Cafe Scientifique – Mapping the Past on the Present

Mapping the Past on the Present – The use of GIS in archaeology by Caron Newman MSc PhD FSA

Synopsis Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are now part of many people’s digital lives, particularly online through applications such as Google Maps. GIS is a very important tool for archaeologists. Beyond the public image of archaeologists excavating, much of our work is done at the desk, analysing data to understand past landscapes. This talk will look at some of the ways in which GIS is applied by archaeologists to understand past human behaviour and its influence on the landscape at different scales, from individual sites to regional and national character.

Biography. Now (mostly) retired, Caron Newman MSc PhD FSA has been an archaeologist for over 40 years. She has worked in several different sectors of professional archaeology, beginning in commercial companies in South Wales and the south of England, before moving to Cumbria over 30 years ago. She ran her own consultancy business, providing advice to local authorities, national agencies and individual clients, and she also worked for Historic England covering the Northwest region. From there, Caron returned to university in Newcastle to undertake a PhD on Mapping the Medieval and Post Medieval Landscape of Cumbria. Both during and after the completion of her PhD, Caron taught undergraduate and postgraduate students and undertook research projects until she left in 2021.

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