Peter Halkon

Main research interests:

Landscape Archaeology
Later Prehistoric and Roman periods
The Parisi – Iron Age and Roman East Yorkshire
Early iron production in Europe
Remote sensing (Particularly aerial archaeology)
Computer based Virtual Landscapes

Landscape Archaeology

Being from a farming background, I have been involved in exploring the relationship between people and the landscape from the ice ages to the medieval periods, particularly the effect of environmental constraints and change in lowland landscapes, drawing on evidence from aerial survey, geophysics, field walking and targeted excavation. More recently focus has been on the Yorkshire Wolds, particularly the underexplored western escarpment and the relationship between upland and lowland.

Iron Age and Roman East Yorkshire

I am fortunate enough to have been brought up and still reside in one of the most significant archaeological regions for the study of Iron Age Britain. With the chariot burials and square barrows of the “Arras Culture” near at hand, together with the so-called “Wolds entrenchments” there is much to investigate! Following the long term collaborative research on the impact of Rome in the region with Professor Martin Millett (Cambridge University) around Holme-on-Spalding Moor with its Roman pottery industry, the Roman roadside settlement at Shiptonthorpe and the Iron Age and Roman landscape around Hayton, including a Flavian fort, Roman roadside settlement and Romanised farmsteads, current work has been focussed on the environs of the Civitas Capital of Petuaria (Brough-on- Humber). With James Lyall (Geophiz.Biz), a new geophysical survey was undertaken in 2014 on the Burrs, the core of the Roman town, revealing hitherto unknown detail including roadways and buildings and with James Lyall and Rodney Mackey (East Riding Archaeological Society) two seasons of excavation, supported by the Royal Archaeological Institute and ERAS, on a recently discovered extensive Roman settlement close to the Humber itself, which has uncovered much activity throughout the Roman period including high-status buildings and late Roman burials.

Early iron production in Europe

I established an international network with the assistance of Professor Vincent Serneels (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) and Professor Claudio Giardino (University of Salento, Italy) with members from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Hungary, France, Spain, Ireland and the UK to investigate the origins, manufacture and impact of iron from the late Bronze Age to the Viking period. This has involved organisation of and participation in conference sessions and lectures in Italy, the Czech Republic, France, Austria, Germany and Spain. I am keen to expand this network. I am a Council Member of the Historical Metallurgy Society.

Remote sensing (Particularly aerial archaeology)

I have been taking archaeological aerial photographs for many years, particularly as part of the Foulness Valley project and am involved with the Aerial Archaeology Research Group. This has often been combined as in the case of Hayton, with programmes of geophysics and field walking.

Computer based Virtual Landscapes

Working with colleagues in Computer Science, I have helped to develop an award winning website supported by the HLF and real-time 3D stereoscopic flythroughs of landscapes enabling layers of information to be interrogated and manipulated.