Dafydd GRIFFITHS - B.Sc., Ph.D.

• Lecturer in materials science
• Chairman of Archaeology Boards of Examiners
• Course Co-ordinator: ARCL3004 Archaeological ceramics
• Course Co-ordinator: ARCLG114 Archaeological ceramics and plasters
  

Research Interests:

• Most of Dr Griffiths archaeological interests centre around the microstructural, chemical and physical analysis of inorganic archaeological artefacts with a view to understanding the origins of the raw materials, the technological processes by which the artefacts are manufactured, and the processes by which they change, weather, corrode and decay during use and burial. Weathering studies assist in the interpretation of analytical data from artefacts, and also provide an informed basis for the design and assessment of methods for conserving the information content of archaeological artefacts.
• Dr Griffiths' interest in applying phyicochemical analytical approaches to improving archaeological understanding includes developing improved methods for facilitating these analyses and adapting methods and equipment so that they can be used in the field. Experimental replication of technological processes is also an area of interest.
• Man's interaction with the geological environment is a further area of current interest, both in terms of exploitation of geological resources in general and particularly in terms of Man's interaction with volcanic events and materials.

Recent Publications:

Allué,E., Griffiths,D. (2006). Identification of wood from Bronze Age contexts at Sidon. Archaeology and History in the Lebanon 24, 23-33. ISSN: 1475-5564

Griffiths,D. (2006). Analysis of Egyptian faience vessel fragments excavated in Sidon in 2005. Archaeology and History in the Lebanon 24, 129-137. ISSN: 1475-5564

Griffiths,D. (2006). Petrographic analysis of the Early Bronze Age ceramics. in Doumet-Serhal,C. (ed.) The Early Bronze Age in Sidon. Bibliothèque Archéologique et Historique series. Beirut: Institut Francais du Proche-Orient, 279-290. ISBN: 0768-2506

Griffiths,D., Ownby,M. (2006). Assessing the occurence of Egyptian Marl C ceramics in Middle Bronze Age Sidon. Archaeology and History in the Lebanon 24, 63-77. ISSN: 1475-5564

Dafydd Griffiths, (December 2004), Petrographic analysis of jars from the second millennium BC at Sidonin Doumet-Serhal, C. (ed.) Decade: a decade of archaeology and history in the Lebanon London: AHL, 136-145.

Dafydd Griffiths, (December 2004), Elemental analysis of six tin-lead toy watches from London.In Forsyth, H. (ed.) Toys, trifles and trinkets: base-metal minatures from London 1200-1800, London: Museum of London, 424-435.

Eleni Asouti & Dafydd Griffiths, (October 2004), Two fragments of wood from burial 27, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 20, 39.

Dafydd Griffiths, (April 2004), The fabric of a ceramic jar from Sidon decorated with fish or dolphins, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 19, 110-117.

Dafydd Griffiths, (2003), “Petrographic analysis of MBA burial jars from Sidon”, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 17, 17-21.

Dafydd Griffiths, 2003, “Petrographic analysis on pottery from Tomb IV at Tell el Rachidieh”, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 17, 58-59.

A.M. Feuerbach, D.R. Griffiths & J.F. Merkel, 2003, “Early Islamic Crucible Steel production at Merv, Turkmenistan” in P.Craddock & J.Lang (eds.) Mining and Metal Production through the Ages, London: British Museum Press.

Eleni Asouti & Dafydd Griffiths, 2003, “Identification of wood used in the construction of the ‘Sunken Room’ at Sidon”, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 18, 62-69.

Claude Doumet-Serhal & Dafydd Griffiths, 2003, Middle Bronze Age jars from Lebanon: a comparison according to vessel capacities, Archaeology and History in Lebanon, 17, 38-41.

Griffiths, D, 2000. Uses of volcanic products in antiquity, in W B McGuire, D R Griffiths, P L Hancock & I S Stewart (eds), The Archaeology of Geological Catastrophes. London: Geological Society Special Publications, 171, 15-23

Griffiths, D R, 2000. Optical microscopy of earth materials in remote locations, Microscopy and Analysis, 79, 11-13

Griffiths, D, R, & Feuerbach, A, M, 2000. Crucible steel manufacture at Merv in the early Islamic period, Archaeology International, 1999-2000

Harris, E, J & Griffiths, D R, 2000. Composition and technology of some Early English silver coins, British Numismatic Journal, 69, 37- 46

Proctor, J, Sabel, K, Meddens, F M, Griffiths, D R & Harris, E J, 2000. Post-mediaeval brick clamps at New Cross in London, Post- Mediaeval Archaeology, 34, 187-202

Griffiths, D R, 1999. The role of interdisciplinary science in the study of ancient pottery, Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 24(4), 289-300

Griffiths, D R, 1999. The role of ceramic fabric analysis in the 1998 Sidon excavations, National Museum News, 10, 49-55

Griffiths, D R, & Feuerbach, A, 1999. Thermal processing in the last millenium, Materials World, the Journal of the Institute of Materials, August 1999, 472-474

Collaborations:

• Multi-period excavations in the port city of Sidon, Lebanon, with British Museum and Lebanese DGA.
• International Merv Project (glass and ceramic analyses)

Educational Background:

• BSc: University College Cardiff (Archaeology and Archaeological Conservation)
• PhD: University College London (Archaeological applications of electron spin resonance spectroscopy)

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