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Staff Profiles

Dr Jane Webster

Visiting Research Fellow in Archaeology

Background


Teaching


Research

Research Interests


I am an Historical Archaeologist in the widest sense of that term. My research crosses traditional frontiers (both temporal and disciplinary) but focuses on colonial material culture, from the early Roman Empire to the eighteenth century. Some of my work explores the material culture of colonial subjects (including indigenous peoples and slaves), and examines the uses that these groups made of ‘foreign’ or imposed material things, as they created new identities in new circumstances. I have a particular interest in the material culture of the British slave trade, and my book Materializing the Middle Passage: A Historical Archaeology of British Slaving Shipping, 1680-1807 was published by Oxford University Press in late 2023. I am currently co-editing The Oxford Handbook of the Comparative Archaeology of Slavery.


Webster, J and Cooper, N (eds) (1996) Roman Imperlialism: Post-Colonial Perspectives can be read online at  

Read my 2007 article in British Archaeology, called 'Ringed with the wrecks of slave ships: the Atlantic slave trade' at

My 2010 paper 'A distant diaspora; thinking comparatively about origins, migrations and Roman slavery' can be accessed at

Many of my publications are available on the Academia website:

I am a member of the collaborative team producing 3D video reconstuctions of slave ships for the Slavevoyages website: you can find these at https://www.slavevoyages.org/


Postgraduate Supervision

I have recently supervised PhD candidates working on 18th century popular protest; Trench Art from the First world war; the Derwent valley iron and steel industry; and the comparative archaeology of mimesis in the Roman provinces. I am currently supervising a PhD on the archaeology of the Butler family homestead in Ontario. I would be very happy to hear from prospective research students with interests in either Romano-British or Historical Archaeology (post AD 1500), and particularly in the archaeology of slavery at any period.

Publications

  • Articles

    • Wysocki L, Jackson M, Miers J, Webster J, Coxon B. . International Journal of Heritage Studies 2020, 26(5), 480-497.
    • Webster J. . Slavery & Abolition 2017, 38(1), 135-154.
    • Webster J. . Post-Medieval Archaeology 2015, 49(1), 72-98.
    • Webster J, Tolson L, Carlton R. . Historical Archaeology 2014, 48(1), 11-29.
    • Webster J, Tolson L. . Historical Archaeology 2014, 48(1), 1-2.
    • Turner S, Webster J, Duggan M. . Medieval Settlement Research 2013, 28, 93-95.
    • Webster J, Whitworth A. . International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 2012, 47(6), 619-636.
    • Turner S, Webster J. . Medieval Settlement Research 2011, 26, 60-66.
    • Webster J. . Slavery & Abolition 2009, 30(2), 311-325.
    • Webster J. . International Journal of Historical Archaeology 2008, 12(1), 6-19.
    • Webster J. . Archaeological Dialogues 2008, 15(2), 103-149.
    • Webster J. . Journal of Legal History 2007, 28(3), 285-298.
    • Webster J. . Journal for Maritime Research 2005, (submitted).
    • Webster J. . Journal of Roman Archaeology 2005, 18(1), 161-179.
    • Webster J. . American Journal of Archaeology 2001, 105(2), 209-225.
    • Webster J. . International Journal of Historical Archaeology 1999, 3(1), 53-73.
    • Webster J. . Britannia 1999, 30, 1-20.
    • Webster J. . American Journal of Archaeology 1999, 103(1), 122-125.
    • Webster, J. Mystics or Freedom Fighters?. British Archaeological News 1998, 18, 17-18.
    • Webster, J. Necessary comparisons: a post-colonial approach to religious syncretism in the Roman provinces. World Archaeology 1997, 28 (3), 324-338.
    • Webster, J. Interpretatio: Roman Word Power and the Celtic Gods. Britannia 1995, 26, 153-162.
    • Webster, J. Celtic religion in archaeology versus Celtic religion in text. Shadow 1991, 8.2, 1-15.

  • Authored Books

    • Webster J. . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023.
    • Webster, J and Cooper, N (eds). Roman Imperialism: Post-colonial Perspectives. Leicester, 1996.

  • Book Chapters

    • Webster J. . In: Christin O, ed. Dictionnaire des concepts nomades en sciences humanines. Paris: Éditions Métailié, 2016, pp.273-280.
    • Webster J. . In: Ritari, K, ed. Understanding Celtic Religion: Revisiting the Pagan Past. Cardiff, UK: University of Wales Press, 2015, pp.121-154.
    • Webster J. . In: Eckardt, H, ed. Roman Diasporas: Archaeological Approaches to Mobility and Diversity in the Roman Empire. Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA: Journal of Roman Archaeology LLC, 2010, pp.45-65.
    • Webster J. . In: Hamilton, DJ; Blyth, RJ, ed. Representing Slavery: Art, Artefacts and Archives in the Collections of the National Maritime Museum. London: Lund Humphries, 2007, pp.104-117.
    • Webster J. . In: Alcock, SE; Osborne, R, ed. Classical Archaeology. London: Blackwell, 2007, pp.401-424.
    • Webster J. . In: Scott, S., Webster, J, ed. Roman Imperialism and Provincial Art. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003, pp.24-51.
    • Webster J. . In: Bevan, B, ed. Northern Exposure: interpretative devolution and the Iron Ages in Britain. University of Leicester: School of Archaeological Studies, University of Leicester, 1999, pp.21-31.
    • Webster, J. Text expectations: the archaeology of ‘Celtic’ ritual wells and shafts. In: Gwilt, A. and Haselgrove, C, ed. Reconstructing Iron Age Societies. 1997, pp.134-144.
    • Webster, J. A negotiated syncretism: readings on the development of Romano-Celtic religion . In: Mattingly, D.J, ed. Dialogues in Roman Imperialism. 1997, pp.164-184.
    • Webster, J. Rosiers-D’Egletons, St-Etienne-au-Clos, Bussiere-St-Georges. In: Bilan Scientifique de la Région Limousin 1996. Service Régional de l’Archéologie, 1996, pp.58-9.
    • Webster J. . In: Webster J ; Cooper NJ, ed. Roman Imperialism: post-colonial perspectives. Leicester: School of Archaeological Studies, University of Leicester, 1996, pp.1-17.
    • Webster J. . In: Webster J ; Cooper N, ed. Roman Imperialism: post-colonial perspectives. Leicester: School of Archaeological Studies, University of Leicester, 1996, pp.111-123.
    • Webster, J. Translation and subjection: interpretatio and the Celtic gods. In: Hill, J.D., and Cumberpatch, C, ed. Different Iron Ages Studies in the Archaeology of Iron Age Europe. 1995, pp.175-183.
    • Webster, J. Sanctuaries and Sacred Places. In: Green, M, ed. The Celtic World. London: Routledge, 1995, pp.445-464.
    • M. Parker-Pearson, J. Mulville, T. Roper, H. Smith, N. Sharples, and J. Webster. Archaeological Investigations in South Uist. In: Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1995. 1995, pp.4-5.
    • J. Symonds, J. Webster, and T. Cooper. Archaeological Investigations at The Corn Exchange, Doncaster, S Yorks. In: Cumberpatch, C.G., and Whiteley, S, ed. Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1994-5. 1995, pp.19-24.
    • J. Symonds, J. Webster, and T. Cooper , in. Archaeological Assessment at Straightmile, Rotherham, South Yorks. In: Cumberpatch, C.G., and Whiteley, S, ed. Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1994-5. 1995, pp.16-18.
    • J. Symonds and J. Webster. Archaeological Assessment at New Stubbin, Rotherham, South Yorks. In: Cumberpatch, C.G., and Whiteley, S, ed. Archaeology in South Yorkshire 1994-5. 1995, pp.14-15.
    • Webster, J. The just war: Graeco-Roman texts as colonial discourse. In: Cottam, S. et al, ed. Proceedings of the Fourth Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference 1994. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1994, pp.1-10.

  • Edited Books

    • Leone M, Webster J, ed. . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2025. In Press.
    • Scott S, Webster J, ed. . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003.

  • Online Publication

    • Webster J. . African Diaspora Archaeology Network, 2010. Available at: .

  • Reports

    • Turner S, Webster J, Duggan M. . Â鶹´«Ã½: Â鶹´«Ã½, 2012. Unpublished report for the Service Régional de l’Archéologie, Poitiers.
    • Rocque G, Bal MC, Belingard C, Bertrand I, Bujard S, Coutelas A, Doulan C, Geniès C, Guédon S, Gueguen JF, Hourcade D, Joly C, Loiseau C, Méaudre JC, Sicard S, Turner S, Vissac C, Webster J. . Conseil Général de la Charente, 2011. Chassenon.