Professor Bill Hanson
- Affiliate (Archaeology)
email: William.Hanson@glasgow.ac.uk
Research interests
My primary research interest focuses on the character and development of Roman frontiers and on Roman interaction with indigenous peoples in frontier zones, particularly in Scotland and Romania. In pursuing those interests I have conducted excavations at various sites in northern England and Scotland, most notably at the Flavian auxiliary fort at Elginhaugh.
My secondary focus is on aerial and satellite archaeology, particularly methodological approaches and applications. To that end I have undertaken wide-ranging aerial survey in the western Lowlands of Scotland and, over the last 15 years, in various parts of Romania (Western Transylvania, North and Southern Dobrogea and Western Muntenia). I am currently involved in the analysis of satellite imagery from Southern Dobrogea and LiDAR data from Western Transylvania.
I have published extensively on these various topics over the last 35 years (though only those articles and books published since 2007 are listed here).
Current research projects include:
1. Post-excavation analysis of the Roman fort, fortlet and civil settlement at Croy Hill on the Antonine Wall, funded by Historic Scotland
2. Post-excavation analysis of the multi-period cropmark remains at Monktonhall, Inveresk, funded by Historic Scotland.
3. Archaeolandscapes Europe. This pan-European network of archaeological remote sensing experts seeks to increase public appreciation and understanding of the archaeological landscape of Europe through the application and sharing of skills and experience in airborne and other forms of remote sensing. I am contributing to several focal areas including: securing the better exploitation of existing aerial photographic archives; promoting aerial survey for landscape exploration in Eastern Europe; and exploring the uses of LiDAR and satellite remote sensing. This project is funded by the European Commission.
Supervision
Current students:
- Iain McElroy: Converting temples; converting minds: temple-church conversion in the Mediterranean, AD 300–800. (Jointly supervised with Michael Given)
- Charlotte Douglas: A comparative study of Roman-period leather from Scotland and Northern England.
Recent PhD graduates:
- Martha Steedman: Beyond text: Latin inscriptions as material culture in Roman Sardinia (237BC-AD 300) (2014)
- Louisa Hammersley: The distribution, function and social meaning of Roman pottery from native sites in Scotland (2011)
- Ali Aqdus: The application of airborne remote sensing techniques in archaeology: a comparative study (2009)
- Martin Goldberg: Contextualising ritual practice in later prehistoric and Roman northern Britain (2009)
Teaching
Level 2:
• Contributions to: Archaeology of Europe and the Mediterranean
• Contributions to: Classical Civilisation 2B. Imperial Rome: City and Empire 19 BC - 180 AD
Honours:
• Roman Britain: acculturation and change
• Power and Empire: the Roman conquest and occupation of North Britain
• Recovery and interpretation of archaeological data
• Remote Sensing
Masters:
• Interpretation and applications of aerial data
• Archaeological Practice: recovery and interpretation of archaeological data
• Archaeology: Research and Professional Skills
Additional Information
Departmental responsibilities
• Postgraduate Research convenor
• Taught Postgraduate convenor
University responsibilities
• Member of University Senate
• Honorary Curator of the Hunterian Museum
• Member of the Hunterian Academic Advisory Board
• Member of the Board of Curators of the Dalrymple lectureship
External responsibilities
• External examiner for University of Exeter (Undergraduate and Taught Masters)
• Senate appointed Governor on the Board of Morrison’s Academy, Crieff
• Senate appointed representative on the Stirlingshire Educational Trust