Derek Pitman

Dr Derek Pitman

  • u_dpitman at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
  • Associate Professor
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Biography

I am an Associate Professor in Archaeology and Anthropology in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Bournemouth University. My research focuses on how people in the past shaped and were shaped by the landscapes and industries around them and how they identified and exploited resources. I am particularly interested in production — from ancient crafts and technologies to large-scale industrial activity — and I use a combination of archaeological science, landscape archaeology, and experimental approaches to explore these themes.

My fieldwork takes me from southern Britain to the Aegean. In Dorset, I have directed excavations at Wytch Farm, where students and researchers work together to uncover new insights into prehistoric and early historic communities. In Greece, I serve as Survey Director for the Greek-Swedish Palamas Archaeological Project in Thessaly, where we investigate long-term patterns of settlement and land use. These projects allow me to develop new analytical methods, but just as importantly, they provide opportunities for students to gain real-world archaeological experience in the field...

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Journal Articles

  • Potter, R., Pitman, D., Shaw, L., Horn, C., 2025. Everyone Has to Start Somewhere: Democratisation of Digital Documentation and Visualisation in 3D. Open Archaeology, 11 (1).
  • Vaïopoulou, M., Rönnlund, R., Tsiouka, F., Klange, J., Pitman, D., Randall, I., Potter, R., Manley, H., 2024. The Palamas Archaeological Project 2023: A preliminary report of the Greek–Swedish collaboration in the municipality of Palamas, region of Karditsa, Thessaly. Opuscula, 17, 25-45.
  • Potter, R., Pitman, D., Manley, H., Rönnlund, R., 2023. Cost-effective, rapid decorrelation stretching and responsive UAS mapping as a method of detecting archaeological sites and features. Heritage Science, 11 (1).
  • Vaïopoulou, M., Rönnlund, R., Tsiouka, F., Klange, J., Pitman, D., Potter, R., Randall, I., Manley, H., Schager, E., Dandou, S., Webb, L., 2023. The Palamas Archaeological Project. Opuscula, 16, 61-85.
  • Tsiouka, F., Klange, J., Pitman, D., Dandou, S., Potter, R., Shaw, L., Webb, L., Ieremias, S., Randall, I., Manley, H., Vaïopoulou, M., Rönnlund, R., 2022. Roman and Early Byzantine evidence from the area of Palamas. Opuscula, 15, 77-103.
  • Tabor, R., Darvill, T., Barrass, K., Pitman, D., 2021. Prehistoric ceramics and associated radiocarbon dates from the hinterland of South Cadbury, Somerset, England: Part 1: Chronological framework and character of the Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age pottery. Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society for ..., 163, 1.
  • Wilkes, E., Pitman, D., Randall, C., Brown, A., 2021. Think global, act local: multi-scalar connections of iron age communities in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. Archaeological Journal, 178 (1), 32-52.
  • Vaïopoulou, M., Tsiouka, F., Dandou, S., Klange, J., Rönnlund, R., Pitman, D., Potter, R., 2021. Some preliminary notes on the limited 2020 campaign of the Palamas Archaeological Project (PAP). Opuscula, 14, 55-63.
  • Vaïopoulou, M., Whittaker, H., Rönnlund, R., Tsiouka, F., Pitman, D., Klange, J., Potter, R., Shaw, L., Hagan, J., Siljedahl, E., Forssén, M., Chandrasekaran, S., Dandou, S., Forsblom, V., Pavilionytė, A., Scott-Pratt, H., Manley, H., 2020. The Vlochos Archaeological Project: Report on the 2016– 2018 seasons of Greek-Swedish archaeological work at Vlochos, Thessaly. Opuscula.
  • Manley, H., Pitman, D.E.R.E.K., Wilkes, E., Brown, A., Randall, C., Carter, D., 2020. POOLE HARBOUR: CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE LATER PREHISTORIC TO MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History & Archaeological Society, 141, 71-97.
  • Tucker, M., Brisbane, M., Pitman, D., Kearn, O., 2020. SOURCE OF ROMAN STONE FOR AQUAE SULIS (BATH, ENGLAND): FIELD EVIDENCE, FACIES, pXRF CHEM-DATA AND A CAUTIONARY TALE OF CONTAMINATION. The Geological Curator.
  • Vaïopoulou, M., Whittaker, H., Rönnlund, R., Tsiouka, F., Klange, J., Pitman, D., Potter, R., Shaw, L., Hagan, J., Siljedahl, E., Forssén, M., Chandrasekaran, S., Dandou, S., Ljungdahl, V.F., Pavilionytė, A., Scott-Pratt, H., Schager, E., Manley, H., 2020. The 2016–2018 Greek-Swedish archaeological project at Thessalian Vlochos, Greece. Opuscula, 13, 7-72.
  • Brown, A., Pitman, D., 2019. Resource procurement and inter-regional connections in pre-contact Taranaki, New Zealand: New evidence from geochemical analysis of obsidian. Archaeology in Oceania, 54 (3), 149-162.
  • Horn, C., Pitman, D., Potter, R., 2019. An evaluation of the visualisation and interpretive potential of applying GIS data processing techniques to 3D rock art data. Journal of Archaeological Science Reports, 27.
  • Russell, M., Cheetham, P., Barrass, K., Evans, D., Hambleton, E., Manley, H., Pitman, D., Stewart, D., 2019. The Durotriges Project 2017: an interim statement. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History & Archaeological Society, 139, 127-133.
  • Russell, M., Cheetham, P., Evans, D., Hambleton, E., Hewitt, I., Manley, H., Gale, J., Pitman, D., Stewart, D., 2016. The Durotriges Project, Phase Three: an interim statement. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History & Archaeological Society, 137.

Chapters

  • Welham, K., Pitman, D., Scott-Pratt, H., Hagan, J., Casswell, C., Green, A., Duckworth, C., Montanari, E., 2021. Geophysical and geochemical exploration of the industrial areas in the Alhambra. In: García Porras, A., Duckworth, C.N., Govantes-Edwards, D., eds. The Royal Workshops of the Alhambra: Industrial Activity in Early Modern Granada. Boydell & Brewer.
  • García Porras, A., Duckworth, C., Welham, K., Govantes-Edwards, D., Pitman, D., Alonso, M., Ríos, J., Jímenez, M., Montanari, E., Moore, B.. La producción cerámica en Granada entre la época medieval y moderna. Los talleres del Secano de la Alhambra. (The pottery production in Granada between the middle ages and the modern period. The Alhambra workshops of el secano.). In: Coll Conesa, J., Salinas Pleguezuelo, E., eds. Technologia de los Vidriados en el Oeste Mediterráneo: Tradiciones islámicas y cristianas. Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte, Gobierno de España.
  • Pitman, D., Doonan, R., 2018. Beyond the Grave: Crafting Identities in the Middle Bronze Age Southern Trans Urals. Warfare in Bronze Age Society.
  • Doonan, R.C.P., Hanks, B., Pitman, D., Kupriyanova, E., Zdanovich, D.. Eventful deaths – eventful lives? Bronze age mortuary practices in the late prehistoric Eurasian steppes of central Russia (2100–1500 BC). In: Renfrew, C., Boyd, M., Morley, I., eds. Death Rituals, Social Order and the Archaeology of Immortality in the Ancient World: 'Death Shall Have No Dominion'. Cambridge University Press.
  • Doonan, R., Hanks, B., Zdanovich, D., Kupriyanova, E., Pitman, D., Batanina, N., Johnson, J., 2014. Metals, society, and economy in the Late Prehistoric Eurasian Steppe. Archaeometallurgy in Global Perspective Methods and Syntheses. 755-784.
  • Hanks, B.K., Chechuchkov, I., Doonan, R.C.P., Pitman, D., Mušic, B., Medarich, I., Mori, M.. Noveyshiye rezul'taty i perspektivy issledovaniy mikrorayona drevnego rasseleniya Ust'ye i doliny reki Nizhniy Toguzakmore. Drevneye Ust'ye: Ukreplennoye poseleniye bronzovogo veka v Yuzhnom Zaural'ye. Chelyabinsk Pedagogical University.
  • Doonan, R.C.P., Pitman, D., Hanks, B.K., Zdanovich, D., Kupriyanova, E.. Organisation Der Metallurgie Der Sintašta-Kultur. In: Gorelik, A., Linden, M., eds. Aus dem Herzen Eurasiens – Schätze des alten Kasachstans. Bochum.
  • Pitman, D., Doonan, R.C.P., Hanks, B.K., Montgomery, D., Van Brempt, L., Kupriyanova, E., Zdanovich, D.. Exploring Metallurgy at Stepnoye: the role of ceramics in the matte conversion process. In: Doonan, R.C.P., Dungworth, D., eds. Accidental and Experimental Archaeometallurgy.. HSM.
  • Pitman, D.. Review of “Experimentation and Interpretation: the use of experimental archaeology in the study of the past”. Archaeological Review from Cambridge. Cambridge.

Conferences

  • Manley, H., Elliott, S., Pitman, D., 2022. SALT OF THE EARTH: DISENTANGLING NATURAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC LANDSCAPES IN THE POOLE HARBOUR CATCHMENT USING DEPOSIT MODELLING. In: Association of Environmental Archaeology 02/12/2022 Glasgow University.
  • Garcia, A., Duckworth, C., Welham, K., Govantes-Edwards, D., Pitman, D., Alonso, M., Ríos, J.M., Jiménez, M.C., Montanari, E., Moore, B., 2018. La producción cerámica en Granada entre la época medieval y moderna. Los talleres del secano de la Alhambra. In: International Workshop. Glaze Technology in the Western Mediterranean: Islamic and Christian traditions 25/01/2018 Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias “González Martí” de Valencia. Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias de Valencia.

Posters

  • Delbarre, G., Pitman, D., Smith, M., Wilkes, E., Darvill, T., Holloway, M.. Exploring Science and Archaeology @ Bournemouth Heritage Centres. In: Pitt Rivers Annual Conference, Bournemouth University.

PhD Students

  • Owen Kearn, 2022. Investigating & interpreting the sources of stone & ceramic building materials used in Roman Bath, (In progress)
  • Megan Russell. Crafting a better wellbeing: Using experimental Archaeology to improve mental health, (In progress)
  • Daniel Carter. The Origins of, and specialisation within, the Verwood-type Pottery Industry

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Recording and Understanding Archaeological Landscapes
  • Management of Archaeological Materials
  • Professional Practice in Post-Excavation

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Ancient Peoples and Places
  • Applications of Archaeological Science
  • Approaches to Archaeology
  • Archaeological Practice
  • Post-Excavation studies
  • Studying Ancient Materials
  • AAFS Study Skills
  • Themes in Archaeology and Anthropology
  • Gathering Time
  • Field and Research Skills
  • Later Prehistoric Britain
  • Practical Archaeology
  • People, Production and Place

Grants

  • Identifying the potential for establishing long-term environmental models in western Thessaly, Greece, across a period of up to 10,000 years (BU SIA ECR Networking Fund, 21 Jun 2022). In Progress
  • Performing the Past (HLF, 01 Sep 2019). Awarded
  • Understanding the relationships between high-temperature industries and early Islamic urbanisation. (British Academy, 31 Aug 2016). Awarded

Conference Presentations

  • Västsvensk arkeologidag, Vlochos Archaeological Project: Investigating urban development using non-invasive techniques in Thessaly Greece, 22 Feb 2019, Göteborg
  • Near Surface Geophysics Group: annual meeting, The Vlochos Archaeological Project: Investigating urban development using non-invasive techniques in Thessaly, Greece, 04 Dec 2018, London
  • Archaeological work of Thessaly and Central Greece, Volos, The Vlochos Archaeological Project 2016-2017: The first two years of Greek-Swedish collaboration at the site of Vlochos, Karditsa prefecture, 01 Mar 2018, Volos
  • 41st International Symposium on Archaeometry, New prospects: geophysical and geochemical survey at the 10th century city of Madinat al-Zahra, Spain, 15 May 2016, Kalamata, Greece
  • Computer Applications in Archaeology - International, Seeing things differently.  The use of combined geochemical and geophysical prospection techniques to investigate early Islamic town planning., 29 Mar 2016, Oslo, Norway
  • Computer Applications in Archaeology - UK, Seeing things differently.  The use of combined geochemical and geophysical prospection techniques to investigate early Islamic town planning., 05 Mar 2016, Leicester, UK

Qualifications

  • PhD in Archaeology (The University of Sheffield, 2015)
  • MSc in Archaeomaterials (The University of Sheffield, 2008)
  • BSc (Hons) in Archaeology (Bournemouth University, 2006)

External Media and Press

Broadcast Interview

  • BBC South Today, Archaeological dig reveals medieval industry at Wytch Farm in Dorset
  • National Afternoon Live, Archaeological dig reveals medieval industry at Wytch Farm in Dorset
The data on this page was last updated at 05:00 on February 18, 2026.