معرفی
Professor Oliver Edward Craig serves as Deputy Head of Department and Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of York, where he also directs the BioArCh facility (a center of excellence in Bioarchaeology) and leads BIOARC-HS as part of the UK's Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science. He holds multiple leadership roles including Chair of the Department Research Committee and membership on both Faculty and University research committees.
Craig's academic journey began with a Biochemistry and Genetics degree from Nottingham, followed by an MSc in Osteology, Palaeopathology and Funerary Archaeology from Sheffield, and a PhD in Organic Geochemistry from Newcastle. After completing postdoctoral work and a Marie Curie Fellowship at the University of Rome II, he joined York in 2007 and was promoted to Professor in 2016. In 2020, he received a JSPS visiting professorship at Japan's Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and maintains an honorary researcher position at the British Museum.
His research specializes in biomolecular archaeology, focusing on protein, lipid, and DNA recovery from ancient remains to understand past human activities. Key interests include temporal transitions in human diets, cuisine, and subsistence practices, with expertise in stable isotope analysis of human bone and organic residue analysis of ceramics. His work spans prehistoric sites across the UK, Central/Eastern Europe, and Atlantic/Baltic/Mediterranean coastlines, along with Roman diet studies and early pottery use from diverse regions including North America, Patagonia, and Japan.
Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on innovative biomolecular approaches to archaeological questions, particularly in dietary reconstruction across different historical periods and geographical regions. His work increasingly integrates multiple analytical techniques to provide comprehensive insights into past human behaviors and environmental interactions.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship
- JSPS visiting professorship
- Founding member and secretary of International Society of Biomolecular Archaeology (2022-24)
- Academic Associate at Sainsbury Institute for Japanese Arts and Cultures
- Honorary fellow at Aix-Marseille Université
Professor Craig has supervised 35 PhD students and hosted 8 Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows, directing the Chemarch network that trained 15 PhD students in prehistoric artifact analysis. His current research portfolio includes active projects such as 'Unlocking culinary records from prehistoric Britain' and 'Bioarch-HS,' demonstrating continued leadership in archaeological science methodology development. His work at BioArCh has established York as a major international center for biomolecular archaeological research.
