Our #HumansOfArchaeology series digs up a new profile every week as we find out what lies under the surface of those working, studying or connected with archaeology. Inspired? Join the Council for British Archaeology today!
Photo credit: Allan Amato
Interview: Elle Crawshaw
Dr Aleks Pluskowski, Associate Professor in Medieval Archaeology, University of Reading
What made you interested in archaeology?
I was always keen on history, but what really fired my imagination was the physicality of the Past, whether objects, monuments or other traces in the landscape, and that sense of discovery that accompanies every excavation. My first archaeological experience was the Compton Bassett project in Wiltshire, directed by Andrew Reynolds, which also introduced me to the importance of understanding landscapes, not just sites in isolation. Later in Cambridge, Catherine Hills’ teaching of Viking and medieval archaeology, as well as an incredible opportunity to excavate in Prague, pretty much sealed my obsession with the Middle Ages. I had always been interested in Europe, perhaps unsurprisingly given my family background, with the result that almost all of my archaeological work has been outside the UK, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as in the western Indian Ocean.
What are you currently working on?
I'm currently leading the “Landscapes of (Re)Conquest” project, which is investigating the character of medieval frontiers between opposing Christian and Muslim (and between opposing Christian) societies in south western Europe. This is a collaboration with the universities of York and Granada, and we’re focusing on the castles of frontier authorities and their associated territories. We are particularly interested in how regime change transformed the landscape, whether there was any continuity in its use and how long this lasted. In the process we hope to reconnect these iconic castles with their cultural landscapes for local communities and visitors. You can find our project website here: https://research.reading.ac.uk/re-conquest/
What makes archaeology important to you?
I think archaeology is important because it captures people’s attention. Many of us are interested in connecting with the heritage of the places we live in and visit, whether out of curiosity or as part of our own identity, and archaeology – in all its forms – brings this heritage to life in an inspiring and accessible way. As a result, we can readily contribute where the past is invoked to inform or misinform present concerns, such as climate change, migration and resurgent nationalism.
