Ellen Finn

Dr. Ellen Finn is an Early Career Research Fellow at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Her research focuses on the intersection of anthropological theory and archaeological practice, particularly in funerary archaeology and the analysis of manuports (natural objects moved by humans) in the Bronze Age Aegean. She holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin (2020) and has been supported by grants from the Leverhulme Trust, British School at Athens, and the Michael Ventris Award for Mycenaean Studies. Her work critiques the application of ethnocentric anthropological models in interpreting prehistoric burial practices and advocates for a nuanced, evidence-based approach to multi-stage funerary rituals. Current research includes analyzing pebble datasets from Crete to highlight manuports' symbolic and social significance.

• Education: PhD in Archaeology, Trinity College Dublin (2020)

Her research interests center on how socio-cultural frameworks shape archaeological interpretation, with emphasis on themes like pollution, personhood, and ancestorhood. Finn's postdoctoral studies address manuports as culturally meaningful objects, challenging their underappreciation in archaeological discourse. She has contributed to debates on avoiding ethnocentric biases in reconstructing past societies.