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Details for Dr Lucy Cramp

Personal details
Name Dr Lucy Cramp
Job title Senior Lecturer in Archaeology
Department Department of Anthropology and Archaeology University of Bristol
Contact details This expert can be contacted via the University of Bristol Public Relations Office.

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work+44 (0)117 331 8092
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Qualifications BA(Hons), MSc(Oxon.), PhD(R'dg)
Professional details
Keywords marine product exploitation
human prehistory
biomarker proxies
archaeological pottery
Egyptian mummy balms
compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis
organic residue analysis
palaeodiet
Areas of expertise My current research involves the development and application of biomarker and compound-specific stable isotope proxies for the detection of ancient marine and freshwater product processing in archaeological pottery. This project includes large-scale residue analysis of pottery from coastal and island locations on the Atlantic seaboard, dating from the earliest Neolithic through to the Viking/Norse period, and aims to trace the (dis)continuation and changing importance of marine products in prehistory at a more sensitive level than has previously been possible.
My earlier work on absorbed archaeological residues has included determining the function of Roman mortaria (ceramic ‘grinding bowls’) in Britain, whilst other previous research has involved the investigation of the biomolecular composition of a large number of Egyptian animal and human mummy balms in order to determine the common ingredients (resins, beeswax, plant oils etc.) that were combined in order to scent, disinfect and ‘water-proof’ the body after death.