Visitors to our blog may notice a new voice amongst the blog posts! We’re delighted to welcome Thérèse Kearns to the Butser team as Experimental Archaeologist, developing our research and experimental work, and how we share our projects, as we enter our 50th anniversary year next year. You’ll see Thérèse writing for our blog and appearing in Butser Plus videos, and if you are visiting the farm be sure to say hello! Here’s a bit more about Thérèse and what brought her to Butser.
I’ve always had a love of materials and technology which I think stemmed from my childhood growing up in the west of Ireland where my grandfather and father were both cabinet makers and wheelwrights. I have fond memories of my grandfather’s small farm and workshop which was packed with timbers and tools of all shapes and sizes.
I went to University in Ireland straight after school but was a bit of a rubbish student as I had no real passion for the subjects that I was studying. It wasn’t until many years later when I moved to London that I decided to return to university to study archaeology which was something I’d always wanted to do.
I was lucky enough to be accepted for an undergraduate degree course at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. It was there in my first few days that I was introduced to experimental archaeology and I was immediately hooked!
During those early days at UCL, I got to explore a whole range of different activities including flint knapping, arrow fletching, food processing, and building construction. While I enjoyed pretty much everything (though I still have the scars from my feeble attempts at knapping) my interest was particularly piqued by high-temperature technologies and I went on to spend several years exploring copper and iron smelting, bronze casting, ceramics, cupellation, and glass.
I stayed on at the Institute to do a master’s in the Technology and Analysis of Archaeological Materials which was the most amazing course. I was able to continue experimental work and learn analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence and apply them to understanding different materials. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to work with friends and colleagues on projects in the UK, Europe, and the US.
I love experimental archaeology for all sorts of reasons but in particular, I love the rush of questions and ideas that flood your brain when you try to interpret the archaeological record and figure out how certain processes might have worked or what things might have looked like. I also love the unique perspective that it gives in terms of the experience associated with doing things, be it working with clay or bellowing a furnace.
Butser is a very special place, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team as we approach its 50th anniversary next year. I’m looking forward to building on the work of my predecessor Claire (I have mighty big shoes to fill!) and colleagues all of whom are incredibly passionate about their work. We have some exciting plans afoot for the 50th celebrations and beyond!