Ina Berg

Phone: 0161 2757753

Email: [email protected]

Ina Berg was born in Germany in 1970, and educated at the Universities Heidelberg (Classical Archaeology, Ancient History and Ancient Greek) and Cambridge (MA in Classics 1994, PhD in Archaeology 2000). Her doctoral research explored the social and economic dynamics of cultural change in the Bronze Age Cyclades (Greece ) vis a vis culturally dominant Minoan Crete. She was a part-time tutor at University of Cambridge, Board of Continuing Education, between 1999 and 2005. She joined Manchester as a lecturer in September 2000. In 2012 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer.

Her research focuses on the Cyclades in the Middle and Late Bronze Age. Dominant research themes are cultural interaction and change (especially the phenomenon of 'Minoanisation') and their interplay with local Cycladic identities. Her book on 'Aegean islands in prehistory' will be published with Routledge in 2016.

Other areas of interest are island archaeology (concepts and realities, seafaring, ethnographic and experimental studies); ceramics (esp. as a means to express identity, group affiliation and negotiate status); ethnographic and experimental pottery studies, radiography of pottery, quantitative analysis in archaeology.

Whilst continuing to undertake research into the prehistoric Cyclades, such as Ina's analysis of conical cups as part of the re-publication of the original Phylakopi (Melos) excavations, her recent research focus as been on the application of scientific techniques to ceramics. Drawing on the potential of X-radiography for revealing the original forming technique of clay vessels, Ina has conducted a detailed analysis of Knossian pottery. She has been able to illuminate the socio-political context of the introduction of the potter's wheel, in particular its purported use as means of legitimisation for the newly emerging palatial elites on Crete. For her most recent project, Ina will explore the power of Computed Tomography in understanding ceramic manufacture.

More details of her research projects and publications can be found on Ina's website.

While Ina is happy to supervise students on all material and theoretical aspects of Bronze Age Greece, she is particularly encouraging candidates wishing to work in the following areas:

• Prehistoric Cyclades (social, cultural, economic, political, environmental aspects)
• Island studies; archaeology of islands; island lifeways
• Ceramic studies; experimental archaeology; X-radiography; Computed Tomography (CT)
• Application of quantitative analysis to archaeology

Thesis topics of recent PhD students:

• The Spinning of Ur (Alison Millerman)
• Fluid Metaphors: Exploring the symbolism, meaning and perception of fresh water in Minoan Crete (L. Houseman)

Ina is an enthusiastic and dedicated teacher who strives to facilitate deep learning. Her teaching is always research-led and is designed to enhance the employability skills of all graduates. She has extensive experience of teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. She coordinates and contributes to a wide range of courses.

Ina is a member of the British School at Athens, the Council of British Archaeology, the Royal Archaeological Institute and the World Archaeological Congress. She is a member of the Prehistoric Ceramics Research Group (PCRG) for which she acted as Honorary Treasurer between 2005 and 2010.

In her spare time Ina enjoys kayaking, rock climbing, cycling, skiing, dancing and reading.