The page has been created to promote and disseminate research into medieval & historic graffiti; the archaeological identification of apotropaic symbols and the phenomenon of intentionally concealed objects within buildings intended to ward against misfortune. Contributions are welcomed!
A Consensus of Symbols. Chapter 2: A History of Research.
The year zero for the study of ritual house protection is 1987 with the publication of Ralph Merrifield’s, ‘The Archaeology of Ritual & Magic.’
Of course, there had been articles and papers on such ‘disparate’ subjects as intentionally concealed shoes and the phenomenon of immured mummified cats that predated his book – but he was the first to draw these phenomena together and present a cogent case that they were all linked – as different elements of ritual building protection.
Chapter 2: A History of Research.
This chapter outlines the contributions made to the discipline, including Merrifield, the new interpretative paradigms suggested by buildings archaeologist Timothy Easton (Ritual Marks on Historic Timber 1999) and the fresh categorisation of apotropaic graffiti by Matthew Champion (Medieval Graffiti 2015).
From, ‘Ritual Marks on Historic Timber (1999) by Timothy Easton
I am an archaeologist with over twenty years of experience. After a decade or so working as a volunteer on excavations in the 1990’s, I undertook my degree in Archaeology at the University of Birmingham. In the last year of my degree I helped to supervise the university’s annual excavations.
Directly after my exams I began my career in Commercial Archaeology as a Field Archaeologist with Oxford Archaeology and remained there for four years. Anticipating a career in archaeology in France I volunteered on excavations at Rom and at Prisse-la-Charriere, Niort (for Poitiers & Rennes University respectively). In due course I worked for the States’ premier scientific organization, I.N.R.A.P. (Institut Nationale des Récherches Archéologiques Préventives) as well as for a number of private companies.
I returned to the UK in 2013 and resumed my role as a Supervisor, undertaking projects around Oxfordshire with John Moore Heritage Services before moving to London in 2014.
I now undertake Historic Building Surveys and supervise urban excavations in the City of London as well as overseeing rural excavations in surrounding Sussex, Surrey & Kent.
Wayne Perkins
BA Hons (Archaeology)
ACIfA (Associate Member, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists)
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Ritual Protection Marks & Ritual Practices 