostock) will speak on a topic that will touch upon the past and the present, North America, heritage and the world. 

NARSS: Linus Girdland Flink.

This event was cancelled

Aberdeen's own Linus Girdland Flink, new lecturer in Ancient Biomolocules will speak. 

NARSS: Jennifer Jones, 'Surviving the Ice Age: Adaptability, Resilience and Environmental buffering in a LGM Spanish refugium'

Jennifer Jones (Santander) says "It's about reconstructing Last Glacial maximum environmental conditions in the Cantabrian Refugium, to explore how it helped people and animals to survive there, and why it was so heavily occupied. It's isotope heavy, so definitely a crowd pleaser."

NARSS: Chris Fowler, 'Interpreting change and diversity in the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age mortuary practices of northeast England'

This event was cancelled

Chris Fowler (Newcastle) will speak on osteoarchaeology and perhaps Neolithic tombs. 

NARSS: Kate Franklin, 'Living the Silk Road everyday: archaeological research in medieval Armenia'

How do we live global cultures in the everyday? This talk will look briefly at my research in Armenia and explore how the everyday and the global were co-constructed in the middle ages (12th to 15th centuries  AD). I will lay out the question of a ‘Silk Road archaeology’ as...

NARSS: Elisabeth Niklasson,'Parallel pasts: archaeology and heritage policy in the EU'

The story of how the European Union, thrust into being without a past of its own, set out to create one, and how it went slightly awry.

NARSS: Richard Madgwick, 'Iron Age mortuary rites in southwest Britain: A multi-scalar approach'

Richard Madgwick (Cardiff) will speak on bones, society, humans and animals.   

NARSS: 'Memes in the Dissemination of Archaeology'

The shadowy forces behind @PictishM will delve deeply into the text and subtext of their endeavor to bring awarness of the Picts to an audience of both cognicenti and everyday folks.  Discussion and open mic to follow talk. 

NARSS: Ursula Brosseder 'Mastering Speed, The Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in Mongolia'

Dr Brosseder's research is centered on the Pre- and Proto history of Mongolia.  Need I say more, Mongolia! 

Geosciences PGR Conference

The annual School of Geosciences PGR Conference will take place on 10th January 2020 in the Sir Duncan Rice Library's Craig Suite from 10AM to 5PM. All are welcome to attend. More information (PDF document)

Prehistoric Britain Public Learning Resource Fair

Bring your d20 to the learning resource fair for AY2009 'Prehistoric Britain''s learning resources fair. There could be books, food, recipes, costumes, games! All for you to find out about and join in with.   

NARSS: Iain Banks

Iain Banks (Glasgow) will speak on battlefield archaeology

NARSS: Mario Carić

Mario Carić (Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia) will speak about his research and perhaps also plans involving isotopes.

NARSS: Becky Wragg Sykes

Dr Wragg Sykes studies and publicises Neanderthals and the history of archaeology as well as practicing public archaeology, writing for The Guardian and tweeting up a blizzard among other things. 

NARSS: Coast-Mountain relations - insights through rock. Mesolithic-Neolithic Developments in South Norway

Please note: This talk is on Tuesday, not our traditional Wednesday.

NARSS: Khipus, Gender, Place and Knowledge

Professor Sabine Hyland will speak on Khipu.   If you're not sure what that means, don't Google(tm) come to the talk and your appreciation of human inventiveness will raised to new heights! Or... you can read the abstract. Although the knotted cords texts known as "khipus" have been used in the...

4th Year Research Presentations

Fourth year students will be presenting their ongoing dissertation research.

NARSS: Summer Fieldwork Roundup

Gordon Noble & Joshua Wright will present brief talks on their summer fieldwork in Scotland and Mongolia. 

Seminar: Dr Tod Jones (Curtin) "What is an artefact? Resident relationships with Majapahit heritage in Trowulan, Indonesia"

Please join us for a seminar to be given by Dr Tod Jones of Curtin University on "What is an artefact?  Resident relationships with Majapahit heritage in Trowulan, Indonesia". The seminar will take place on Thursday 2nd May from 2-3 pm in St. Mary’s 105. All are welcome to attend. Abstract: Part...

Earth Science Seminar: Dr Phaedra Upton, "Towards unification of tectonic and surface processes within a single physical framework"

Please join us for an Earth Science Seminar to be given by Dr Phaedra Upton, a Senior Scientist at GNS Science, NZ on "Towards unification of tectonic and surface processes within a single physical framework”. The talk will take place on 2nd May at 13:00 in Cruickshank G08. All are...

Earth Science Seminar: "nBOSS Network: Imaging post-subduction processes beneath North Borneo"

Please join us for an Earth Science Seminar presented by Dr Amy Gilligan on "nBOSS Network: Imaging post-subduction processes beneath North Borneo". The seminar will take place on 24th January, 13:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Abstract At present the mechanisms driving the processes that occur in...

NARSS bonus talk: Dendrochronology and Crannogs!

Marie-Therese Barrett (Queens University Belfast)

Geosciences Post-Graduate Research Conference

Find out about new research in Geosciences! Support your students and colleagues!

NARSS talk: Life and Death in Medieval Ireland: New Insights from the Ranelagh Osteoarchaeology Project

Life and Death in Medieval Ireland: New Insights from the Ranelagh Osteoarchaeology Project Speaker Eileen Murphy

Prehistoric Britain Project Fair!

Open to All! Explore Prehistoric Britain through learning and public outreach activities

NARSS talk: Recent work on Iona: Constructing an early medieval monastery

Recent work on Iona:  Constructing an early medieval  monastery. 

NARSS Talk: The Complexity Wars: Foragers vs. Farmers in Ancient Southeast Asia

Professor Marc Oxenham (ANU) will examine the Neolithic of Vietnam starting from the Con Co Ngua cemetery.  

NARSS talk:...

Osteoarchaeology

NARSS talk: Assembling Value: Hunter Gatherer creativity and the basketry of Native California

Assembling Value: Hunter Gatherer creativity and the basketry of Native California

NARSS talk:...

Might well be the Fieldwork Round-up...

Seminar: Development & implementation of Marine Spatial Planning in Australia (Prof Marcus Haward)

The School of Geosciences Green Economy Research Centre (GERC) is hosting Professor Marcus Haward from the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia for a seminar titled: “Development and implementation of Marine Spatial Planning in Australia – Lessons in the 20 years from the release of Australia’s...

Research Seminar: "A few snapshots of Environmental Fluid Mechanics: turbulence, sediments, and flow-biota interactions"

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Prof Vladimir Nikora (Engineering) entitled "A few snapshots of Environmental Fluid Mechanics: turbulence, sediments, and flow-biota interactions". The seminar will take place at 13:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Abstract: Environmental Fluid Mechanics (EFM) has...

NARSS Talk: Balbridie ... and Doon Hill: Changing configurations

 Ian Ralston (U Edinburgh) will speak on aspects of Neolithic Scotland

NARSS Talk: Archaeological Heritage in China

Qian Gao (U Sterling) will speak on archaeological heritage management and theory in China.

NARSS talk: Digital Archaeology and Augmented History

Recording and presenting the augmented experience around elite center and mortuary landscape of Gamla Uppsala, Sweden.

NARSS talk: Horses and Bronze Age Lifeways in the Eastern Eurasian Steppe

William Taylor (MPI Jena) presents on the archaeology of early Eurasian horses

Research Seminar: 'Serpentinization and life: Insights through ocean drilling'

Please join us for an Earth Science research seminar to be given by Prof. Gretchen Früh-Green (ETH Zurich) on 'Serpentinization and life: Insights through ocean drilling'. The seminar will take place on Thursday 15th February from 13:00-14:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Seminar Abstract: Progressive interaction of...

NARSS talk: Pictish Barrows and Cairns, commemoration in the landscape

Our own Juliette Mitchell will present her ongoing research on Pictish monuments. 

Research Seminar: "Exploring drivers and controls of variability in hydrological processes and water quality"

Please join us for a research seminar to be presented by Dr Ina Pohle of the James Hutton Institute. Dr Pohle will be speaking on "Exploring drivers and controls of variability in hydrological processes and water quality". The seminar will take place on 8th February at 13:00 in Meston Lecture...

Research Seminar: "Reconstructing and modelling the last British-Irish ice Sheet"

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Dr Jeremy Ely (Department of Geography, University of Sheffield) on 'Reconstructing and modelling the last British-Irish ice Sheet'. The seminar will take place on 1st February in Meston Lecture Theatre 2 at 13:00. All are welcome to attend. Abstract The Antarctic...

Research Seminar: "Application of lidar and 3D geologic modelling techniques to quantify spatial and architectural relationships from fluvial outcrops"

Please join us for an Earth Science research seminar to be given by Dr Brian Burnham on "Application of lidar and 3D geologic modelling techniques to quantify spatial and architectural relationships from fluvial outcrops". The seminar will take place on Thursday, 25th January at 13:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2....

Seminar: Dr Simone Pettigrew, "Increasing the public's interest in and support for autonomous vehicles"

Please join us for a research seminar entitled "Increasing the public's interest in and support for autonomous vehicles", to be presented by Prof Simone Pettigrew, Research Professor in the School of Psychology at Curtin University in Western Australia. Prof Pettigrew is currently studying (i) attitudes to autonomous vehicles among a wide...

Geosciences Research Seminar: 'Dating a granite-related vein type Mo prospect near Aberdeen, Scotland: Implications for geological setting and exploration'

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Dr Clive Rice of the University of Aberdeen on 'Dating a granite-related vein type Mo prospect near Aberdeen, Scotland: Implications for geological setting and exploration'. The seminar will take place on 30th November from 13:00-14:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2....

Explore Prehistoric Britain: PublicLearning Resources in Archaeology

An open poster fair, demonstration and game hour showcasing student work on public learning resources in archaeology.  We invite you to come along for a look and if you like, to take part, discuss, play and comment.

Research Seminar: "Sequential vertical gas charge across multilayer sequences: observation and modelling"

We are pleased to invite you to this week's Geosciences Research Seminar, featuring Dr Martino Foschi of the Shell-Oxford Research Collaboration, University of Oxford speaking on ‘Sequential vertical gas charge across multilayer sequences: observation and modelling’. The seminar will take place on Thursday the 23rd of November from 13:00-14:00 in...

Research Seminar: 'The ignimbrites of Terceira: a petrogenetic puzzle of peralkaline pyroclastics'

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Dr Adam Jeffery of Keele University on ‘The ignimbrites of Terceira: a petrogenetic puzzle of peralkaline pyroclastics’. The seminar will take place on Nov. 16th at 13:00-14:00 in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Abstract The recent (<...

Research Seminar: 'Crato Formation laminites - a representative geomechanical (pre-salt) analogue?'

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Dr Stephanie Zihms of Heriot-Watt University entitled ‘Crato Formation laminites - a representative geomechanical (pre-salt) analogue?’ The seminar will take place on Thursday, 9th November in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Abstract: With recent hydrocarbon discoveries in...

Research Seminar: 'Beyond the crust: the role of the mantle lithosphere in plate tectonic processes'

Please join us for a research seminar to be given by Dr Philip Heron of Durham University entitled ‘Beyond the crust: the role of the mantle lithosphere in plate tectonic processes’. The seminar will take place on Tuesday, 7th November in Meston MT4. All are welcome to attend. Abstract: The mantle lithosphere...

Research Seminar: 'Serpentinization and life: Insights through ocean drilling'

Please join us for a research seminar presented by Gretchen Früh-Green, senior research scientist at the Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology of ETH Zurich. The Seminar will take place at 1pm on 2nd November in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Abstract: Progressive interaction of seawater with mantle-dominated...

Research Seminar: Observation, Imaging and Interpretation in Ambient Noise Seismology

Please join us for a Geosciences research seminar on ‘Observation, Imaging and Interpretation in Ambient Noise Seismology’, presented by Dr Sjoerd de Ridder of the University of Edinburgh. The seminar will take place at 1PM in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. Seminar Abstract: Microseism noise is excited by...

Research Seminar: Microbialites, mudstones and Mars: Tracing biosignatures in rocks

Please join us for a research seminar presented by Dr Cees van der Land of Newcastle University on ‘Microbialites, mudstones and Mars: Tracing biosignatures in rocks’. The seminar will take place at 1PM on Thursday 19th October in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. All are welcome to attend. 

Research Seminar: Virtual outcrops for structural geology

All are invited to a Geosciences research seminar presented by Adam Cawood (University of Aberdeen) on ‘Virtual outcrops for structural geology: applications, workflows and limitations’. The talk will be held at 1PM in Meston Lecture Theatre 2. Abstract: LiDAR, and more recently, Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, have been used extensively in Earth...

NARSS Talk: Viking weddings for the living and the dead

This talk will explore three textual sources from widely differing times and places, bringing them together in previously unattempted combinations to illuminate aspects of ritual life in the Viking Age. In focus will be the treatment of the dead, sexual habits and social customs. Although the seminar will largely rely...

NARSS Talk: Humanizing landscape: dynamism, representativity and narrativity at Kraiknish, Skye

There will be islands.

NARSS Talk: Where have you been deer? Reconstructing late Holocene caribou seasonal biogeography using intra-tooth isotope analysis

There will be caribou.

NARSS Talk: Archaeologies of "Us" and "Them": Debating History, Heritage and Indigeneity

A book launch of a sort

Earth Science Research Seminar: Prof Kevin Edwards (University of Aberdeen)

Please join us on Thursday, 23rd of February for a research seminar presented by Prof Kevin Edwards of the University of Aberdeen on “Pollen, pacifists, women, war and other things: what do the archives tell us about the development of palynology?” All are welcome to attend.

NARSS Talk: 3000 Years of Crannog Dwelling in North-east Scotland

There will be water

NARSS Talk: Sarah Pederzani, Reconstructing Pleistocene Palaeoclimate and Palaeoseasonality using Oxygen Isotope Zooarchaeology

There will be isotopes

NARSS Seminar: The Walrus in the Walls and Other Strange Tales: House-Rites in the Viking-age North Atlantic

Research into structured deposits that have been found under or within early Medieval Norse houses across the North Atlantic region. The deposits in question are connected to ritual actions through which Norse people manipulated the agency of their homes. The mnemonics and agency of the house further negotiated the sense...

NARSS Talk: Jomon Identities

The foraging societies of the Japanese Jomon period (ca. 16,500~2500BP) were mostly egalitarian; archaeological data provide tantalising insights into various levels and types of social identities. For example, intergroup identities may have been expressed in regional ceramic styles; portable ornaments (made of stone, animal bone, antler, teeth, and shell) and...

NARSS Seminar: Breasts, Babies and New Norms: Archaeological Insights into Changing Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices in Britain's Past

Using bioarchaeological and isotopic data from St Nicholas Kirk in Aberdeen Dr Britton will trace changing relationships between mothers and infants and its impact of on the history and society of Britain, Scotland and the City of Aberdeen. 

NARSS Talk: Geoarchaelogical quest for seasonal occupation: shielings in the North Atlantic region

 In this talk I will discuss the results of my doctoral project, which contributed new archaeological evidence to the debate on transhumance in the Viking and Medieval Periods in Iceland and the Outer Hebrides. I will examine shielings in these two regions at new levels of detail, and with new...

NARSS: Studies of The Galloway Hoard

The most impressive Scottish Viking Age hoard of recent years...

Effects of MIS3 climatic and environmental changes on human subsistence in Iberia

Ana Belen Marin-Arroyo (Universidad de Cantabria/McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research)  will present a brown bag talk at noon on her work the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition.  Bring your lunch. 

NARSS Seminar: Upper Palaeolithic Economics and Climate in Northern Spain: A view from Ungulates

Jeanne Marie Geiling (Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain) will present aspects of her ongoing zooarchaeological work at the key Magdalelian site of El Miron Cave. 

NARSS Seminar: Ongoing Archaeological Research from University of Aberdeen Archaeology

Dr Gordon Noble and Dr Joshua Wright will present recent work and discoveries from their field programs in Scotland and Mongolia.

NARSS Seminar: Dr Paul Ledger, prehistoric hunter-gatherers in southwestern Alaska

Join us for the first talk this year on the Nunalleq project: All the small things: A high resolution examination of late prehistoric hunter-gatherers in southwestern Alaska

NARSS: Dr Mats Larsson - 'Living in cultural diversity: The Pitted Ware and Battle Axe Culture in Sweden 3000-2000 BC'

NARSS: Professor Matthew Collins - 'How useful is parchment as a zooarchaeological resource?'

Please note Prof. Collins' lecture will start at 3pm in NK1 rather than 4pm as previously advertised!

NARSS: Dr Rick Knecht - 'War of the Worlds: Exploring the archaeology of the Pacific island battlefield of Peleliu'

NARSS: Dr Ingrid Mainland - 'The nature of the feast: Archaeofaunal evidence for consumption behaviour in Iron Age and Viking-Norse Orkney'

NARSS: Dr Rick Knecht ~PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING TERM 2015~

Apologies but due to unforeseen circumstances (fieldwork!) Dr Knecht has had to postpone this seminar. Please join us next semester for this, and other talks in our speaker series.

NARSS: Gavin Lindsay - 'Conflict , Concrete & Community: Alternative approaches to the WWII archaeology of a small island'

NARSS: Prof Matthew Spriggs - 'Three Pacific Tasters: Recent archaeology in Vanuatu (and elsewhere)'

NARSS: Dr Ardern Hulme-Beaman - 'Around the World with Rats'

Explorathon: Uncovering our Aberdonian Ancestors

What have the recent excavations at St. Nicholas Kirk told us about the hidden past of Aberdeen's Maritime history?

NARSS: Professor Neil Price - 'Seven Years in the North The Past, Present and Future of Archaeology at Aberdeen'

Cognitive Science Meeting

This is an occasional, informal Cognitive Science get together to hear who is doing what, to learn about new topics, and to strengthen/forge collegial networks.  There will be a series of short talks by participants, which will give us an opportunity to get acquainted. We will order pizza to be delivered...

'A bright crowd of chancels': whither early church archaeology in Scotland?

Lecture in Edinburgh as part of First Millennia Studies Group Day Seminar

Celtic Collections, Celtic Connections: Dundee's historic plaster casts of early medieval sculpture in context - Dr Sally Foster

Celtic Connections, Celtic Connections: Dundee's historic plaster casts of early medieval sculpture in context Lecture as part of Archaeological Research in Progress conference 2014 Book online for day conference: http://www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk/events/arp-2014

Caroline Wickham-Jones to speak at Orkney Archaeology Society meeting

Archaeology's Caroline Wickham-Jones is speaking at the St. Magnus Centre in Kirkwall on May 20th about her changing landscapes project! For more information see the poster below!

Dr Mel Giles (University of Manchester) - Weapons burials of the British Iron Age

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Dr Anne Pedersen (National Museum Copenhagen) - The royal monuments at Jelling, Denmark - new investigations and interpretations

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Dr Bob Johnston (University of Sheffield) - Action Heritage - research, community, social justice

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Celtic Collections: the activities of the V&A in Dundee 110 years ago - Dr Sally Foster

Lecture to Abertay Historical Society

A Pictish phantasmagoria - Martin Cook and Dr Gordon Noble

Lecture to First Millennia Studies Group - all welcome

CANCELLED Prof Dr Dries Tys (Free University of Brussels) - Scandinavian presence in the Low Countries during the 9th century and their impact on urbanism and trade

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Domestic production of copper objects during the Viking Age - Daniel Sahlén (University of Stockholm)

Dr. Daniel Sahlén, who is visiting us from the University of Stockholm next week, has kindly offered to give a talk about his research: “Domestic production of copper objects during the Viking Age: Where it happened and what it tells us about Viking society” Abstract: The distinction between specialised and domestic production has...

Professor Fa-jun Li (Sun Yat-Sen University, China) - From torsos to tektites: research at the Ding Si Shan site in Guangxi, South China

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Dr Kenny Brophy (University of Glasgow) - The visible and the invisible: urban prehistory in Scotland

Northern Archaeology Research Seminar Series - all welcome

Turf architecture in the North Atlantic region in the 1st millennium AD - Dr Karen Milek

Lecture to First Millennia Studies Group - all welcome

Victorian values and Edwardian energies: why plaster casts of early medieval sculpture matter - Dr Sally Foster

Event to accompany National Museums of Scotland Creative Spirit: Revealing Early Medieval Scotland exhibition - see NMS website for details of how to book

A century of isotopes, 1913-2013 - Dr Kate Britton

Lecture to Glasgow Archaeology Society - all welcome

Celtic collections and imperial connections: behind the scenes in late Victorian/Edwardian national and provincial museums - Dr Sally Foster

Lecture at Theoretical Archaeology Group conference, Bournemouth