The UCL Institute of Archaeology made a strong impression at the 11th International Conference Beginnings of the Use of Metals and Alloys (BUMA XI), held in Quanzhou, China, from 24–28 September 2025. The event, a premier global platform for archaeometallurgy, brought together hundreds of scholars exploring how ancient societies discovered, transformed, and shared the technologies of metal.
This year, UCL’s contributions came from the ERC-awarded and UKRI-funded DREAM Project (Discovering the (R)Evolution of Eurasian Metallurgy, PI: Miljana Radivojević) and the postgraduate research it has inspired. Together, they presented the cutting edge of archaeometallurgical research: from Bronze Age funerary traditions and regional patterns of copper and tin production, to the technological processes behind crucible smelting and the emergence of medieval iron workshops.
What stood out was not just the science, but the scope of DREAM’s partnerships. Collaborations span Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and beyond, linking UCL with institutions such as the Kostanay State University named after A. Baitursynuly, Nazarbayev University (Astana), Margulan Institute of Archaeology (Almaty) and the National Centre of Archaeology in Tashkent. These networks reflect DREAM’s role in building bridges between UK researchers and Central Asian colleagues while providing UCL students with first-hand access to rare archaeological study materials.
The strong UCL presence at BUMA XI highlighted the Institute’s commitment to nurturing early career researchers. By bringing postdoctoral fellows, PhD candidates, and Master’s students to the forefront, the DREAM project is not only driving new discoveries but also equipping the next generation of archaeological scientists and strengthening the foundations of global collaboration in archaeometallurgy.
DREAM project members at BUMA XI
DREAM project members presenting their research included Miljana Radivojevic, Ilaria Calgaro, Ni Dong, Kangte He, Chenyang Li.
Follow us
|