Neil Godfrey

DPhil in Archaeology

Thesis

Roman Landscapes and Sacred Spaces

Research abstract

Despite the significance placed on landscapes in Archaeology, the broader scholarly interest in ‘ritual’ landscapes in the ancient world, together with increasing recognition that landscapes were often integral to ritual action, the landscape context of sacred space in the late Iron Age and Roman periods has received comparatively less focus. My DPhil research builds on my previous MSc work, aiming to develop and implement a methodology for examining the landscape context of ritual and sacred space, with a particular focus on Roman Britain.

Supervisor(s)

Dr Alison MacDonald, Dr Alex Smith

Biography

I started the part-time DPhil in Archaeology in Michaelmas 2023, and I am a Clarendon Scholar. Previously I completed Oxford’s MSc in Applied Landscape Archaeology, Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Archaeology, and Undergraduate Certificate in British Archaeology. My MSc dissertation focused on investigating how landscape context influenced the positioning of Romano-Celtic temples in South-West Roman Britain, with a particular focus on Lamyatt Beacon and Cold Kitchen Hill. My undergraduate dissertation focused on the Cult of Mithras, and the landscape setting of Mithraea. My educational background also includes a BA (Hons) degree in History and Philosophy, and an MSc in Marketing.

Publications

Godfrey, N. (2024) RR465(x), RRX037, Pylle Hill to Bruton, Somerset; RR45b, Stockton Wood to Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire; RR46, Keylsey Down to Kingston Deverill, Wiltshire; RR52. Itinera, pp. 361-364 and 374-379, available at: https://www.romanroads.org/itinera.html

Research interests

Landscape Archaeology

Ritual Landscapes

Sacred Landscapes

GIS

Archaeological Theory

Iron Age Britain

Roman Britain