Jane Harrison

Jane Harrison is a Research Associate and Tutor in Archaeology at the University of Oxford's Department of Archaeology, where she has taught since 2010 and served as Senior Associate Tutor (2014–2017). Her fieldwork spans England, Scotland, and Orkney, with key roles in projects like the East Oxford Archaeology Project and Birsay-Skaill Landscape Archaeology Project. She holds a first degree in History from Cambridge University, an MSc in Applied Landscape Archaeology, and a DPhil in Archaeology from Oxford.

Her research explores Viking/Norse colonization, landscape transformation, and urban development in northwestern Europe. Key interests include:

• Settlement identity in the North Atlantic
• Placed deposits in domestic contexts
• Community archaeology methodologies
• Medieval material culture
• Theoretical approaches to landscape archaeology

Publications emphasize Viking-era settlements, coastal landscapes, and social organization in Orkney and northern Scotland, with recurring themes of cultural adaptation, environmental interactions, and colonial strategies. Her forthcoming book analyzes Viking settlement in the North Atlantic.

Harrison directs the Appleton Area Archaeological Research Project (funded by CBA/Mick Aston) and co-directs the Origins of Wessex Project. She oversees fieldwork training and dissertation supervision for postgraduate programs, focusing on practical archaeological skills and medieval landscape analysis.