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Reflecting on PGRAS 2014

The last two weeks have given us all time to reflect on PGRAS 2014 and what we were able to take away from the symposium. We kicked off on Thursday 22nd May with a session entitled ā€˜Thinking and Doing in Archaeologyā€™, which was concerned with looking in detail at the methodological and theoretical constructs that Southampton PGRs are making use of in their research. Continue reading →

Visualising an Uncertain Past: Procedural Modelling at Portus

Positioned between the two harbours of Portus, Romeā€™s Imperial port, once stood an enormous building built on massive concrete piers. The vestiges of this structure (ā€œbuilding fiveā€) were visible above ground when I visited the site for the first time in 2011, my first season working on the Portus Project. Remains were dotted across the site, often masked by overgrowth, some incorporated into the standing remains of the Late Antique city wall. Continue reading →

Roman Mediterranean Shipping

Roman Ship at Anchor (c) Julian Whitewright Some of the learners on the course have requested more information about the types of ships in the Roman Mediterranean. The diverse ships and boats at Portus itself would have ranged from giant long-distance merchant ships, through vessels engaged in coastal trade, to small fishing boats capable of travelling only a few miles. In addition, there would have been many different types of vessel present, dedicated to the service of the port itself. Continue reading →

Roman ships at Portus

In response to queries from learners I thought I would provide some additional information about evidence for the Roman ships at Portus. We can expect the basins and canals at Portus to have been crowded with hundreds of commercial ships and boats; one recent estimate, for example, suggests that c. 1800 sea-going ships may have anchored in the Trajanic basin each year. Continue reading →

Southampton confirms top 20 status amongst UK universities

Kristian Strutt:Archaeology and Foresics at 8th place in Southampton. Originally posted on University of Southampton's Noticeboard: The University has consolidated its position amongst the UKā€™s top 20 institutions by placing 19th overall in the 2015 Guardian University Guide. The climb of five places in The Guardian follows Southamptonā€™s rise to 16th in the recent table published by the Complete University Guide. Continue reading →

Research data and MOOCosystems

GPR data from Portus – Jessica Ogden I’ve spoken at a number of events recently about what I see as the potential for joining up MOOCs in order to create shared curricula. I have for example cross-referenced material in the Archaeology of Portus course to Coursera and Brown’s Archaeology’s Dirty Little Secrets course, and to the Coursera and Yale Roman Architecture course. Continue reading →