Dr Ben Jervis

Cyhoeddiad

• Date
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Ymchwil

Research Projects & Interests

Living Standards and Material Culture in English Rural Households 1300-1600

The project (undertaken in collaboration with Dr Chris Briggs, University of Cambridge and funded by a grant from the Leverhule Trust), seeks to understand the consumption patterns of medieval rural communities. How did these differ from those of urban communities? How did they change through time? What was the role of everyday objects in the negotiation of social identity? The project seeks to address these questions through the integrated analysis of escheators inventories found in manorial records and material culture excavated from medieval rural sites. A pilot project was funded by the Newton Trust and the Economic History Society.

Related Publications: 

Jervis, B., Briggs, C. and Tompkins, M. 2015. Exploring text and objects: Escheator's inventories and material culture in Medieval English rural households. Medieval Archaeology , pp. 168-92.

Dietary Change and The Norman Conquest

I have a long running interest in the impact of the Norman Conquest on everyday life. This began during my PhD where I analysed cooking practices in early medieval Southampton by examining use wear on pottery. I have recently collaborated with Dr Alex Livarda (Nottingham) and Dr Fiona Whelan (Oxford) to review the archaeological and historical evidence relating to the impact of conquest on diet. I am currently working with Dr Richard Madgwick (Cardiff) and Dr Elizabeth Craig-Atkins (Sheffield) on a project exploring the impact of diet using a variety of scientific techniques. Funded by the Society of Antiquaries, The Royal Archaeological Institute, The Society for Medieval Archaeology and Cardiff University.

Related publications:

Jervis, B., Livarda, A. and Whelan, F. In Press, 'Conquest and cuisine: Interdisciplinary perspectives on food, continuity and change in 11th century England and beyond', in C. Dyer and D. Hadley (eds), The Archaeology of the 11th Century, Routledge.

Jervis, B. 2014. Pottery and social life in medieval England: Towards a relational approach. Oxbow Books.

Jervis, B. 2013. Conquest, ceramics, continuity and change. Beyond representational approaches to continuity and change in early medieval England: a case study from Anglo-Norman Southampton. Early Medieval Europe 21(4), pp. 455-487.

Jervis, B. 2013. Objects and social change: a case study from Saxo-Norman Southampton. In: Jones, A. M., Alberti, B. and Pollard, J. eds. Archaeology After Interpretation: Returning Materials to Archaeological Theory.   Left Coast Press, pp. 219-234.

Urban Fortunes in Medieval England

This project seeks to understand the extent to which medieval towns suffered decline in the later middle ages. This work addresses a long running historical debate using archaeolgoical evidence from southern England. By reviewing the evidence from archaeological excavations I am assessing the extent to which towns appear to have declined and also seeking to understand the factors which impact upon urban fortunes.

Related publications:

Jervis, B. 2016. Decline or Transformation? Archaeology and the Late Medieval ‘Urban Decline’ in Southern England. The Archaeological Journal 174.

Jervis, B. 2015. Assessing urban fortunes in six late medieval ports: an archaeological application of assemblage theory. Urban History

Anglo-Saxon Pottery in Southern England

This has been a key research area since my undergraduate research into the Anglo-Saxon pottery from Bishopstone in Sussex. My MA dissertation examined pottery production in the late Saxon town of Chichester and during my PhD I worked on material from Southampton and its region. Through my involvement in the Lyminge Archaeology Project, directed by Dr Gabor Thomas (Reading) my interests have examined into Kent. Recently I have collaborated with colelagues working in commercial archaeological units in the region to assess the current state of knowledge and highlight areas for future research and have also considered the relationship between imported pottery and identity in early Anglo-Saxon Kent.

Related Publications:

Jervis, B., Barber, L., Blackmore, L., Cotter, J., Jarrett, C., Jones, P., Mepham, L. and Seddon, B. Forthcoming, 'Early Anglo-Saxon Pottery in South East England: Recent research and a framework for the future, Medieval Ceramics.

Jervis B. 2016, 'Changing Places? Place-making in Anglo-Saxon Hamwic, Southampton and Winchester', in Jervis, B., Broderick, L. and Grau Sologestoa, I. eds. Objects, Environment and Everyday Life in Medieval Europe, Brepols, 235-60.

Jervis, B. 2016, 'Trade, Cultural Exchange and Coastal Identities in Early Anglo-Saxon Kent: A Ceramic Perspective'. In: Willemsen, A. and Kik, H. eds. Golden Middle Ages in Europe. New Research into Early-Medieval Communities and Identities, Brepols. pp. 57-63.

Jervis, B. 2015. The context of pottery production in Late Saxon Chichester, England. In: Thuillier, F. and Louis, E. eds. Tourner autour du pot... Les ateliers de potiers médiévaux du Ve au XIIe siècle dans l’espace européen, Actes du colloque international de Douai (8-10 octobre 2010).  Caen:  Presses universitaires de Caen.

Jervis, B. 2015. Provisioning and Diet in Hamwic (mid-Saxon Southampton): New data and new perspectives. In: Jervis, B., Howard, W. and Bedigan, K. eds. Food & Drink in Archaeology, Vol. 4.  Prospect Books, pp. 110-127.

Jervis, B. 2014. Middens, memory and the effect of waste. Beyond symbolic meaning in archaeological deposits. An early medieval case study. Archaeological Dialogues 21(02), pp. 175-196.

Jervis, B. 2012. Medieval pottery from Romsey: an overview. Hampshire Studies 67(Pt II), pp. 32-46.

Jervis, B. 2012. Making-do or making the world? Tempering choices in Anglo-Saxon pottery manufacture. In: Jervis, B. and Kyle, A. eds. Make-do and mend: Archaeologies of compromise, repair and reuse.   Archaeopress, pp. 67-80.

Jervis, B. 2011. A patchwork of people, pots and places: Material engagements and the construction of 'the social' in Hamwic (Anglo-Saxon Southampton), UK. Journal of Social Archaeology 11(3), pp. 239-265.

Morris, J. and Jervis, B. 2011. What's so special? A reinterpretation of Anglo-Saxon 'special deposits'. Medieval Archaeology 55(1), pp. 66-81.

Jervis, B. 2011. Medieval pottery in East Hampshire: a preliminary survey. Medieval Ceramics 32, pp. 34-54

Jervis, B. 2010. Pottery. In: Thomas, G. ed. The later Anglo-Saxon settlement at Bishopstone. A downland manor in the making.  Council for British Archaeology, pp. 87-101.

Jervis, B. 2009. Pottery from late Saxon Chichester: A reassessment of the evidence. Sussex Archaeological Collections 147, pp. 61-76.

Jervis, B. 2008. Pottery and identity in Saxon Sussex. Medieval Ceramics 29, pp. 1-8.

Archaeology and Text

An emerging area in my research is the understanding of the relationship between archaeological material culture and text. My work on medieval inventories and medieval guild rules seeks to view documents as a form of active material culture and to examine the social implications of the action of writing things down.

Related Publications:

Hausmair, B., Jervis, B., Nugent, R. and Williams, E. Forthcoming, Archaeologies of Rules and Regulations: Between text and practice.

Jervis, B. Forthcoming, The Effect of Rules: The Case of Southampton's Oak Book, in Hausmair, B., Jervis, B., Nugent, R. and Williams, E. Forthcoming, Archaeologies of Rules and Regulations: Between text and practice.

Jervis, B., Briggs, C. and Tompkins, M. 2015. Exploring text and objects: Escheator's inventories and material culture in Medieval English rural households. Medieval Archaeology , pp. 168-92.

Jervis, B. 2014. Pots as things: value, meaning and medieval pottery in relational perspective. In: Blinkhorn, P. and Cumberpatch, C. eds. The Chiming of Crack'd Bells: Recent Approaches to the Study of Artefacts in Archaeology. British Archaeological Reports International Series, Vol. 2677. Oxford:  Archaeopress, pp. 3-16.

Conferences and Sessions Organised

Space The Final (Archaeological) Frontier? Session at Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) Conference, December 2015 (With Benjamin Morton, University of Newcastle).

Border Cultures: Pottery and the Social Dynamics of Border Regions in Medieval Europe. Session at the European Association of Archaeologists Coference, Glasgow, September 2015 (With Jette Linnaa, Moesgaard Museum).

Medieval Pottery Research Group Annual Conference: Early Medieval Pottery. Doncaster Museum, June 2015 (With Duncan Brown, Historic England and Lyn Blackmore, MoLA),

It’s All Material Culture, Ain’t It! Interdisciplinary Approaches to Material Culture. Session at TAG, December 2013 (With Dr James Morris, University of Central Lancashire).

ANT(ics): Objects and the Thingliness of Things. Actor-Network Theory and other Relational Approaches in Archaeology. Session at TAG, December 2013 (With Prof Harold Mytum, University of Liverpool).

ANT(ics): Objects and the Thingliness of Things. International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, July 2013. (With Helen Price, Department of English, University of Leeds).

Actor-Network Theory and other Relational Approaches in Historical Archaeology. Society for Historical Archaeology Conference, University of Leicester, January 2013. (With Prof Harold Mytum, University of Liverpool).

The Archaeology of Rules. Session at TAG, University of Liverpool, December 2012. (With Eleanor Williams, University of Southampton; Ruth Nugent, University of Chester and Dr Barbara Hausmair, University of Vienna).

Insights Through Innovation. The Southampton Ceramics Research Group Conference. University of Southampton, October 2012. (With Emilie Sibbesson and Sarah Coxon).

Life in the City: Environmental and Artefactual Approaches to Urban Europe in the Middle Ages. European Association of Archaeologists Conference/Medieval Europe Congress, Helsinki, August 2012. (With Lee Broderick, University of York and Idoia Grau Sologestoa, Universidad del País Vasco).

Death Rules! Maintaining and Transgressing Funerary Rules Across Medieval Europe. International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, July 2012. (With Eleanor Williams, University of Southampton; Ruth Nugent, University of Chester and Barbara Hausmair, University of Vienna).

The Tenth Postgraduate Archaeology Students Symposium (PGRAS10). University of Southampton, June 2011 (on organising committee).

Make-do and Mend. Archaeologies of Compromise? Session at TAG, Bristol University, December 2010. (With Alison Kyle, University of Glasgow).

Mad About Pots seminar series. University of Southampton, October 2010-January 2011.

Early Medieval Pottery in Southern England. Medieval Pottery Research Group (MPRG) regional meeting (south), Winchester, March 2010.

Putting Humpty Together Again: Overcoming fragmentation in medieval archaeology. Session at TAG, University of Southampton, December 2009. (With Tehmina Goskar, University of Southampton).

The End of Medieval Pottery in Southern England. MPRG regional meeting (south), Southampton, October 2008.

Addysgu

Teaching

My teaching is focussed on medieval archaeology and the analysis of artefacts.

I am convener for the following modules:

• Medieval Archaeology - 20 Credits (HS2382)
• Ceramics in Archaeology - 20 Credits (HS2431)
• Deep Histories (HS2124)

I contribute to the teaching of the following modules:

• Discovering Archaeology (HS2126)
• The History of Archaeological Thought (HS2350)

Research Supervision

I am happy undergraduate indpendent studies and dissertations on topics relating to medieval and post-medieval archaeology and material culture (particularly pottery). I have recently supervised students researching prehistoric pottery, medieval pottery, medieval towns and medieval material culture.

I would also be interested to hear from potential postgraduate students looking to develop research projects in the following areas:

• Medieval material culture (particularly pottery)
• The archaeology of the Norman Conquest
• Medieval urbanism
• The archaeology of medieval southern England

Bywgraffiad

Anrhydeddau a dyfarniadau

• Co-Investigator, Leverhulme Trust funded project Living Standards and Material Culture in English Rural Households 1300-1600
• Recipient of grant from Cardiff University International Collaboration Seedcorn Fund, to visit Vrije Universiteit Brussel (2017)
• Recipient of grant from the Royal Archaeological Insitute Tony Clark Fund (2016)
• Recipient of research grant from Society of Antiquaries  (2016)
• Recipient of research grant from Society for Medieval Archaeology (2016)
• Recipient of grant from Society for Medieval Archaeology Eric Fletcher Fund (2009)
• AHRC Doctoral Award (2008)
• AHRC MA studentship (2006)

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Chartered Institute for Archaeologists New Generation Special Interest Group: Secretary (2012-2015)
• Medieval Pottery Research Group: Assistant Secretary (2009-2014); Assistant Editor (2015-2016); co-Editor (2016-2021)
• Society for Medieval Archaeology

Safleoedd academaidd blaenorol

2019–2021: External Examiner, University of Leicester

Pwyllgorau ac adolygu

• 2014 - present: Member of SHARE integrated board of studies
• 2014 - present: Member of archaeology board of studies

External committees

• 2016-2021: Editor and council member, Medieval Pottery Research Group
• 2015-2016: Assistant editor and council member, Medieval Pottery Research Group
• 2012-2015: Chartered Institute for Archaeologists New Generation Group
• 2009-2014: Assistant secretary and council member, Medieval Pottery Research Group

Meysydd goruchwyliaeth

I am happy to supervise research projects relating to medieval and post-medieval archaeology and material culture (particularly pottery). I have recently supervised students researching prehistoric pottery, medieval pottery, medieval towns and medieval material culture.

I would also be interested to hear from potential postgraduate students looking to develop research projects in the following areas:

• Medieval material culture (particularly pottery)
• The archaeology of the Norman Conquest
• Medieval urbanism
• The archaeology of medieval southern England
• Archaeological theory

I am currently supervising the following postgraduate research students:

• Thanasis Garonis (second supervisor): Iron Age pottery from Greece
• Stuary Whatley (SWW DTP student, co-supervised by Tamar Hodos, Bristol): The port and city of late medieval and early modern Copenhagen
• Laura Burnett (SWW DTP student, co-supervised by Henry French, Exeter): Trading tokens
• Shu Yang (co-supervised with Jacqui Mulville): Zooarchaeology of medieval Southampton
• Heather Holt (co-supervised with John Hines): Early medieval burial in western Britain
• Anton Axellson (co-supervised with Richard Madgwick): Stature among early medieval populations in England
• Arthur Redmonds (SWW DTP students co-supervised by Oliver Creight, Exeter): Castles and communities