Aleks Pluskowski

Professor Aleks Pluskowski is a leading archaeologist at the University of Reading's Department of Archaeology, specializing in human-environment interactions and medieval societies. His research focuses on the ecological impact of historical events like crusading, colonization, and religious transformation, particularly in the Baltic and Iberian regions. He has secured significant grants, including an ERC Synergy Grant (2022) and an ERC Starting Grant (2010-2014). His work integrates zooarchaeology, environmental data, and historical records to explore topics such as medieval animal husbandry, frontier dynamics, and cultural symbolism of large carnivores.

Key projects include the 'Ecology of Crusading' (FP7/ERC funded), the 'Mauritian Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Project,' and studies of medieval castles and landscapes in Spain and Poland. He is author of Wolves and the Wilderness in the Middle Ages (2006) and co-editor of volumes on Baltic crusader states and Mediterranean environmental history. His research often bridges archaeology with interdisciplinary approaches, addressing themes of cultural identity, subsistence strategies, and environmental adaptation.

Awards include recognition for his book Wolves and the Wilderness and his contributions to understanding medieval human-animal relationships. His current work explores frontiers in Iberia, the socio-environmental impact of conquest, and the application of new methods like isotopic analysis and geophysical surveys to medieval sites.