Adelle Bricking

Adelle is an archaeologist and PhD candidate at the University of Cardiff, Wales. She also works at Amgueddfa Cymru/ National Museum Wales as a Finds Liaison Officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) in Wales.

Adelle’s research specialises in the Iron Age mortuary practice of southwest Britain and combines cutting-edge histological analysis of human remains and creating a database of secondary data from Iron Age sites across southwestern Britain.

Follow Adelle and her work below:

Twitter

Amgueddfa Cymru/ National Museum Wales

Portable Antiquities Scheme

Previous Interview:

1. What inspired you to be involved in your area of expertise?

I always loved learning about ancient history in school and got sucked into any media that had to do with ‘ancient mysteries’. I never considered that archaeology was actually an option for me, being from a largely rural area of Kentucky (USA), until I started University and majored in anthropology/archaeology (the two were integrated at the university).

I fell in love with the prehistory of Britain and Ireland, especially the Iron Age because I was captivated by the art, iconography, cute roundhouses, and all the mysterious “rituals”. When I moved to Cardiff for my Masters, I learned about the complex burial practices, and I was hooked! I started my PhD on Iron Age mortuary practices and I have been obsessed with the mystery ever since.

2. What do you like most about your field?

I love the passion that people have for our shared heritage. Few things release happy brain chemicals quite like connecting with someone about how awesome hillforts are or discussing favourite chambered tombs.

I love peeling back layers of the past to find glimpses of humanity – for example, there’s something so intimate and grounding about holding a brooch and picturing the previous owner using it to fasten their cloak on a chilly morning.

I love the variety – I get to do intricate lab work one day, and crawl into caves or abseil off the side of a cliff to save skeletons the next!

I especially love that we can reconcile theory with hard science. In archaeology, we can be both analytical and imaginative.

3. How did you get involved in your field of study/research?

I was very fortunate to have excellent mentors throughout my University experience that nurtured my many interests and helped guide me towards a specialism. When I started my MA at Cardiff University, I had no idea what to specialise in, so I sat down with my supervisor and we hashed out what time period I was most interested in (Iron Age), what I liked studying the most (burials) and what gaps existed in our current knowledge that I could help fill. I wanted a mix of lab work, desk-based work and fieldwork, so I get to do all of that with my PhD, which looks at Iron Age burials in southwest Britain using a combination of primary and secondary research. 

4. What book, website, or other resource would you recommend to new students of H/AH/ARCH?

The Atlas of Hillforts is an incredible resource for anyone interested in Iron Age settlement in Britain and Ireland. I think there’s nothing that connects you to a point in history quite like being amongst it, so I use this to find hillforts that have hiking trails so I can go see them for myself.

I would also recommend setting up a Twitter account and connecting with other archaeologists in areas that you’re interested in. The friendships and collaborations I’ve built just from Archaeology Twitter is invaluable! You also find support when you’re going through a rough patch in your studies – as with all social medias, it can be messy, but in my experience, it can be a very supportive network of peers who learn from each other and lift each other up.

Additionally, surfing through the online collections available on museum websites can be so inspiring. Shameless plug for the archaeology collections available to view online at Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales, where I work.

For new students, I recommend downloading a reference software – I really like Zotero. This helps you store and organise your PDFs so you can keep track of the bibliographic details and search for keywords.

5. What book, website, or other resource do you think is possibly the best you have ever found?

For me, the most useful book is ‘Burial Practices in Iron Age Britain’ by Rowan Whimster (1981).

For archaeology in Wales, one of the most useful websites for studying archaeology is archwilio.org.uk.

Additionally, finds.org.uk is a fantastic resource for learning about material culture in Britain found by members of the public.

6. Can you mention one or two emerging themes you have observed in H/AH/ARCH?

Not a theme, but rather a necessity – decolonizing archaeology is essential in order to make the field safe and accessible to underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. It’s also clear that ethics need to be considered and clearly addressed in publications, especially when dealing with sensitive data like ancient DNA. Results can be (and are often) spun to fit extremist narratives, e.g. alt-right groups.

Related to this, the importance of outreach has never been more critical. As archaeologists, we need to do better at making our research accessible to the public so that they can learn from verified, peer-reviewed material rather than sensationalist headlines and tv programs. Using popular social media outlets is one way to do this, but it’s difficult to balance creating content for free public outreach with all the other responsibilities of academia.

Climate change is also an emerging theme in the heritage sector. For example, coastal erosion is exposing and destroying archaeologically significant sites in Wales at an alarming rate, including burial grounds and settlements. These are finite resources that need to be excavated and studied before they’re lost.

7. What advice would you give someone starting out in H/AH/ARCH?

Don’t put your eggs in one basket! Diversify your skills and experiences to figure out what you like and what kind of work you’d like to do.

Ask for help. Emailing your teachers with questions or asking for short meetings with them shows them that you’re keen, eager to learn, and invested. The more they get to know you, the more they can help you by opening the right doors or flagging up opportunities that you may be interested in.

Volunteer if it’s feasible. Reach out to local museums or archaeological units for volunteer opportunities – volunteering for the Portable Antiquities Scheme was the most valuable experience for me during graduate school (and resulted in a job!). It gives you insight into what it’s like to work there and helps to get your foot in doors.

Network! Use social media, events, clubs, to get to know people in different areas of the sector.

Finally, don’t sweat it if you don’t know what you want to specialise in right away. If you like a specific area of research but aren’t sure what specific questions need answering, ask someone who is researching that area.

8. If you could meet any historical figure who would it be and why?

I would love to meet Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes. She gives me Cersei Lannister vibes and I feel like she would have the best goss on Iron Age and Roman figures. We could drink wine and talk about who’s who for hours!

9. Which era or time period would you like to visit?

I’d love to visit the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age, especially in southwest Britain (I’m obviously biased!). I would love to attend one of their wild parties that created the huge feast middens like Potterne in Wiltshire. I often daydream about what these feasts were like – the hyperbolic stories being told, the laughter shared between old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long while. I imagine people excitedly swapping crafting techniques and recipes, singing and dancing to music well into the night under a cloudless starry sky.

I’d also like to visit the Late Iron Age because there was all that rich Iron Age culture but also wine :).

10. Do you have a favourite historical quote, if so what is it?

I’m not sure it’s historical, but I am fond of the old timey quote:

A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.

I am studying burials using evidence from human remains for my PhD, but for my job I get to learn about material culture from all time periods across Britain. I used to feel self-conscious about this because I felt like I wasn’t specialised enough, but this quote makes me feel better!

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