UCL Institute of Archaeology

• MA, PhD, MIFA, FSA
• Head of Central Casework and Programmes, English Heritage
• Honorary Senior Lecturer, UCL Institute of Archaeology
  

Research Interests

• Cultural Resource Management (CRM): Joe is extremely active in CRM, since in addition to his work at the Institute of Archaeology he was employed by Surrey County Council as its Heritage Conservation Team Manager (County Archaeologist) – the chief local government archaeologist of the British county of Surrey (roughly equivalent to a US State). Joe managed the eleven person team with responsibility for providing county-wide archaeological planning advice, listed-buildings consent, access to and outreach concerning the County Historic Environment Record (HER, what used to be known as a Sites and Monuments Record or SMR), and the County Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS).
• Medieval Archaeology and Art History: in 2009 Joe completed a book for the British Library, entitled Ships and Shipping in Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts. This work explores the socio-cultural contexts surrounding the creation of ship imagery in medieval Europe. Expanding on this previous research, Joe is now developing a new project looking at in-situ maritime art in Britain.
• Career Structures and Professional Pathways in Archaeology: Joe has written two introductory books on archaeology. The first book, for Cambridge University Press, is entitled Becoming an Archaeologist: A Guide to Professional Pathways, and explores the career structure and employment opportunities of archaeologists. This book was published in mid-2011. The second book, for Oneworld Publications, is entitled Archaeology: A Beginner’s Guide, and provides a general introduction to the modern practice of archaeology. This book will be published in 2012.
• The Near Future of Archaeology: Joe is extremely interested in the politics of 21st century archaeology and the place of archaeology in contemporary society. Joe has given several papers on this subject, and recently co-edited (with Marcy Rockman) a major book in this subject for Springer Academic Press, entitled Archaeology in Society: Its Contemporary Relevance, published in mid-2011.

• Prehistoric Archaeology Under Water: in June 2008 Joe co-chaired a session with Dr. Amanda Evans (Tesla Offshore, LLC, Baton Rouge, Florida) entitled ‘Underwater Prehistoric Archaeology’ at the 6th World Archaeology Congress in Dublin. This session explored the changing methodology of submerged prehistoric site investigations over the last thirty years, specifically addressing proven techniques and highlighting new directions. Amanda and Joe are currently editing a volume of proceedings from the session for publication with Springer Academic Press.

Research Directory Records

• The Contemporary Relevance of Archaeology Project
• Marine Aggregates and Archaeology
• Maritime Archaeology in Contemporary Society
• Ships and Shipping in Medieval Manuscripts
• Joan du Plat Taylor Project

Fieldwork and Outreach

• A corporate Member (MIFA) of the Institute of Field Archaeologists and an elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, Joe has participated in excavations on a wide variety of archaeological sites across Europe, the Middle East and Australia, above, across and below water. Joe is not currently involved in research fieldwork due to his ongoing government commitments in Surrey. He is, however, active in community archaeology, being an elected Trustee of the Council for British Archaeology.
• Joe is heavily involved in UCL's Public Engagement Unit that brings the work of the university to a wider audience, especially their monthly comedy-science event Bright Club. Recent activities include Joe's UCLTV video on Climate Change and Archaeology, and also his UCL 'Bright Club: Time' Podcast.
• In July 2008 Joe was the chairperson of the 3rd International Congress on Underwater Archaeology (IKUWA 3), the largest ever specialist conference on underwater archaeology held in Europe, with over 250 delegates from more than a dozen different nations. The conference was hosted on the UCL campus in central London by t he Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) in conjunction with the Institute of Field Archaeologists and UCL Institute of Archaeology. The congress was preceded by a three day professional development field school. The congress was sponsored by a large number of organisations, the two primary sponsors being the British Academy and UNESCO.

Educational Background

• 1997: BA Archaeology & History, University of Southampton
• 1999: MA Maritime Archaeology, University of Southampton
• 2003: PhD Archaeology, University of Southampton

Professional History

• 2001-2003: Visiting Fellow in Archaeology, University of Bristol
• 2003-2004: Lecturer in Archaeology, Cardiff University
• 2004-2005: Lecturer in Archaeology, Flinders University, Adelaide
• 2005-2010: Lecturer in Archaeology, UCL Institute of Archaeology
• 2006-2012: Surrey County Archaeologist
• 2010-2012: Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, UCL Institute of Archaeology

• with A. Evans and N. Flemming (eds.) in preparation Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology: How Climate Change and Technology Are rewriting History. New York: Springer.
• Flatman, J. in preparation Archaeology: A Beginner's Guide. Oxford: Oneworld.
• with M. Rockman (eds.) 2011 Archaeology in Society: its Contemporary Relevance. New York: Springer.
• Flatman, J. 2011 Becoming an Archaeologist: A Guide to Professional Pathways. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Flatman, J. and Doeser, J. 2010 The International Management of Marine Aggregates and its Relation to Maritime Archaeology, The Historic Environment 1(2): 160-84.
• Flatman, J. and Doeser, J. 2010 ALSF Marine Historic Environment Component International Context Report. London: UCL Centre for applied Archaeology on behalf of English Heritage.
• Flatman, J. 2010 Wetting the Fringe of Your Habit: Medieval Monasticism and Coastal Landscapes, in S. Semple and H. Lewis (eds.) Landscape Archaeology. Oxford: BAR British Series 2103: 66-77.
• Flatman, J. 2009 Ships and Shipping in Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts. London: British Library Press.
• Flatman, J. (ed.) 2009 Conserving Marine Cultural Heritage [Guest Edited Volume], Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 11(1). London: Maney.
• Flatman, J. 2009 A Climate of Fear: Recent British Policy and Management of Coastsl Heritage, Public Archaeology 8(1): 6-22.
• Pydgyn, A. and Flatman, J. (eds.) 2008 Collaboration, Communication and Involvement: Maritime Archaeology and Education in the 21 st Century. Torun: Nicolaus Copernicus University Press.
• Flatman, J., Short, J., Doeser, J and Lee, E. (eds.) 2008 ALSF Dissemination Project 2002-07 Benchmark Report: Sustainable Heritage – Aggregates Extraction and the Historic Environment. London: UCL Centre for Applied Archaeology, on behalf of English Heritage.
• Young, J. and Flatman, J. 2008 ‘Dig! Places: Blending Creative Writing and Archaeology’, in A. Pydgyn and J. Flatman (eds.) Collaboration, Communication and Involvement: Maritime Archaeology and Education in the 21 st Century, pp. 19-34 . Torun: Nicolaus Copernicus University Press.
• Flatman, J. 2007 The Illuminated Ark: Interrogating Evidence from Manuscript Illuminations and Archaeological Remains for Medieval Vessels. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports International Series S1616.
• Flatman, J. 2007 ‘On the Origins and Ethics of Maritime Archaeology, Part I’, Public Archaeology 6(2): 77-97. [pdf file: 122 kB]
• Flatman, J. 2007 ‘On the Origins and Ethics of Maritime Archaeology, Part II’, Public Archaeology 6(3): 163-76. [pdf file: 107 kB]
• Flatman, J. and Staniforth, M. 2006 Maritime Historical Archaeologies, in D. Hicks and M. Beaudry (eds.) The Cambridge Companion to Historical Archaeology, pp. 168-188. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• For a full list (pdf file: 78 kB) of Joe’s publications and a copy of his 2003 article ‘Cultural Biographies, Cognitive Landscapes and Dirty Old Bits of Boat: 'Theory' in Maritime Archaeology’ [pdf file: 187 kB] (International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 32.2: 143-57).

Recent/Pending Presentations

• Monasticism, Mysticism and the Sea: Coastal Monastic Estates in Medieval Britain, ‘Churches and the Sea': the annual conference of the Society for Church Archaeology, Chichester, UK (September 2011)
• Archaeology and the Future of Society, UCL Lunch Hour Lecture on Tour Series, British Museum, London, UK (June 2011)
• Keynote Speaker: Climate Science and Archaeology, Dana Centre, Science Museum, London, UK (May 2011)
• Opening Plenary Speaker: Archaeology in Society – the Place of the Discipline in the 21st Century World Order, UCL Society of Archaeology Students Conference ‘Archaeology in a Rapidly Changing World’, London, UK (May 2011)
• HERO’s or Villains? Academia and Local Government in the Historic Environment, IFA Annual Conference, University of Reading, UK (April 2011)
• Guest Chairperson Surrey Archaeological Society ‘Test Pitting and the Development of Villages’ Day Conference, Woking, UK (February 2011)
• The Implementation of Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment, Surrey Archaeological Society Annual Symposium, Ashtead, UK (February 2011)
• From St. Cuthbert to the Beauchamp Pageants: Depictions of Ships and the Sea in the Golden Age of Manuscript Illumination ‘Fish and Ships’: Severn Estuary Levels Research Committee 20th Anniversary Conference, Cardiff, UK (September 2010)
• Opening Plenary Panel Member: Coastally Connected: Current Ethical and Preservation Dilemmas on Land and Underwater, SHA Annual Conference 2010, Amelia Island, USA (January 2010)
• ALSF Marine Historic Environment Component International Context Report, DEFRA Marine ALSF Work in Progress Conference, London, UK (February 2009)
• Ten Ideas for the Better Protection of Coastal and Underwater Cultural Heritage, 6th World Archaeological Congress Session on ‘Maritime Archaeology Outreach’ Session, Dublin, Eire (June 2008)
• On the Beach: the Maritime Archaeology of the Atomic Age, 6th World Archaeological Congress Session on ‘Atomic Archaeologies’, Dublin, Eire (June 2008)

Joe is happy to discuss supervising PhD students on any of the following topics. Please contact him to talk more about any of these:

• UK heritage legislation in the terrestrial and marine zones, in particular changes associated to the Draft Heritage Protection Bill and the reform of PPG15 and PPG16 into PPS5.
• The structure, organisation and funding of professional archaeology in the UK.
• Archaeological site and heritage landscape management, development control and the role and functions of Historic Environment Records.
• Medieval archaeology and its relationship to historical and art historical sources, resources and approaches.
• The impact of climate change and the associated reform of global energy production on terrestrial and marine archaeology in the 21st century, and the relationship of archaeology to industry in this respect.
• Maritime archaeology, particularly issues relating to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Culture Heritage, the application and enforcement of laws and treaties in the marine zone, and the issue of the effectiveness of ‘in situ’ preservation as a management strategy.
• Strategies for the investigation and management of submerged cultural landscapes around the world.
• The role of theory in maritime archaeology, especially as relates to the concept of the ‘maritime cultural landscape’ (Westerdahl, 1992) and the politics and ethics of maritime archaeology as a distinct sub-discipline of archaeology.

Current Students

• Martin Locker Landscapes of pilgrimage in Medieval England (second supervisor Andrew Reynolds)
• Peter Coe Has there been a loss of archaeological heritage in Lyme Regis, Howden and Rye, since 1980? If so what might have prevented any loss and / or how might it have been adequately and appropriately recorded? (second supervisor Dominic Perring)

Second Supervisor

• Ruth Fillery Travis A diachronic analysis of Romano-British iron production in the Exmoor region (joint supervision with Kris Lockyear; principal supervisor Marcos Martinón-Torres)