Daniel Calderbank

Dr Daniel Calderbank is a Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Glasgow, specializing in ancient Mesopotamian craft traditions and material culture. His research focuses on how ancient states and communities used material practices to sustain themselves, particularly through pottery production and use. He has conducted fieldwork in Iraq, Iraqi-Kurdistan, Cyprus, and Scotland, and is involved in projects such as the Sirwan Regional Project (Associate Director) and the Ur Region Archaeology Project (Tell Khaiber excavations).

His research interests include the archaeology of the Sealand Dynasty, technologies and chaîne opératoires, wetland heritage, and archaeological storytelling. He has published extensively on Mesopotamian pottery, including a monograph on Tell Khaiber's Sealand Dynasty ceramics. Calderbank also leads initiatives like the Archaeological Heritage and Wetland Awareness Research network (AHWAR) to promote heritage protection in conflict-affected regions.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian societies, archaeological methods, and interdisciplinary approaches to foodways. He supervises postgraduate research on topics like Mesopotamian statecraft, craft traditions, and contemporary archaeological practices.

Grants include funding for studies on Iraq’s marshland archaeology and Mesopotamian pottery’s role in understanding state-society dynamics. His work bridges archaeological theory with community engagement, emphasizing sustainable heritage practices in post-conflict contexts.