Alexandra Sanmark

Professor Alexandra Sanmark is a leading scholar in Medieval Archaeology and Viking Studies, holding dual roles as Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and Associate Professor of Archaeology at Uppsala University. Her work focuses on Iron Age and Viking Age Scandinavia, with a particular emphasis on assembly sites, Christianization processes, and Norse colonization. She leads the Institute for Northern Studies at UHI, overseeing programs such as the MLitt in Northern Studies and the MRes in Northern Studies.

Sanmark's education includes a PhD from University College London (UCL) and undergraduate/postgraduate training at the University of London. Her research has been supported by grants from the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, and Royal Society of Edinburgh. Notable projects include The Assembly Project (TAP) (2010-2013), examining assembly sites across Northern Europe, and The Norse and the Sea (2022), investigating maritime landscapes in Norse Scotland.

Her research interests span archaeology of ritual, cultural heritage management, and North Atlantic connectivity. Key contributions include Viking Law and Order (2017) and Negotiating the North (2020), which analyze assembly practices and medieval administrative frameworks. She has supervised numerous PhD students and serves on editorial boards for journals like Journal of the North Atlantic and Medieval Archaeology.

• Grants: BA/Leverhulme Grant (2018-2019), Royal Society of Edinburgh Workshop Grant (2020)
• Labs/Teams: Institute for Northern Studies, The Norse and the Sea Project, Global Challenges Research Fund (Vanuatu Tourism)