Archaeologists based at the University of Bradford have been awarded £720,000 GBP ($945,000 USD) in new funds to purchase an advanced mobile laboratory.  This state-of-the-art facility can be deployed virtually anywhere in the world. The award comes from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).  It will help to give academics the ability to investigate previously unexplored landscapes, such as wetlands and the inter-tidal zone.

This new facility could be employed to help researchers learn more about the ancient Stone Age settlements that once existed in the now submerged Doggerland.  The equipment considered for purchase includes portable seismic profiling systems and sophisticated drones able to map in three dimensions.  A remotely operated vehicle is also likely to be put at the disposal of the scientists.

Archaeologists from the University of Bradford carrying out offshore survey in Kaštela Bay, near Split, off the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Picture credit: University of Bradford.

Picture credit: University of Bradford

Mobile Laboratory – Part of a National Conservation Project

The research equipment funding is part of RICHeS (Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science).  In total, about £80 million ($105 million USD) has been set aside for a national network of conservation and heritage projects.  The University of Bradford has already benefitted from similar grants.  For example, some of the funds received were used to create Virtual Bradford, the UK’s first digital twin city. Furthermore, the University has been at the forefront of a research project exploring prehistoric landscapes.

To read more about this funding: Prehistoric Landscapes Research Project Receives Funding Boost.

Commenting on the latest funding award, Dr Cathy Batt, the Principal Investigator and Head of the School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences (University of Bradford), stated:

“RICHeS will not only transform Bradford’s present capacity, but highlights the significance of research into archaeology and heritage nationally.”

Professor Chris Gaffney MBE, Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Bradford, added:

“This award is fantastic news, building on the long-term success in archaeological prospection at Bradford. It reflects our work on iconic landscapes such as Stonehenge and the Mesolithic environment beneath the North Sea. We are delighted that this award will stimulate and support research in new areas, particularly by students and early career researchers.”

From Land to Sea

From Land to Sea a mobile facility for surveying and prospecting is one of thirty projects to receive RICHeS funding. It will be based at the University of Bradford, and it will underpin a step-change in understanding prehistoric landscapes. The facility will combine new technology and expertise and use easily transportable equipment in a wide range of environments, both in the UK and internationally. It will let researchers survey on land, in shallow water and near-coastal areas.

An archaeologist undertaking a geophysical survey looking for early Viking settlements. Picture credit: University of Bradford.

Picture credit: University of Bradford

The mobile laboratory aims to offer flexible and portable technologies. These will allow researchers to examine and understand landscapes in terrestrial, wetland and marine environments. Users of the facility will be able to quickly react to changing conditions driven by factors including climate change or infrastructure development.

Transforming Communities

The project has lofty ambitions.  It hopes to transform the ability of researchers to answer questions about the development of early civilisations.  The mobile laboratory will also promote engagement with the broader society and impacted communities.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bradford in the compilation of this article.

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