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Phil Marter
20012021

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Dr Phil Marter is Senior Lecturer in the Archaeology of the Recent Past. He completed a postgraduate qualification in Professional Archaeology at The University of Oxford and his PhD with the University of Southampton. He has previously worked for Historic England (including The Royal Commission on Historic Monuments), Clywd Powys Archaeological Trust and Context One Archaeological Services.

His research and teaching focus on the archaeology of the recent past, conflict archaeology and in particular, WWII aviation archaeology. He works with both amateur and professional archaeologists to research, excavate and record crashed aircraft from the 1939-45 air war and is currently helping to promote standards and guidance on best practice in this field.

His recent work has included the exploration of the largest WWI Military Camp in the UK at Magdalen (Morn) Hill on the outskirts of Winchester, the excavation of an RAF 10 Squadron Halifax in Germany and the excavation of a MKI Spitfire in Lincolnshire. He has participated in the excavation and recovery of wartime remains of both German and Allied aircraft and their crews from the 1939-45 air war in the UK, France and Germany.

He currently runs several projects: exploring Bomber Command aerodromes in Yorkshire; excavating an RAF 115 Squadron Lancaster crash site in Hessen and the search for a JU88 crash site on Thorney Island on the south coast of England. His research on the European Air War is carried out in conjunction with a range of partners, in particular hessenARCHAEOLOGIE (The Federal State Archaeological Service of Hessen) and Saxion University in Deventer, The Netherlands. As part of this he contributes to the training of students from across Europe at the International Summer Academy held at The Glauberg, Hessen.

He has also contributed to a range of news and popular entertainment programmes that include South Today, Inside Out, The One Show and Time Team. He also played a key role in the second series of the popular History Channel show WWII Treasure Hunters presented by Steven Taylor and Madness frontman Suggs. His projects have featured in a variety of newspapers and magazines.

Phil is from a military family and is passionate about working with military veterans in archaeology. He maintains links with several veterans' organisations and is the Membership Coordinator for RAF 10 Squadron Association. He promoted participation in D-Day 75 commemoration work by the University and its partners at Lepe Beach in 2019.

In 2004, he was actively involved in setting up Archaeology's consultancy arm ARCA and was Co-Director (with Dr Simon Roffey) of the University's most recent training excavation at the medieval hospital of St Mary Magdalen, Winchester.

Higher Education Teaching Qualification: Higher Education Academy Fellowship (FHEA).

Research interests

  • Battlefield Archaeology
  • The archaeology of the Air War 1939-45
  • WW I American Expeditionary Forces

Supervision of research students

I am Director of Studies as well as second and third supervisor for a number of research students. I welcome enquiries about possible supervision. My areas of supervision are: The archaeology of the recent past; the archaeology of WWI & II; conflict archaeology; battlefield archaeology and aviation archaeology.

Areasofexpertise

  • Archaeology of the recent past
  • Battlefield archaeology
  • Conflict archaeology
  • WWII aviation archaeology
  • Field Archaeology 

Telephone

(+44) 01962 827127

Publications

Fundingandmemberships

Funding awards

1997 - 2003 English Heritage grant to create a National Database of Medieval Pottery Production Centres in England, with Professor Chris Gerrard.

Memberships

Chartered Institute for Archaeologists

Twitter

@MarterPhil