SWW DTP PhD student Cristina Crizbasan, University of Reading and University of Exeter, shares her Vindolanda Roman Fort placement experience with us.
The placement at Vindolanda represented the apotheosis of the data gathering process of my PhD. Three weeks spent in the snowy environments surrounding Hadrian’s Wall while processing pottery associated with units stationed there almost two millennia ago, offered me precious insights into their lives and experiences, enabling me to deepen my understanding of the ever living past.
View of the Vindolanda fort covered in snow
This placement (courtesy of Vindolanda Trust) played an important role in the final phase of data collection for my PhD project. In short, I processed the pottery associated with the Batavian occupational contexts at the fort, in order to understand their main vessel selections and reveal specific cultural and social practices pertaining to this group only. This fits into the bigger picture of my PhD which essentially aims to identify any visible changes in the ways Batavian units built and transformed their identities in time, as they were transferred across the Roman Empire at the end of the 1st century AD throughout the end of the 2nd century AD, by using pottery.
Pottery specialist survival kit: rulers, pencils, eraser, sharpener, magnifying glass, profile gauge, and a rim chart
While this placement offered me the material much needed to complete my research, it is important to mention that by the end of these three weeks, I gained more than that. Firstly, I got the chance to unpack the pottery from contexts I would have never otherwise been able to research, such as the praetorium of Flavius Cerialis, prefect of the ninth cohort of Batavians, very famous nowadays through his correspondence preserved in the renowned Vindolanda tablets. I regard this experience as a way to get into contact with the past and enable the voices of the people, rather than solely gather data objectively. The two intertwine and are cross-dependent.
The author, happy to have finished the first series of pottery boxes
Additionally, this experience sharpened my professional skills most necessary for a future career. While I have undertaken previous placements in order to build my new skills of processing pottery, the Vindolanda placement represented a buildup on an already existing foundation. This means that I could focus on my speed and level of attention to detail, which are essential for a professional approach to pottery. Additionally, this placement also allowed me to build familiarity with the pottery fabrics from Northern England, which contrasted productively with my previous knowledge on pottery fabrics pertaining to the South East and South West England. Therefore, not only did this experience sharpen my technical skills, but also completed my knowledge on pottery across U.K.
The work undertaken at Vindolanda also allowed me to get into contact with the Museum Het Valkhof in Nijmegen (NE) regarding an exhibition on the theme of migration, where my PhD theme could potentially fit. The work undertaken at Vindolanda may contribute to further the knowledge of the social and cultural practices of Batavians abroad. Therefore, not only did I learn and grow in these three weeks, but I also managed to procure data that could contribute to wider projects for the public audience.
Lastly, I would like to kindly thank the Vindolanda Trust team who provided me with this unique opportunity. They provided comfortable on-site accommodation in the Hedley Building and adequate workspace in the Robin Birley Archaeological Centre. Additionally, they also contributed beyond this level, by engaging with me and my research, sparking thought-provoking conversations, offering their knowledge and insights and overall making me feel safe and comfortable during a pandemic, away from everything that I knew. For these, I am very grateful and I thank you all!
View from my office every evening at sunset
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