Professor Keith Wilkinson

Professor

School of History, Archaeology and Philosophy

Keith.Wilkinson@winchester.ac.uk

+44 (0)1962 827444

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Biography

I am Professor of Geoarchaeology and Director of the Department's commercial arm, ARCA. I set up ARCA in 2004 and now run its geoarchaeology and geomatics programmes. Find out more about ARCA.

I have been a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and now Professor at Winchester since 1997, before which I was in charge of environmental archaeology at Cotswold Archaeology. I obtained my undergraduate degree (1989) from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, and went on to complete a PhD (1993) at the same institution titled The influence of local factors on palaeoenvironment and land-use: evidence from dry valley fills in the South Downs.

At the University of Winchester I teach on BA, BSc and MA programmes in Archaeology and Geography, as well as supervising research students. I lecture on environmental archaeology, geoarchaeology, geomorphology, climate change, Pleistocene geology and Palaeolithic archaeology.

Areas of expertise

Geoarchaeology
Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction
Field Survey Techniques
GIS
Remote Sensing
Geomatics

Publications

Books (since 2005)

Wilkinson, K.N. and Stevens, C. 2008 Environmental Archaeology. Approaches, Techniques & Applications. Revised Edition. Stroud: Tempus.

Edited works (since 2010)

Wilkinson, K.N. (2023) ‘Indirect’ evidence in assessing the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic: two case studies from the West Sussex coastal plain. In Curating the Palaeolithic. Historic England, Swindon.
Wilkinson, K.N., Watson, N., Bethell, P. and Toms, P. (2018) Modelling Pleistocene deposits and the Palaeolithic archaeological potential of a site at Pan Lane, 39 Newport, Isle of Wight. In Carey, C., Howard, A.J., Knight, D., Corcoran, J. and Heathcote, J. (Eds.) Deposit modelling and archaeology, University of Brighton, Brighton, 39-50.
Wilkinson, K.N., Branch, N.P., Llobera, M., Marini, N.A.F, Mazet, S. and Weiss, M-C. (2015) The Neolithic in La Balagne, Corsica: an evaluation using palynological, geoarchaeological and landscape archaeological data. In: G. Nash and A. Townsend (Eds) Decoding Atlantic and Mediterranean island ritual. Oxbow, Oxford, 226-239.
Adler, D.S., Yeritsyan, B. Wilkinson, K.N., Pinhasi, R., Bar-Oz, G., Nahapetyan, S., Bailey, R., Schmidt, B.A. Glauberman, P., Wales, N. and Gasparian. B. (2012) The Hrazdan Gorge Palaeolithic Project, 2008 2009, in: P. Avetisyan and A. Bobokhyan (Eds) Archaeology of Armenia in regional context, Proceedings of the International Conference dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography held on September 15-17, 2009 in Yerevan, Armenia. NAS RA Gitutyn Publishing House, pp 21-37.
Wilkinson, K.N. (2010) Investigation of a palaeosol sequence at Jeitun: excavation of a ditch-like feature and magnetic susceptibility. In: D.R. Harris (Ed.) Origins of agriculture in western central Asia: an environmental-archaeological study. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, 137-142.

Journal papers (since 2010)

Hogue, J.T., Wilkinson, K.N., Allison, E., Hill, T., Knul, M.V., Law, M., Perez-Fernandez, M., Russ, H., Schreve, D., Sherriff, J.E., Toms, P., Young, D., Westcott-Wilkins, L., Wilkins, B. (2023) Pleistocene environments, climate, and human activity in Britain during Marine Isotope Stage 7: insights from Oak Tree Fields, Cerney Wick, Gloucestershire. Journal of Quaternary Science. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jqs.3512
Sherriff, J.E., Wilkinson, K.N., Harding, P., Hawkins, H., Timms, R.G.O., Adler, D.S., Beverly, E.J., Blockley, S.P.E., Gasparyan, B., Manning, C.J., Mark, D., Nahapetyan, S., Preece, K.J. (2022) Middle Pleistocene environments, landscapes and tephrostratigraphy of the Armenian Highlands: evidence from Bird Farm 1, Hrazdan Valley. Journal of Quaternary Science 37, 627. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3370.
Gill, J.P., Adler, D.S., Raczynski-Henk, Y., Frahm, E., Sherriff, J.E., Wilkinson, K.N., Gasparyan, b. (2022). The Techno-typological and 3D-GM Analysis of Hatis-1: a Late Acheulian Open-Air Site on the Hrazdan-Kotayk Plateau, Armenia. Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology 4, 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-021-00105-5.
Frahm, E., Martirosyan-Olshansky, K., Sherriff, J.E., Wilkinson, K.N., Glauberman, P., Raczynski-Henk, Y., Gasparyan, B., Adler, D.S. (2021) Geochemical changes in obsidian outcrops with elevation at Hatis volcano (Armenia) and corresponding artifacts from Nor Geghi 1. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 38, 103097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.103097.
Cullen, V.L., Smith, V.C., Tushabramishvili, N., Mallol, C., Dee, M., Wilkinson, K.N., Adler, D.S. (2021) A revised AMS and tephra chronology for the Late Middle to Early Upper Paleolithic occupation of Ortvale Klde, Republic of Georgia. Journal of Human Evolution 151, 102908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102908.
Frahm, E., Owen Jones, C., Corolla, M., Wilkinson, K.N., Sherriff, J.E., Gasparyan, N. and Adler, D.E. (2020) Comparing Lower and Middle Palaeolithic lithic procurement behaviors within the Hrazdan basin of central Armenia. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 32, 102389. doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102389.
Glauberman, P., Gasparyan, B., Sherriff, J.E., Wilkinson, K.N., Li, B., Knul, M.V., Brittingham, A., Hren, M.T., Arakelyan, D., Raczynsky-Henk, Y., Haydosyan, H. and Adler, D.S. (2020) Barozh 12: formation processes of a late Middle Paleolithic open-air site in western Armenia. Quaternary Science Reviews 236, 106276. doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106276.
Brittingham, A., Hren, M.T., Hartman, G., Wilkinson, K.N., Mallol, C., Gasparyan, B. and Adler, D.S. (2019) Geochemical evidence for the control of fire by Middle Palaeolithic Hominins. Nature: Scientific Reports 9 (1), 15368. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51433-0.
Sherriff, J. E., Wilkinson, K. N., Adler, D. S., Arakelyan, D., Beverly, E. J., Blockley, S.P.E., Gasparyan, B., Mark, D. F., Meliksetyan, K., Nahapetyan, S., Preece, K. J. and Timms, R.G.O. (2019) Pleistocene volcanism and the geomorphological record of the Hrazdan Basin, central Armenia: linking landscape dynamics and Palaeolithic occupation. Quaternary Science Reviews 226, 105994. doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.105994.
Bailiff, I.K., Jankowski, N., Snape, L.M., Gerrard, C.M., Gutiérrez, A. and Wilkinson, K.N. (2018) Luminescence dating of qanat technology: prospects for further development. Water History 10, 73-84. doi.org/10.1007/s12685-018-0213-x.
Frahm, E., Sherriff, J., Wilkinson, K.N., Beverly, E.J., Adler, D.S. and Gasparyan, B. (2017) Ptghni: A new obsidian source in the Hrazdan River basin, Armenia. Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 14, 44-64. doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.05.039.
Lawrence, D., Philip, G., Wilkinson, K.N., Buylaert, J.P., Murray. A.S., Thompson. W. and Wilkinson, T.J. (2017) Regional power and local ecologies: Accumulated population trends and human impacts in the northern Fertile Crescent. Quaternary International 437, 60-81. doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.06.026.
Frahm, E., Feinberg, J.M., Schmidt-Magee, B.A., Wilkinson, K.N., Gasparyan, B., Yeritsyan, B. and Adler, D.S. (2016) Middle Palaeolithic toolstone procurement behaviors at Lusakert Cave 1, Hrazdan Valley, Armenia. Journal of Human Evolution 91, 73-92. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.10.008.
Hewlett, D., Harding, L., Munro, T., Terradillos, A. and Wilkinson, K.N. (2016) Broadly engaging with tranquillity in protected landscapes: A matter of perspective identified in GIS. Landscape and Urban Planning 158, 185-201. doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.11.002.
Bailiff, I.K., Gerrard, C.M., Gutiérrez, A., Snape-Kennedy, L.M. and Wilkinson, K.N. (2015) Luminescence dating of irrigation systems: Application to a qanat in Aragón, Spain. Quaternary Geochronology 30, 452-459. doi.org/10.1016/j.quageo.2015.02.016.
Glauberman, P., Gasparyan, B., Wilkinson, K.N., Frahm, E., Raczynski-Henk, Y., Haydosyan, H., Arakelyan, D., Karapetyan, S., Nahapetyan, S. and Adler, D.S. (2015) Introducing Barozh 12: a Middle Palaeolithic open-air site on the Edge of the Ararat Depression, Armenia. ARAMAZD: Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies 9 (2), 7-20.
Adler, D.S., Wilkinson, K.N., Blockley, S.P.E., Mark, D.F., Pinhasi, R., Schmidt-Magee, B.A, Yeritsyan, B., Nahapetyan, S., Mallol, C., Berna, F., Glauberman, P.J., Raczynski-Henk, Y., Wales, N., Cullen, V.L., Frahm, E., Jöris, O., Macloud, A., Smith, V.C. and Gasparian. B. (2014) Early Levallois Technology and the Transition from the Lower to Middle Palaeolithic in the Southern Caucasus. Science 345, 1609-1613. doi.org/10.1126/science.1256484.
Frahm, E., Feinberg, J.M., Schmidt-Magee, B.A., Wilkinson, K.N., Gasparyan, B., Yeritsyan, B., Karapetian, S., Meliksetian, K., Muth, M.J. and Adler, D.S. (2014) Sourcing geochemically identical obsidian: multiscalar magnetic variations in the Gutansar volcanic complex and implications for Palaeolithic research in Armenia. Journal of Archaeological Science 47, 164-178. doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2014.04.015.
Pinhasi, R., Meshveliani, T., Matskevich, Z., Bar-Oz, G., Weissbrod, L., Miller, C.E., Wilkinson, K.N., Lordkipanidze, D., Jakeli, N., Kvavadze, E., Higham, T.F.G. and Belfer-Cohen, A. (2014) Satsurblia: new insights of human response and survival across the Last Glacial Maximum in the Southern Caucasus. PLoS ONE 9(10): e111271. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.011127.
Vincke, D., Miller, R., Stassart, E., Otte, M., Dardenne, P. Collins, M., Wilkinson, K.N., Stewart, J., Baeten, V., Fernández Pierna, J.A. (2014) Analysis of collagen preservation in bones recovered in archaeological contexts using NIR hyperspectral Imaging. Talanta 125, 181-188. doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2014.02.044.
Areshian, G.E., Gasparyan, B., Avetisyan, P.S., Pinhasi, R., Wilkinson, K.N., Smith, A., Hovsepyan, R. and Zardaryan, D. (2012) The Chalcolithic of the Near East and south-eastern Europe: discoveries and new perspectives from the cave complex Areni-1, Armenia. Antiquity 86, 115130. doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00062499.
Bar-Oz, G. Weissbrod, L., Gasparian, B., Nahapetyan, S., Wilkinson, K.N. and Pinhasi, R. (2012) Taphonomy and zooarchaeology of a high-altitude Upper Pleistocene faunal sequence from Hovk-1 Cave, Armenia. Journal of Archaeological Science 39, 24522463. /doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.02.014.
Wilkinson, K.N., Gasparian, B., Pinhasi, R., Avetisyan, P., Hovsepyan, R., Zardaryan, D., Areshian, G., Bar-Oz, G. and Smith, A. (2012) Areni-1 Cave, Armenia: a ChalcolithicEarly Bronze Age settlement and ritual site in the Southern Caucasus. Journal of Field Archaeology 37, 18-31. doi.org/10.1179/0093469011Z.0000000002.
Pinhasi, R., Gasparian, B. Nahapetyan, S. Bar-Oz, G., Weissbrod, L., Bruch, A., Hovsepyan, R. and Wilkinson, K.N. (2011) Middle Palaeolithic human occupation of the high altitude region of Hovk-1, Armenia. Quaternary Science Reviews 30, 3846-3857. doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.09.020.
Llobera, M., Wilkinson, K.N., Weiss, M.-C., Flaming, R.J., Marini, N.A.F. and Mazet, S. (2010) Into the Maquis: methodological and interpretational challenges in surveying La Balagne, Northwest Corsica. Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 23, 169-196. doi.org/10.1558/jmea.v23i2.169.

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Research interests

My main research focus is the sub-discipline of geoarchaeology, i.e. the application of earth science methodologies to archaeological research questions. I have four particular interests in this field:

The Pleistocene geology and geomorphology of the Southern Caucasus, and the implications for Palaeolilithic occupation of the region
The application of airborne and satellite remote sensing systems to archaeological prospection
Development of methods for the investigation of thick stratigraphic sequences
Reconstructing environments associated with Palaeolithic sites

Current research projects

The Mammoth Graveyard Quarry, a collaboration with Dig Ventures. This project has led to a high-profile BBC documentary.
Debed Palaeolithic Project, Armenia, Co-PI with Dr Daniel Adler (University of Connecticut), Boris Gasparyan (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia) and Dr Jenni Sherriff (King's College London). Funded by the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation and Royal Geographic Society.
Trou al' Wesse cave excavation, Belgium, directed until 2016 by the late Dr Rebecca Miller (Université de Liège) and now by Dr Nicolas Zwyns (University of California, Davis), Dr Damien Flas (Université de Liège), Dr John Stewart (Bournemouth University) and Prof Keith Wilkinson. Funded by the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation.
PI on the Palaeolithic Potential of Pleistocene Deposits in England Project. Funded by Historic England.

Recent research projects

PI for PAGES (Pleistocene Archaeology, Geochronology and Environment of the Southern Caucasus), with Prof. Simon Blockley (Royal Holloway, University of London); Dr Dan Adler (University of Connecticut), and Prof Darren Mark (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre). Funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
Hrazdan Gorge Palaeolithic Project, Armenia. CoPI with Dr Dan Adler (University of Connecticut), Boris Gasparian (Armenian Institute of Archaeology) and Dr Ron Pinhasi (University College Cork)
La Balagne Landscape Project, Corsica. CoPI with Dr Marcos Llobera (University of Washington, Seattle) and Prof. M.C. Weiss (Università di Corsica)
DART (Detection of Archaeological Residues through Remote Sensing Techniques). Directed by Prof. Anthony Cohn (University of Leeds)
Broadly Engaging with Tranquillity, CI with Dr Denise Hewlett, Department of Responsible Management and Leadership

Supervision of research students

I am Director of Studies for a number of research students, as well as co-supervisor. I welcome enquiries about possible supervision. My areas of supervision are: geoarchaeology; Mediterranean landscape archaeology; Palaeolithic archaeology; archaeological field techniques.

Funding Awards and Professional Membership

Funding awards (since 2010)

2020, Leakey Foundation, for The Early to Late Pleistocene settlement of Northern Armenia. CI with Dr Daniel Adler (PI) (University of Connecticut), Dr Jenni Sherriff (CI) (Royal Holloway, University of London), Boris Gasparyan (CI) (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Republic of Armenia Academy of Sciences).
2019, Leakey Foundation, for Excavation of Haghtanak 3 Lower Palaeolithic site, northern Armenia [CI with Dr Daniel Adler (PI) (University of Connecticut), Dr Jenni Sherriff (CI) (University of Winchester), Boris Gasparyan (CI) (Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Republic of Armenia Academy of Sciences).
2019, Historic England, for Palaeolithic archaeological potential of Pleistocene deposits in England: a geological mapping approach.
2018, Leakey Foundation, for Late Neandertal adaptation in North-west Europe: the cave of Trou Al’Wesse (Belgium) [CI with Dr Nicolas Zwyns (PI) (University of California, Davis), Dr Damien Flas (CI) (Université de Liège) and Dr John Stewart (CI) (Bournemouth University)].
2016, Leakey Foundation, for The Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition at Trou Al'Wesse (Belgium) [CI with Dr Rebecca Miller (PI) (Université de Liège) and Dr John Stewart (CI) (Bournemouth University)].
2016, Leverhulme Trust, for A high-resolution chronology for early humans in the Southern Caucasus (also known as Pleistocene Archaeology, Geochronology and Environment of the Southern Caucasus - PAGES) [PI with Dr Daniel Adler (CI) (University of Connecticut), Prof Simon Blockley (CI) (RHUL) and Prof Darren Mark (CI) (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre)].
2015, Leakey Foundation, for The Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition at Trou Al'Wesse (Belgium) [CI with Dr Rebecca Miller (PI) (Université de Liège and Dr John Stewart (CI) (Bournemouth University)].
2014, Leverhulme Trust, for Developing new approaches to dating ancient irrigation features [CI with Prof Ian Bailiff (PI) and Prof Chris Gerrard (CI) (University of Durham)]
2013, ESRC, for Broadly engaging with tranquility: a high resolution pilot study for modelling public perceptions [CI with Dr Denise Hewlett (PI) (University of Winchester)]
2013, English Heritage, for The Mesolithic of the wetland/dryland edge in the Somerset Levels [CI with Prof. Martin Bell (PI) (University of Reading), Dr Richard Brunning (CI) (Somerset County Council) and Dr Tom Hill (CI) (Natural History Museum)]
2011, British Academy, for geoarchaeological investigations of the Classical/Roman city of Koroneia, Boeotia, Greece.
2011, Leakey Foundation, for Excavations at the Middle/Upper Palaeolithic site of Lusarket, Armenia (CI with Dr Daniel Adler (PI) (University of Connecticut)].
2010, NERC (Isotope Geoscience Support), for Ar-Ar dating of basalts and tephras from the Lower Palaeolithic site of Nor Geghi 1 (Armenia) (PI with Dr Simon Blockley (CI) (RHUL) and Dr Darren Mark (CI) (SUERC)]
2010, Leakey Foundation, for Excavations at the Middle/Upper Palaeolithic site of Lusarket, Armenia [CI with Dr Daniel Adler (PI) (University of Connecticut) and Dr Ron Pinhasi (CI) (University College Cork)].
2010, AHRC and EPSRC (Science and Heritage Programme), for The Detection of Archaeological residues using Remote Sensing Techniques (DART) [CI with Prof. Anthony Cohn (PI), Dr. Anthony Beck (CI) (University of Leeds), Dr Chris Gaffney (CI) (University of Bradford), Dr. Nicole Metje (CI) (University of Birmingham) and Dr Doreen Boyd (CI) (University of Nottingham)].