Graduating from the University of Edinburgh with my MAHons in Archaeology. I chose to specialise in Conflict and Historical Archaeology, specifically that of the Holocaust and the narratives we can tell using material remains.
Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Fiona and I am a postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh studying MScR Collections and Curating Practices. This blog will be used to investigate and reflect upon my group research project Face to Face: A Dialogue on the University of Edinburgh’s Skull Collection with the Anatomical Museum.
Prior to my postgraduate studies, I received my MAHons in Archaeology from the University of Edinburgh. My undergraduate dissertation “Holocaust Remembrance through Archaeological Investigation: Artefacts of Memory from Sites of Nazi Perpetration” allowed me to critically assess and understand the importance of material remains and the various roles they play in telling historical narratives. My passion for history and archaeology has led me onto my current programme, where I hope to gain valuable skills in the public heritage sector. Specifically, I hope to utilise my background in archaeology as a means of promoting and highlighting the University’s Skull Collection- it’s research significance, examples of repatriation, and it’s broader role in enforcing decolonial standards within the University.
My undergraduate dissertation for which I received a first class mark. The research focussed on case studies across Germany and German-occupied Netherlands and Austria. Public survey work was conducted in order to better understand the modern perception of the Holocaust, as well as the general understanding of the period and the variety of groups targeted.
Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic disrupting much of my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate enough to take part in a variety of projects, volunteer roles and internships. Working alongside other Edinburgh University students, I took part in “Scotland’s Rock Art Project,” which allowed me to re-record Neolithic parietal art in Kilmartin, Scotland, and later upload my findings to CANMORE and to create 3D digital models using photogrammetry. I also completed a project here in Edinburgh at Holyrood Park, which involved surveying Iron Age fortifications and excavating a former rampart wall. Beyond my practical experience, I have interned for the University’s Research Collections, Trimontium Trust and AOC Archaeology Group.
I look forward to my research project on the University’s Skull Collections, and hope I can pull from my previous skills and experiences in order to provide a solution for the display which allows others to critically engage with the material. I believe historical remains, no matter their shape, size or value, hold incredible significance in modern contexts, and allow individuals to feel connected and educated on their own personal history and heritage. I hope my research on this project allows the stories of the individual’s within the collection to be told with a respect and understanding of their origins and cultural value.
