Matthew Law – Bath Spa University

Personal statement

Matt is an environmental archaeologist who teaches as part of the Geography team at Bath Spa. His teaching covers areas such as climate change, sustainability, Quaternary palaeoecology, GIS and prehistory.

Professional memberships

Associate Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.

Other external roles

Joint Editor-in-Chief, Open Quaternary
STEM Ambassador.

Teaching specialism

Environmental change, in particular:

Quaternary science
Human palaeoecology
Public engagement with environmental change.

Research supervision

Interested in supervising students in areas relating to molluscs and Quaternary palaeoecology; prehistoric landscapes, archaeology of south west Britain, and public perceptions of environmental change/climate change/ sustainability.

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Molluscs

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Law, M (2020) 'Molluscs.' In: Young, A, ed. Eckweek, Peasedown St John, Somerset: survey and excavations at a shrunken medieval hamlet 1988-90. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 233-236. ISBN 9780367860318

Hand-collected shell

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Law, M and Madgwick, R (2019) 'Hand-collected shell.' In: Greenslade, S, ed. Butrint 6 : excavations on the Vrina Plain. Volume 2, the finds. Oxbow Books, Oxford, pp. 239-243. ISBN 9781789252170

Land and freshwater molluscs

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Law, M and Davies, P (2018) 'Land and freshwater molluscs.' In: López Varela, S.L, ed. The encyclopedia of archaeological sciences. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9780470674611

Palaeoenvironmental investigations of a Mesolithic–Neolithic sedimentary sequence from Queen’s Sedgemoor, Somerset

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Hill, T, Whittaker, J, Brunning, R, Law, M, Bell, M, Bronk Ramsey, C, Dunbar, E, Marshall, P and Reimer, P (2017) 'Palaeoenvironmental investigations of a Mesolithic–Neolithic sedimentary sequence from Queen’s Sedgemoor, Somerset.' In: Williams, M, Hill, T, Boomer, I and Wikinson, I.P, eds. The archaeological and forensic applications of microfossils: a deeper understanding of human history. The Geological Society, Bath. ISBN 9781786203052

Molluscs from dune-machair systems in the Western Isles: archaeological site formation processes and environmental change

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Law, M and Thew, N (2017) 'Molluscs from dune-machair systems in the Western Isles: archaeological site formation processes and environmental change.' In: Allen, M.J, ed. Molluscs in archaeology: methods, approaches and applications. Oxbow, Oxford. ISBN 9781785706080

Numerical approaches to land snail palaeoecology

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Law, M (2017) 'Numerical approaches to land snail palaeoecology.' In: Allen, M.J, ed. Molluscs in archaeology: methods, approaches and applications. Oxbow, Oxford. ISBN 9781785706080

Molluscs

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Law, M (2016) 'Molluscs.' In: Glover, G, Flintoft, P and Moore, R, eds. 'A mersshy country called Holdernesse': excavations on the route of a National Grid pipeline in Holderness, East Yorkshire. Archaeopress Publishing, Oxford, pp. 246-247. ISBN 9781784913137

Mollusc shells from archaeological building materials

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Law, M (2014) 'Mollusc shells from archaeological building materials.' In: Szabo, K, Dupont, C, Dimitrijevic, V, Gomez Gastelum, L and Serrand, N, eds. Archaeomalacology: shells in the archaeological record. Archaeopress, Oxford, pp. 253-256. ISBN 9781407313085

Shellfish and coastal exploitation

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Law, M (2012) 'Shellfish and coastal exploitation.' In: Parker Pearson, M, ed. From machair to mountains: archaeological survey and excavation in South Uist. Oxbow, Oxford, pp. 247-250. ISBN 9781842174517

Stability and flux in the dune environment

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Evans, J.G, Law, M and Thew, N (2012) 'Stability and flux in the dune environment.' In: Parker Pearson, M, ed. From machair to mountains: archaeological survey and excavation in South Uist. Oxbow, Oxford, pp. 250-253. ISBN 9781842174517

A Quaternary sequence of terrestrial molluscs from East Africa: a record of diversity, stability, and abundance since Marine Isotope Stage 5 (78,000 BP)

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Rowson, B, Law, M, Miller, J.M, White, T, Shipton, C, Crowther, A, Ndiema, E, Petraglia, M and Boivin, N (2024) 'A Quaternary sequence of terrestrial molluscs from East Africa: a record of diversity, stability, and abundance since Marine Isotope Stage 5 (78,000 BP).' Archiv für Molluskenkunde / International Journal of Malacology, 153 (1). pp. 61-86. ISSN 1869-0963

Coastal lagoonal evolution within the Early Holocene Humber Estuary, eastern England

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Grant, M.J, Hill, T, Evans, S and Law, M (2024) 'Coastal lagoonal evolution within the Early Holocene Humber Estuary, eastern England.' Journal of Quaternary Science, 39 (2). pp. 234-247. ISSN 1099-1417

Pleistocene environments, climate, and human activity in Britain during Marine Isotope Stage 7: insights from Oak Tree Fields, Cerney Wick, Gloucestershire

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Hogue, J.T, Wilkinson, K.N, Allison, E, Hill, T, Knul, M.V, Law, M, Perez-Fernandez, M, Russ, H, Schreve, D, Sherriff, J.E, Toms, P, Young, D, Westcott-Wilkins, L and Wilkins, B (2023) 'Pleistocene environments, climate, and human activity in Britain during Marine Isotope Stage 7: insights from Oak Tree Fields, Cerney Wick, Gloucestershire.' Journal of Quaternary Science, 38 (6). pp. 840-865. ISSN 0267-8179

Prehistoric and Anglo-Saxon activity in the Upper Thames Valley: archaeological investigations at Lechlade Memorial Hall and Skate Park in 2017

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Hood, A, Clough, S, Holmes, M, Timby, J, Percival, S, Anderson-Whymark, H, Sheridan, A, Needham, S, Troalan, L, O'Connor, S, Cameron, E, Young, T, Simmons, E and Law, M (2022) 'Prehistoric and Anglo-Saxon activity in the Upper Thames Valley: archaeological investigations at Lechlade Memorial Hall and Skate Park in 2017.' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, 139. pp. 15-54. ISSN 0068-1032

The Last Hurrah (and The Long Haul): co-creation of theatre as climate change education

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Law, M, Corbin, S, Wilkins, M, Harris, V, Martin, G and Lowe, R (2021) 'The Last Hurrah (and The Long Haul): co-creation of theatre as climate change education.' Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 45 (4). pp. 549-562. ISSN 0309-8265

Multi-proxy characterisation of the Storegga tsunami and its impact on the early Holocene landscapes of the southern North Sea

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Gaffney, V et al (2020) 'Multi-proxy characterisation of the Storegga tsunami and its impact on the early Holocene landscapes of the southern North Sea.' Geosciences, 10 (7). e270. ISSN 2076-3263

Thinking about variable preservation within land snail assemblages

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Law, M (2020) 'Thinking about variable preservation within land snail assemblages.' Archaeo+Malacology Newsletter, 33. pp. 7-9. ISSN 2055-7604

The changing exploitation of oysters (Ostrea edulis L. 1758) in late medieval and early modern England: a case study from Dudley Castle, West Midlands

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Thomas, R, Law, M, Browning, E, Hill, A and Small, R (2020) 'The changing exploitation of oysters (Ostrea edulis L. 1758) in late medieval and early modern England: a case study from Dudley Castle, West Midlands.' Environmental Archaeology, 25 (1). pp. 82-95. ISSN 1749-6314

Making a significant place: excavations at the Late Mesolithic site of Langley’s Lane, Midsomer Norton, Bath and North-East Somerset

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Lewis, J, Rosen, C, Booth, R, Davies, P, Allen, M and Law, M (2019) 'Making a significant place: excavations at the Late Mesolithic site of Langley’s Lane, Midsomer Norton, Bath and North-East Somerset.' Archaeological Journal, 176 (1). ISSN 0066-5983

Day of Archaeology 2011–2017: Global Community, Public Engagement, and Digital Practice

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Richardson, L-J, Law, M, Dufton, J.A, Ellenberger, K, Eve, S, Goskar, T, Ogden, J, Pett, D and Reinhard, A (2018) 'Day of Archaeology 2011–2017: Global Community, Public Engagement, and Digital Practice.' Internet Archaeology, 47. ISSN 1363-5387

Recent investigations at two long barrows and reflections on their context in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and environs

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Roberts, D et al (2018) 'Recent investigations at two long barrows and reflections on their context in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and environs.' Internet Archaeology, 47. ISSN 1363-5387

Further Neolithic wooden structures at Walpole Landfill Site, Somerset, UK

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Hollinrake, A and Law, M (2018) 'Further Neolithic wooden structures at Walpole Landfill Site, Somerset, UK.' PAST (88). pp. 15-16.

Introduction: emerging approaches to public archaeology

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Wright, E and Law, M (2016) 'Introduction: emerging approaches to public archaeology.' Arquelogia Publica: Online Journal in Public Archaeology, SV2. pp. 1-4. ISSN 2171-6315

Back to the future? Presenting archaeology at the Green Man Festival

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Law, M, Reynolds, F and Mulville, J (2016) 'Back to the future? Presenting archaeology at the Green Man Festival.' Arquelogia Publica: Online Journal in Public Archaeology, SV2. pp. 57-68. ISSN 2171-6315

Open Quaternary: a new, open access journal for Quaternary research [editorial]

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Herridge, V, Pilaar Birch, S and Law, M (2015) 'Open Quaternary: a new, open access journal for Quaternary research [editorial].' Open Quaternary, 1. ISSN 2055-298X

Land snails, sand dunes and archaeology in the Outer Hebrides

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Law, M and Thew, N (2015) 'Land snails, sand dunes and archaeology in the Outer Hebrides.' Journal of the North Atlantic, 9 (sp). pp. 125-133. ISSN 1935-1933

The Walpole Landfill Site: wet, muddy and rewarding

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Law, M and Hollinrake, N (2014) 'The Walpole Landfill Site: wet, muddy and rewarding.' British Archaeology, 138. pp. 28-33. ISSN 2514-3409

The archaeology of digital abandonment: online sustainability and archaeological sites

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Law, M and Morgan, C (2014) 'The archaeology of digital abandonment: online sustainability and archaeological sites.' Present Pasts, 6 (1) (2). pp. 1-9.

Bryozoans in archaeology

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Law, M (2013) 'Bryozoans in archaeology.' Internet Archaeology (35). ISSN 1363-5387

Palaeoparasitology and histories of environmental justice

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Law, M (2016) Palaeoparasitology and histories of environmental justice. In: Theoretical Archaeology Group Conference, 19 - 21 December 2016, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Land snails and environmental change in the Western Isles and Orkney

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Law, M and Thew, N (2016) Land snails and environmental change in the Western Isles and Orkney. In: Islands: Isolation and connectivity - Association for Environmental Archeology (AEA) Spring Conference, 1-2 April 2016, St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney, UK.

The Gwithian landscape: molluscs and archaeology on Cornish sand dunes [book review]

other

Law, M (2018) The Gwithian landscape: molluscs and archaeology on Cornish sand dunes [book review]. The Holocene, 28 (10). pp. 1680-1681. ISSN 1477-0911

The historic landscape of the Mendip Hills [book review]

other

Law, M (2018) The historic landscape of the Mendip Hills [book review]. Environmental Archaeology. ISSN 1749-6314

Camilla Dickson [blog post]

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Lodwick, L and Law, M (2017) Camilla Dickson [blog post]. Trowelblazers.