Professor Andrew Wilson

Research

Andrew’s research interests lie at the interface between archaeological science, forensic science and conservation science. He has led a number of digitisation and visualisation projects working with human and animal remains, that include ‘Digitised Diseases’, ‘From Cemetery to Clinic’(both JISC-funded) and ‘Visualising Animal Hard Tissues’ (AHRC/EPSRC Science & Heritage). He is part of the core management team on ‘Fragmented Heritage’ (AHRC Digital Transformations Theme Large Grant) and co-directs the RKT Hub ‘Bradford Visualisation’ (HEIF-supported). Andrew also works within Biological Anthropology on archaeological human remains. He is known in particular for his bioarchaeological studies of ancient keratin remains (hair/ wool, nail). These tissues survive only under exceptional conditions within the archaeological record, which has meant working in the field of Mummy Studies with naturally preserved and artificially mummified human/ faunal remains recovered from extreme environments. These include frozen/ arid-desiccated remains from South America (e.g. frozen Inca child sacrifice victims from Volcán Llullaillaco), Greenland and Egypt; bog remains from NW Europe, cist burials and more recent 19th century archaeological contexts (see also Natasha Powers). Andrew exploits the rapid formation and incremental nature of hair growth (~10 mm per month for Caucasoid scalp hair) to reconstruct recent life-history (e.g. variation in diet connected with seasonal, physiological, geographic and cultural factors) using stable light isotope and other ancient biomolecular information. Andrew also works closely with other researchers on aspects of mtDNA survival, drug metabolites and other toxicological information in hair/ nail used for identification purposes (see also Emma Brown). Andrew has research interests in taphonomy (the study of decay processes), and is interested in the variables affecting the decay of human remains subject to surface exposure, soil burial and other modifications including use of chemicals such as lime and on dismemberment. He has worked on histological changes to hair and fibres and on laboratory microcosm studies. Fieldscale taphonomic experiments have been conducted at the Anthropological Research Facility (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), with the Bioanthropology Foundation in Southern Peru, in Belgium and within the UK (including at our own taphonomic research facility in the Pennines at Oxenhope). He has strong linkages with other researchers active in this area (see also Rob Janaway and Eline Schotsmans). Allied to this research is casework experience in forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy, working closely with the Police. Andrew’s conservation background has also supported work on depositional environment fluxes and their impact on preservation of archaeological remains in-situ (including EH-funded agrochemicals on metalwork and the effect of temperature/ re-oxygenation on survival of Neolithic wood in Greek wetlands). Andrew’s research interests lie at the interface between archaeological science, forensic science and conservation science. He has led a number of digitisation and visualisation projects working with human and animal remains, that include ‘Digitised Diseases’, ‘From Cemetery to Clinic’(both JISC-funded) and ‘Visualising Animal Hard Tissues’ (AHRC/EPSRC Science & Heritage). He is part of the core management team on ‘Fragmented Heritage’ (AHRC Digital Transformations Theme Large Grant) and co-directs the RKT Hub ‘Bradford Visualisation’ (HEIF-supported). Andrew also works within Biological Anthropology on archaeological human remains. He is known in particular for his bioarchaeological studies of ancient keratin remains (hair/ wool, nail). These tissues survive only under exceptional conditions within the archaeological record, which has meant working in the field of Mummy Studies with naturally preserved and artificially mummified human/ faunal remains recovered from extreme environments. These include frozen/ arid-desiccated remains from South America (e.g. frozen Inca child sacrifice victims from Volcán Llullaillaco), Greenland and Egypt; bog remains from NW Europe, cist burials and more recent 19th century archaeological contexts (see also Natasha Powers). Andrew exploits the rapid formation and incremental nature of hair growth (~10 mm per month for Caucasoid scalp hair) to reconstruct recent life-history (e.g. variation in diet connected with seasonal, physiological, geographic and cultural factors) using stable light isotope and other ancient biomolecular information. Andrew also works closely with other researchers on aspects of mtDNA survival, drug metabolites and other toxicological information in hair/ nail used for identification purposes (see also Emma Brown). Andrew has research interests in taphonomy (the study of decay processes), and is interested in the variables affecting the decay of human remains subject to surface exposure, soil burial and other modifications including use of chemicals such as lime and on dismemberment. He has worked on histological changes to hair and fibres and on laboratory microcosm studies. Fieldscale taphonomic experiments have been conducted at the Anthropological Research Facility (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), with the Bioanthropology Foundation in Southern Peru, in Belgium and within the UK (including at our own taphonomic research facility in the Pennines at Oxenhope). He has strong linkages with other researchers active in this area (see also Rob Janaway and Eline Schotsmans). Allied to this research is casework experience in forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy, working closely with the Police. Andrew’s conservation background has also supported work on depositional environment fluxes and their impact on preservation of archaeological remains in-situ (including EH-funded agrochemicals on metalwork and the effect of temperature/ re-oxygenation on survival of Neolithic wood in Greek wetlands).