Dr Laura Basell

Associate Professor in Archaeology

School/Department: Archaeology and Ancient History, School of

Profile

After studying Archaeology at the University of Bristol, I was awarded a Graduate Attachment with the British Institute in Eastern Africa which confirmed my fascination with African archaeology. I then completed an MPhil in World Archaeology and a PhD at the University of Cambridge, which focussed on the Middle Stone Age and Quaternary landscapes of eastern Africa. I subsequently held several English Heritage funded postdoctoral positions in different universities researching human evolution and Quaternary landscape change in southern Britain before taking up a postdoctoral position working on the NERC funded “Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition in Western Europe” project in the radiocarbon laboratory, University of Oxford. I was awarded the Phyllis and Eileen Gibbs Fellowship at Newnham College, Cambridge and then worked as LiDAR Officer for the New Forest National Park, in commercial archaeology and as an independent consultant in Libya and the UK. After my first Lecturing position in Geography at Oxford Brookes I held Senior Lecturing positions in Archaeology at the University of Bournemouth, and Queen’s University Belfast before moving to take up an Associate Professorship at Leicester in 2019. I am currently Co-Chair of the National Environmental Isotope Facility (Panel A – Radiocarbon), Vice Chair of University Archaeology UK, Associate Director of the Institute for Environmental Futures and Lead the “Environmental Change and Loss” theme of with Dr Moya Burns.

Research

Overview

My interdisciplinary research integrates interpretations of Quaternary climatic change and behavioural landscapes, to understand cultural and technological innovation. I am interested in population migration and how cultural heritage informs identity creation. Practically my skills lie in excavation, geoarchaeology, geomatics and the methodological development of digital technologies in heritage contexts (particularly laser scanning).

I direct geoarchaeological fieldwork in eastern Africa and the UK focussed on the evolution, spread and adaptations of Homo sapiens and other early hominins. I also have active research in England and Ireland on the transition between hunter-gatherers and the first farming communities. Recent GCRF and AHRC funded projects on Unguja and Pemba islands have involved working with communities to capture and understand the islands' unique maritime cultural heritage, including traditional crafts and practices. The results are being used to explore solutions for the islands’ long term sustainable future and consider how societal stability is maintained within the context of rapid development and climate change. In 2022 I worked with my team to design and constructed a new museum display on the theme for Pemba.

Main Research Interests

Human Evolution: The Stone Age and Palaeolithic, particularly of Europe and Africa
Mesolithic and Neolithic Landscapes
Landscape evolution and geoarchaeological approaches (including GIS, remote sensing and especially laser scanning)
Archaeological practice and dating techniques
Material Culture: particularly macro-scale stone tool analysis/experimental approaches
Rock art and mobiliary art

I am interested in supervising Doctoral Research topics within these broad areas. If you have an idea and would like to discuss it further, do not hesitate to contact me.

Active Projects

Dartmoor Tor Enclosure Survey: “DATES”. In collaboration with Dartmoor National Park Authority.
Contextualising a Cave for the Community. Knowledge Exchange Project. In collaboration with multiple stakeholders including Historic England and the English Riviera Global Geopark.
East Pemba Maritime Heritage Project & Creating Pwani. In collaboration with Zanzibar Heritage Foundation and the Department of Antiquities, Zanzibar.
Human Evolution at the Headwaters of the Nile.

Past Projects

Rescue Excavation of Large Mammal Skeleton and Associated Stone Tools from a Temporarily Exposed Section, Lake Victoria, Kenya
Dating the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic Transition in western Europe using ultrafiltration radiocarbon dating
Monitoring and Modelling of the Palaeolithic Archaeological Resource at Chard Junction Quarry
The Palaeolithic Rivers of South West Britain
Excavation and Survey at Rambogo Rockshelter

Publications

Peer Reviewed Articles

Basell, L. and Spinapolice, E. (accepted 2023) Time, the MSA and Lithic Analyses following the Third Science Revolution. Azania. Special Issue on "Generic MSA: Fact or Fiction?" held as part of the PanAfrican Association Conference in 2022 in Unguja.

Balzter, H., Macul, M., Delaney, B., Tansey, K., Espirito-Santo, F., Ofoegbu, C., Petrovskii, S., Forchtner, B., Nicholes, N., Payo, E., Heslop-Harrison, P., Burns, M., Basell, L., Egberts, E., Stockley, E., Desorgher, M., Upton, C., Whelan, M. and Yildiz, A. (2023). Loss and Damage from Climate Change: Knowledge Gaps and Interdisciplinary Approaches. Sustainability.

Basell, L.S., Ali, A., Firoozi-Nejad, B., Egberts, E., Mellor, N. and Horton, M. (2020) Laser-Scanning Shihrazad’s Baths: 1001 Tales of Zanzibar Nights. The Antiquaries Journal 100. 340 - 373.

Egberts, E., Basell, L.S., Welham, K. Brown, A.G. and Toms, P.S. (2020) The timing of hominin presence in the Avon valley, Hampshire, and its implications for the understanding of the British Lower and early Middle Palaeolithic. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association 131 (2). 121 – 137.

Webb, P., Morris, B., Bampton, J., Walls, S. & Basell, L., (2019) Excavations of a Fairground Site at Penhale Farm, Fraddon, St Enoder, Cornwall. Cornish Archaeology.

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., Toms, P.S. (2019) The Quaternary of the Jurassic Coast Region: From The late Pliocene to the Anthropocene. Proceedings of the Geologists Association 130 (3-4) 451-462.

Tumler, D. Basell, L.S. and Coward, F. (2017) Human perception of symmetry, raw material and size of Palaeolithic handaxes. Lithics: the Journal of the Lithic Studies Society 38: 5-17

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S. and Farbstein, R. (2017) Eels, beavers and horses: Human niche construction in the European Late Upper Palaeolithic. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 83. 1-22.

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S. and Toms, P. (2015) A stacked Late Quaternary fluvio-periglacial sequence from the Axe valley, southern England with implications for landscape evolution and Palaeolithic archaeology. Quaternary Science Reviews 116, 106-121.

Higham, T.F.G., Douka, K., Wood, R., Bronk Ramsey, C., Brock, F., Basell, L., Camps, M., Arrizabalaga, A., Baena, J., Barroso-Ruíz, C., Bergman, C., Boitard, C., Boscato, P., Caparrós, M., Conard, N.J., Draily, C., Froment, A., Galván, B., Gambassini, P., Garcia-Moreno, A., Grimaldi, S., Haesaerts, P., Holt, B., Iriarte-Chiapusso, M-J., Jelinek, A., Jordá Pardo, J.F., Maíllo-Fernández, J-M., Marom, A., Maroto, J., Menéndez, M., Metz, L., Morin, E., Moroni, A., Negrino, F., Panagopoulou, E., Peresani, M., Pirson, S., de la Rasilla, M., Riel-Salvatore, J., Ronchitelli, A., Santamaria, D., Semal, P., Slimak, L., Soler, J., Soler, N., Villaluenga, A., Pinhasi, R. and Jacobi, R. (2014). The timing and spatio-temporal patterning of Neanderthal disappearance. Nature 512, 306–309.

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., Robinson, S., and Burge, G. (2013) Palaeolithic Site Distribution in Britain and North West Europe: A Nutritional Niche Reconstruction Approach. PLOS One.

Higham, T., Bronk Ramsey, C., Basell, L., Brock, F., Wood, R. and Davies W. (2013) Radiocarbon dating & Bayesian modelling from the Grotte du Renne & a Neanderthal origin for the Châtelperronian, Before Farming 2012/3 article 2. 1 – 6.

Higham, T.H., Basell, L.S., Jacobi, R., Wood, R., Bronk Ramsey, C. and Conard, N. (2012) Testing models for the beginnings of the Aurignacian and the advent of figurative art and music: The radiocarbon chronology of Geissenklösterle Journal of Human Evolution.

Higham, T., Brock, F., Bronk Ramsey, C., Davies, W., Wood, R. and Basell, L. (2011) Chronology of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France: a response to Zilhão et al (this issue). Before Farming 2011/3 article 4, 1-5.

Higham, T., Brock, F., Davies, W., Bronk-Ramsey, C., Wood, R. and Basell, L. (2011) Chronology of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France: Implications for Neanderthal symbolic behaviour. Before Farming 2011/2 article 1

Higham, T.H., Jacobi, R., Basell, L.S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Chiotti, L. and Nespoulet, R. (2011) Precision dating of the Palaeolithic: A new radiocarbon chronology for the Abri Pataud (France), a key Aurignacian sequence. Journal of Human Evolution 61 (5) 549-563.

Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G., Hosfield, R., Toms, P. (2011) The Geoarchaeology of Palaeolithic Rivers of South West Britain. In Brown, A.G., Butzer, K. and Basell, L.S. (Eds) Geoarchaeology, Climate Change and Sustainability. Geological Society of America.

Higham, T.F.G., Jacobi, R.M., Julien, M., David, F. Wood, R., Basell, L.S., Davies, S.W.G., and Bronk Ramsey, C. (2010) New dates for the Grotte du Renne at Arcy-sur-Cure and their implications for the evolution of symbolic behaviour. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 107 (47) 20234-20239.

Basell, L.S. (2010) Middle Stone Age Sangoan-Lupemban Lithic Assemblages in Africa in Allsworth-Jones, P. (Ed) “West African archaeology: New developments, New perspectives”. B.A.R. International Series. 15-28.

LeQuesne, C., Basell, L.S. and Sheibani R. (2010) Archaeology in the Sirte Basin: Preliminary Results of Mitigation Surveys carried out for Shell 2007-2009 Libyan Studies 41. 7-32.

Jacobi, R., Higham, T.F.G., Haesarts, P., Basell, L.S. (2010) Radiocarbon chronology for the Early Gravettian of northern Europe: New AMS determinations for Maisières Canal. Antiquity 84. 26–40.

Brown, A. G., Basell, L.S., Toms, P.S., Bennett, J., Hosfield, R. T. and Scrivener, R. C. (2010) Later Pleistocene Evolution of the Exe Valley: A Chronostratigraphic Model of Terrace Formation and its Implications for Palaeolithic Archaeology. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, (7-8), 897-912.

Brown, A. G., Basell, L. S., Toms, P. S. and Scrivener R.C. (2009) Towards A Budget Approach to Pleistocene Terraces: Preliminary Studies using the River Exe in South West England, UK. Proceedings of the Geologists Association 120. 275-281

Barker, G., Basell, L., Brooks, I., Cartwright, C., Cole, F., Davison, J., Farr, L., Grűn, R., Hamilton, R., Hunt, C., Inglis, R., Jacobs, Z., Legge, T., Leitch, V., Morales, J., Morley, I., Pawley, S., Pryor, A., Roberts, B., Reynolds, T., el-Rishi, H., Simpson, D., Twati, M., and van der Veen, M. (2009) The Cyrenaican Prehistory Project 2008: the second season of investigations of the Haua Fteah cave and its landscape, and further results from the initial (2007) fieldwork. Libyan Studies 40. 175-221

Basell, L.S. (2008) Middle Stone Age (MSA) site distributions in eastern Africa and their relationship to Quaternary environmental change, refugia and the evolution of Homo sapiens Quaternary Science Reviews 27. 2484-2498.

Hosfield, R.T., Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., Hounsell, S. (2006) Beyond the caves, The Palaeolithic Rivers of South West Britain. Geoscience in the South West. 11 (3): 183-190.

Books

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S. and Butzer, K. (Eds) (2011) Geoarchaeology, Climate Change and Sustainability. Geological Society of America.

Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) (2011) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London.

Book Chapters

Basell, L., Toms, P. and Brown T. (2020) Chard Junction Quarry. Case Study Contribution to Hosfield, R., Green, C., Fluck, H. and Batchelor, R. Curating the Palaeolithic: Guidance. Historic England.

Basell, L, Perkins, J & Small, J (2019), The Mesolithic of the River Bann in Late Quaternary Landscape Evolution, Palaeoenvironments and Human Occupation in the North of Ireland. INQUA 2019 Field Guide, QRA Field Guides, Quaternary Research Association.

Perkins, J., Basell, L. and Plunkett, G. (2019). A palynological investigation of Later Mesolithic to Early Neolithic activity at Derragh Island, County Longford. INQUA 2019 Field Guide. The Quaternary of the Irish Midlands. QRA Field Guides, Quaternary Research Association.

Egberts, E., Basell, L. and Toms, P. (2019) Quaternary landscape change and evidence of hominin presence in the Avon valley. In The Quaternary Fluvial Archives of the Major English Rivers. INQUA 2019 Field Guide edn, Quaternary Research Association.

Basell, L.S. The Middle Stone Age of Eastern Africa. (2013) In Mitchell, P. and Lane, P. (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of African Archaeology. Oxford University Press.

Basell, L.S. and Brown, A.G. (2011) The archaeological context of the Exe Valley and adjoining areas. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 11-26.

Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P.S. (2011) Chard Junction Quarry and the Axe Valley Gravels. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 93-102.

Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G., Toms, P.S. and Gallois, R. (2011) The Otter Valley gravels and Budleigh Salterton. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 139-147.

Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G., Toms, P.S. and Norman, C.J. (2011) The Doniford gravels. In Basell, L.S., Bown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 155-163.

Bennett, J.A., Brown, A.G. and Basell, L.S. (2011) Late Plesitocene and Holocene deposits in the Netherexe area. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 67-76.

Brown, A.G., Scrivener, R.C. and Basell, L.S. The geological setting and landform evolution of the Exe Valley and adjoining areas. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 1-10.

Brown, A.G., Powell, M. and Basell, L.S. (2011) Recent work at Shapwick Grange Quarry and the Blackdown Hills Plateau gravels. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 128-132.

Scrivener, R.C., Basell, L.S. and Brown, A.G. (2011) Sarsens associated with River Terrace Gravels in the Creedy Valley, Devon. In Basell, L.S., Brown, A.G. and Toms, P. (Eds.) Quaternary of the Exe Valley and Adjoining Areas Quaternary Research Association, London. 77-83.

Other Publications and Reports

Basell, L.S. and Bray, L.S (2022). Dartmoor Tor Enclosures Survey: “DATES”. Dartmoor Magazine.

Basell, L.S. Bray, L.S., Webber, H., Randall, S. Graham, C. and Crabb, A. 2020. Dartmoor Tor Enclosures Survey. PAST Number 95, 1-4.

Egberts, E., Basell, L., Welham, K., Brown, A. G. & Toms, P., (02 June 2017). OSL dating the Pleistocene river terraces of the Hampshire Avon valley, results from Ashley pit, Quaternary Newsletter, 142, 17-21.

Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., and Toms, P. (2012) Monitoring and Modelling of the Palaeolithic Archaeological Resource at Chard Junction Quarry, Hodge Ditch, Phases II and III, Assessment Stage (Project No. 5695). English Heritage Research Department Report Series

Basell, L.S. (2009) Lithics and Gemorphological Reports for Areas 211C and 212, Libya. Prepared for RPS and included as part of Le Quesne, C. Oil and Gas Exploration in the Sirte Basin, Libya: Areas 211C (Jebel Zelten) and 212. Archaeological Assessment for Shell Petroleum Ltd. Confidential Report, RPS Planning, Transport and Environment.

Basell, L.S. (2008) Lithics and Gemorphological Reports for Area 89, Libya. Prepared for RPS and included as part of Le Quesne, C. Oil and Gas Exploration in the Sirte Basin, Libya: Area 89 (Maaten al-Jafra). Archaeological Assessment for Shell Petroleum Ltd. Confidential Report, RPS Planning, Transport and Environment.

Toms, P., Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., Hosfield, R. (2008) Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain: Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating of Residual Deposits of the Proto-Axe, Exe, Otter and Washford. English Heritage Research Department Report Series No. 2.

Brown, A.G. & Basell, L.S. (2008) Two new bifaces from the Axe Valley, Chard Junction. PAST 60: 1-3. Hosfield, R.T., Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S., Hounsell, S. & Young, R. (2007) The Palaeolithic Rivers of South- West Britain. English Heritage Project Report (Project No. 3847). English Heritage Archive Report: London. 200 pages.

Basell, L.S. (2006) Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain Project (PRoSWeB): Fieldwork and Outreach. Cornwall Archaeological Society Newsletter.

Basell, L.S. (2006) Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain Project (PRoSWeB): Fieldwork and Outreach. Devon Archaeological Society Newsletter.

Hosfield, R.T., Brown, A.G., Basell, L.S. & Hounsell, S. (2005). The Palaeolithic Rivers of South-West Britain. PAST 51: 12-14

Supervision

I am always happy to be contacted by prospective PhD students whose proposed research aligns with mine, or by prospective collaborators outside academia interested in developing a collaborative doctoral award funding proposal.

Primary Supervisor

2021 – 2025. Emma Stockley. “Predicting and Protecting Lithic Landscapes”. AHRC Funded Collaborative Doctoral Award. L. Basell (first supervisor), L. Bray (DNPA, second supervisor) and H. Chapman (University of Birmingham, third supervisor).

Non Primary Supervisor/Advisor

2023 - 2028 Kirsty Fox. "A memoir of the tides: anticipatory grief and solastalgia in coastal ecopoetics". Second supervisor with Dr Lila Matsumoto and Dr Rob Lambert (University of Nottingham)

2021 – 2025 Amy Arden. “The Celestial Mothers: A gender study of the archaeoastronomy of female constellations in the ancient Greek world”. M4C (AHRC) funded PhD. Third supervisor with Prof. G. Shipley & Dr J. Masséglia. M4C application under consideration.

2020 – 2026 Andrew Thompson “The Duke of Bedford's Tavistock Estate from 'Improvement' to World Heritage Site”. Supervisory Team: D. O’Sullivan, L. Basell, S. Tarlow.

2018 – 2024 Panagiotis Georgopoulos. “Ethnic Identity in the Ancient Greek Colonies in Sicily and Asia Minor (8th-6th century BC): Interpretation and Heritage”. Second supervisor with Dr D. Stewart.

2016 - 2024 Rupert Birtwhistle. “Technology, ecology and cultural variability of hominin populations during the Lower - Middle Palaeolithic transition in the Republic of Azerbaijan” Second supervisor with Dr H. Barton.

Completed PhD Students

2016 – 2022 James Perkins “Niche Construction and Plant Use in the Mesolithic”. Northern Bridge (AHRC) funded. Supervisory team: Dr Laura Basell, Dr G. Plunkett with support from Prof. P. Rowley-Conwy (Durham) and informally the late Prof P. Woodman. PhD.

2017– 2022 Jonathan Small: “Pigs, Pits and Persistent Places” Northern Bridge (AHRC) funded. Supervisory team: Dr Laura Basell, Prof Paula Reimer, Prof Janet Montgomery.

2013 – 2016 Ella Egberts "Early Hominin Technology, Chronology and Landscapes in North-West Europe" Bournemouth University/AHRC funded PhD student for project designed by myself and co-supervised with Prof Kate Welham: Student supervised from start to submission with regular meetings and assistance from me in the field & with grants. PhD passed February 2017. Presentations at international meetings ongoing. Publications in progress.

2017 – 2021 Aaron Rawlinson: “Early Neanderthal Social and Behavioural Complexity During the Purfleet Interglacial” External supervisor/advisor. Primary supervisor: Prof Mark White (University of Durham). Second supervisor: Dr Nick Ashton (British Museum). Northern Bridge (AHRC) funded.

Teaching

I have managed and delivered modules in Archaeology and Geography at seven Universities and worked on the strategic development of Archaeology UG and PG programmes. I am a Fellow of the HEA and was a reading group member for the 2022 Bench Mark Statement: Archaeology. I have supervised numeruous UG and PG dissertations. I have taught a wide range of archaeological subjects informed by my research and practice, have extensive experience of curriculum development, module co-ordination and team teaching.

My preferred teaching methods are to "learn through doing" and I always learn a huge amount from my students. My modules often involve practical activities, experimental approaches and digital skills. I like to ensure modules I co-ordinate deliver skills that are transferrable to many disciplines beyond archaeology to maximise employment opportunities for graduates. I am currently a degree programme Accreditor for the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists/University Archaeology UK. Accreditation recognises undergraduate and masters degrees that provide skills relevant to a career in the historic environment.

I teach on a range of undergraduate (UG) and Masters (MA) programmes, both Distance Learning (DL) and Campus Based (CB). I am usually Module Co-Ordinator for:

The Archaeology of Human Evolution (CB AR3093 and DL AR2605)
Geomatics (CB AR2028)
Landscape Archaeology (DL AR7522)
Archaeology the Essentials (CB AR1007)

I contribute to undergraduate modules in:

Debates in Contemp Arch Research (AR1013)
Environmental Archaeology (AR2008)
Heritage Skills (AR2036)
Using Arch Evidence (AR1008)
Fieldwork (AR2044)
Introduction to World Archaeology BC (AR1004)
Early Prehistory (AR1552)

Press and media

I have prior media experience involving topics related to human evolution, African archaeology, landscape archaeology and endangered heritage.

Experience includes BBC Radio 4, BBC local radio, UK, Kenyan and Tanzanian Press, BBC television (Horizon and news bulletins).

I regularly run outreach events for my projects, produce outreach materials and have written popular magazine articles for non specialist audiences on my research. If you are interested in working with me in an outreach or media capacity please get in touch.