Prof Meggen Gondek | University of Chester

Professor of Archaeology

My principal area of interest is the archaeology of early medieval northern Britain.

I obtained my undergraduate degree at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts with a major in Archaeology and a minor in Medieval Studies. In 1998, I arrived at the University of Glasgow to do my MPhil in Medieval Archaeology and stayed there for my PhD. I completed my PhD, Mapping sculpture and power: Symbolic wealth in early medieval Scotland, 6th - 11th centuries AD, in 2004.

It was during my PhD that I became increasingly interested in early medieval carved stone monuments, their role in the landscape and the processes by which they were created. This focus on sculpture in its landscape is one of the main subjects of my research and teaching.

I started my academic career in the autumn of 2003 as a temporary lecturer in early medieval art and archaeology at University College Dublin and from there went to Durham University (2004-2006) as a temporary lecturer in early medieval archaeology. I joined the Department of History & Archaeology at Chester in September 2006 as Programme Leader and Lecturer in Archaeology. I have been a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland since 2009. When not teaching, researching or conducting fieldwork I can often be found outside walking in the hills and mountains.

I contribute to the teaching across a range of modules at all levels, including leading practical modules in first year (Introduction to Archaeological Practice) and second year (Archaeological Skills: Tools for Research and Analysis). I also contribute to or lead modules on my specialist subjects such as early medieval art, power and landscape archaeology as well as supervising and supporting practical and applied skills for dissertations and student projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

My main research interests are in the early medieval archaeology of Northern Britain, particularly Scotland. I am interested in the art and material culture of this period with a focus on the production and meaning of early medieval sculpture in Northern Europe. I am also developing my research into methodologies for landscape archaeology and the development of power centres, kingdoms and the early church in the late Iron Age to early medieval period.

Early medieval carved monuments and landscape

My research on the carved monuments of early medieval (c. AD 400-1100) Scotland and Northern Europe works to develop new theoretical and practical approaches to these monuments in Scotland and further afield. Scotland has a very rich dataset of early medieval monuments including free standing Christian crosses and enigmatic Pictish symbol stones.

Research projects include the Rhynie Environs Archaeological Project (REAP), co-directed with Dr Gordon Noble of the University of Aberdeen, which examines the archaeological context of a group of Class I Pictish symbol stones from the village of Rhynie, Aberdeenshire. This exciting programme of research, survey and excavation has uncovered a high-status Pictish period settlement (5th-6th century AD) as well as a Pictish period cemetery.

Areas of MRes and MPhil/PhD Supervision

I would particularly invite interest from students wishing to undertake research on:

early medieval art – particularly sculpture - from the Insular world
the archaeology of late Iron Age - early medieval high-status settlement in Northern and Western Britain and Ireland
the development of early medieval kingdoms in Northern and Western Britain and Ireland

Edited books

Williams, H., Kirton, J. and Gondek, M. (Eds). 2015. Early Medieval Stone Monuments: Materiality, Biography, Landscape. Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer.

Chapters or Contributions in Books

Gondek, M (2020). Excavations at Forteviot parish church. In E Campbell & S Driscoll, Royal Forteviot: excavations at a Pictish power centre in eastern Scotland (pp. 103-119), CBA Research Report 177.

James, H. and Gondek, M. (2020). The ring-ditch and triple cist. In K. Brophy and G. Noble, Prehistoric Forteviot: excavations of a ceremonial complex in eastern Scotland (pp. 243-270), CBA Research Report 176.

Campbell, E, Driscoll, S. Gondek, M. and Maldonado, A. (2019). An Early Medieval and prehistoric nexus: the Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot project. In Blackwell, A. (Ed.) Scotland in Early Medieval Europe (pp.85 - 102). Leiden: Sidestone Press.

Gondek, M. and Noble, G. (2019). The 5th–6th century Landscape at Rhynie, Aberdeenshire in its European Context. In Blackwell, A. (Ed.) Scotland in Early Medieval Europe (pp.51-65). Leiden: Sidestone Press.

Gondek, M. (2017) Pagan and Christian, practice and belief in a Pictish landscape. In N. Edwards et al. (Eds) Transforming Landscapes of Belief in the Early medieval Insular Wrold and Beyond: Converting the Isles II (pp.351 – 379). Turnhout: Brepols.

Gondek, M. & Noble. G. (2017) Rhynie: new perspectives on settlement in Pictland in the 5th and 6th centuries AD and the context of Pictish symbol stones. In S. Semple et al. (Eds) Life on the edge: Social, Political and Religious Frontiers in Early Medieval Europe (pp. 59-69). Neue Studien zur Sacshenforschung 6.Brauncschweigisches Landesmuseum.

Gondek, M. 2015. Building blocks: structural contexts and carved stones. In. H. Williams, J. Kirton and M. Gondek (Eds), Early Medieval Stone Monuments: Materiality, Biography, Landscape (pp. 87-112). Boydell and Brewer.

Williams, H., Kirton, J. and Gondek, M. 2015. Introduction: stones in substance, space and time. In H. Williams, J. Kirton and M. Gondek (Eds), Early Medieval Stone Monuments: Materiality, Biography, Landscape (pp. 1-34). Boydell and Brewer.

Gondek, M. 2010 ‘Constructing Sacred Space - Soil, Stone, Water & Symbols: Early Medieval Carved Stone Monuments From Tillytarmont, Aberdeenshire’ in A. George et al. (eds), Early Medieval Enquiries. Bristol: Clifton Antiquarian Club, 318-333.

Gondek, M. & Noble, G. 2010. Together as one: the landscape of the symbol stones at Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, in S. Driscoll, J. Geddes & M. Hall (eds) Pictish Progress: Pictish Studies for the 21st Century, Leiden: Brill, pp. 281-306.

Gondek, M. 2007. Pictish symbol stones: caught between prehistory and history, in A. Mazel, G. Nash, & C. Waddington (eds) Art as Metaphor: The Prehistoric Rock-art of Britain, Archaeopress, Oxford, pp. 69-89.

Journal Articles

Noble, G. and Gondek, M. with contributions from S. Ramsay & A. Sheridan (2017). The land before symbol stones: a geophysical survey of Rhynie, Aberdeenshire and the excavation of a Middle Bronze Age structure near the Craw Stane, Barflat. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 145 (2015), 125-151.

Noble, G., Gondek, M., Campbell, E. and Cook, M. 2013. Between prehistory and history: the archaeological detection of social change among the Picts. Antiquity 87 (338), 1136-1150.

Noble, G. and Gondek, M. 2011. Symbol Stones in Context: Excavations at Rhynie, an undocumented Pictish Power Centre of the 6th-7th centuries AD? Medieval Archaeology 55, 317- 321.

Gondek, M. 2006. Investing in Sculpture: Power in early historic Scotland, Medieval Archaeology50, 105-142.

Gondek, M. 2006. Early Historic Sculpture and Landscape: a case study of Cladh a'Bhile, Ellary, Mid-Argyll, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 138, 237-258.

Gondek, M. and Jeffrey, S. 2003. The re-use of a figurative panel from Eigg, Medieval Archaeology47, 178 - 185.

Popular Articles

Noble, G. and Gondek, M. 2011. ‘A Dark Age Power Centre at Rhynie.’ British Archaeology 120 (Sept-Oct 2011), 36-41.

Gondek, M. and Noble, G. 2006. Landscape with Symbols, British Archaeology, 87 (Mar-Apr 2006), 16-17.

Other publications

Interim reports and data structure reports for REAP can be found on our website: Rhynie Environs Archaeological Project.

Noble, G., Gondek, M. Campbell, E. and Sveinbjarnarson, O. 2012. ‘Rhynie Environs Excavation Project’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 13, 27-28.

Gondek, M. 2012. C-FAR - Carbon footprinting of archaeological research: Data collection methodology and interim report. Chester: University of Chester online report.

Gondek, M. and Maldonado, A. 2011. ‘Forteviot Churchyard: SERF’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 12, 149.

Noble, G. and Gondek, M. 2011. ‘Rhynie Environs Archaeological Project’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 12, 27.

Gondek, M. and James, H. 2010. ‘Forteviot Cropmark Complex SERF’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 11, 142-143.

Campbell, E. and Gondek, M. 2009. ‘Forteviot Pictish Cemetery’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 10, 150-151.

Campbell, E. and Gondek, M. 2008. ‘Forteviot Village – SERF’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland9, 146.

Gondek, M. 2008. ‘Peterhead Farm, Gleneagles Geophysical Survey’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 9, 140.

Brend, A., Gondek, M., Hall, A., Henderson, I. James, H. Jeffrey, S. Morton, D. and Scott, I.G. 2008. ‘Analysis of the fragments’ in H. James, I. Henderson, S. Foster and S. Jones A Fragmented Masterpiece: recovering the biography of the Hilton of Cadboll Pictish cross-slab, pp. 285-289. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Henderson, I., Gondek, M., Morton, D. and Scott, I.G. 2008. ‘Catalogue and reconstruction’ in H. James, I. Henderson, S. Foster and S. Jones A Fragmented Masterpiece: recovering the biography of the Hilton of Cadboll Pictish cross-slab, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Campbell, E. and Gondek, M. 2007. ‘The Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot Project (SERF) – Forteviot Village Project’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 8, 157.

Gondek, M. and Noble, G. 2006. ‘The Craw Stane/Barflat, Rhynie: Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age timber structure’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 6, 19.

Roberts, S., Noble, G. and Gondek, M. 2006. ‘The Craw Stane/Barflat, Rhynie: Geophysical Survey’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 6, 18-19.

Gondek, M. and Driscoll, S. 2004. ‘Dunkeld House grounds, Dunkeld and Dowally parish’ Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 4, 106-107.

BA (Tufts)
MPhil (Glasgow)
PhD (Glasgow).
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy