Ramona Harrison

Ramona Harrison is an Associate Professor in Archaeology - Zooarchaeology at the University of Bergen's Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion. Her research focuses on environmental archaeology, particularly zooarchaeology, examining past human-environment interactions to inform contemporary ecological challenges. She is a key member of NABO (North Atlantic Biocultural Organization) and GHEA (Global Human Ecodynamics Association), with over two decades of North Atlantic research. She collaborates on interdisciplinary projects like Two Valleys Power (exploring medieval Icelandic valleys) and SEACHANGE (marine environmental change). Her work emphasizes long-term human-ecodynamics, addressing climate change threats to heritage sites through initiatives like IHOPE's DONOP (Distributed Long-term Observing Networks of the Past).

Her research spans Viking Age to medieval periods, analyzing faunal remains to reconstruct economies, trade networks, and subsistence strategies. Notable projects include the Gásir Hinterlands Project (Eyjafjörður ecodynamics), MARGAIN (marine resource gathering in the Norse North Atlantic), and Siglunes Archaeological Investigations. She teaches courses like ARK 100 to ARK 305, covering archaeology fundamentals and specialized topics.

Harrison's publications explore Iceland's and Greenland's medieval resource management, walrus ivory trade, and human-driven ecological changes. She co-edited Human Ecodynamics in the North Atlantic (2014), highlighting collaborative models of human-nature interactions. Her recent work includes studies on North Atlantic right whale genetics and ancient DNA's role in understanding biodiversity. She actively engages in public archaeology through projects like CIE (Comparative Islands Ecodynamics) and IPY (International Polar Year) initiatives.

Her grants include Icelandic Research Council funding for Two Valleys Project and EU Horizon 2020's SEACHANGE. She leads fieldwork in Hörgárdalur and Eyjafjörður, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to heritage preservation and climate change impacts. Her lab reports and fieldwork syntheses (e.g., Skuggi Landnám Farm analysis) provide foundational data for understanding Iceland's prehistoric and medieval landscapes.