Fitch 2024 Research and Outreach Officer
As Fitch 2024 Research and Outreach Officer I work with Noémi Müller to run the chemical analysis unit and I am also responsible for Outreach at the Fitch Laboratory.
Research:
My research interests are in investigating in-organic materials, with a current focus on ceramics. I have worked on material from across Europe and from multiple time periods. My current research aims to investigate ancient pottery production in the northern Peloponnese, addressing questions of raw material exploitation, organisation of production, and cross-craft interaction. My research uses a range of analytical techniques and the results of which are integrated with archaeological and experimental data to explore questions about the technology and provenance of archaeological ceramics.
In addition to my work in the Peloponnese I have been working on an experimental project which investigates wood-ash tempering. This project, in collaboration with colleagues from the Fitch Laboratory, The Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory, and UCL, has aimed to characterise the effects of wood-ash tempering so that we are able to recognise it in the future.
I received my MSc in ‘The technology and analysis of archaeological materials’ and my PhD on ‘Metalworking crucibles in Roman Britain’ from the Institute of Archaeology, UCL. I have experience of working with a range of archaeological materials including ceramics, metals, glass, and waste materials associated to these respective industries. My experience of working with different materials has led to a strong interest in exploring cross-craft interactions in the ancient world and more recently how we can use our understanding of ancient craft practice to inform future sustainable practice and material development.
Select publications:
Kiriatzi, E. and Gardner, C. 2024. ‘The Marc and Ismene Fitch Laboratory: half a century of interdisciplinary archaeological research’, Archaeological Reports, 70, pp. 239–255. doi:10.1017/S0570608424000085.
Gardner, C., Kiriatzi, E., Müller, N.S. 2024. ‘Ceramic Technology and Provenance Studies in the Northern Peloponnese. Current State and Future Perspectives’. In Kerschner, M. (Ed.) Interpreting the Pottery Record from Geometric and Archaic Sanctuaries in the Northwestern Peloponnese. Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences, 221-240.
Gardner, C. and Dungworth, D. 2021. ‘Archaeometallurgy: an assessment of crucibles and other metalworking debris’ in Rippon, S. and Holbrook, N. (eds), Studies in the Roman and Medieval archaeology of Exeter (Exeter: a place in time, volume 2). London: Oxbow.
Gardner, C., Müller, N. S., Vekinis, G., Freestone, I. C., Kilikoglou, V. 2020. High temperature performance of two‐layered ceramics and the implications for Roman crucibles. Archaeometry, 62.5: 935-951.
Gardner, C. 2019. ‘Crucibles’ in Andrews, P., Clarke, P., 2019, Iron Age Metalworking and Anglo-Saxon settlement at Castleview Road, Slough. Berkshire Archaeological Journal, 84: 65-176
Gardner C., Martinón-Torres M., Topić N., Peković Ž., 2018, ‘Analysis of archaeometallurgical finds from a late to postmedieval foundry in Dubrovnik, Croatia’, in Thomas N., Dandridge P. (éd), Medieval copper, bronze and brass: History, archaeology and archaeometry of the production of brass, bronze and other copper alloy objects in medieval Europe (12th-16th centuries), [Actes du colloque de Dinant et Namur, 15- 17 mai 2014. Proceedings of the symposium of Dinant and Namur, 15-17 May 2014], Namur, Agence wallonne du Patrimoine: 309-325. (Études et documents, Archéologie; 39).
Broadley, R., Gardner, C., Bayley, J. 2012. ‘The Church Lane assemblage: early medieval glass-working in the shadow of Canterbury Cathedral’ in Ignatiadou, D., and Antornaras, A. (eds) Annales du 18e congrès de l’association internationale pur l’histoire du verre. Thessaloniki, Greece: Ziti Publishing: 379-384.
Gardner, C., 2012. ‘The metalworking debris‘ in Bidwell, P. The Roman fort at Bainbridge, Wensleydale: excavations by B.R. Hartley on the Principa and a summary account of other excavations and survey. Britannia, 43: 45-113
Submitted and in press publications:
Gardner, C., Karkanas, P., Müller, N.S., Freestone, I.C., and Kiriatzi, E. (submitted 2025), Wood Ash Tempering in Archaeological Ceramics: An Experimental Approach for its Characterisation Using Textural, Chemical, and Mineralogical Analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5141750 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5141750
Gardner, C. and Bayley J. (submitted). Crucibles: material expressions of cross craft interaction. World Archaeology.
Gardner, C., Giannakopoulos, G., Müller, N.S., Sanders, G., Hayward, C., Jahn Hansen, M-L, Spyranti, Z., Tsirtsi, K., and Kiriatzi (submitted). The elemental and petrographic analysis of archaeological pottery and geological raw materials: in quest of Classical Sikyonian pottery production. Finding Old Sikyon Volume.