Ian Simpson

Professor Ian A. Simpson

Professor of Geoarchaeology and Environmental History

Deputy Principal (Research and Knowledge Exchange)

PhD - University of Strathclyde
BSc - University of Strathclyde

 

School of Biological & Environmental Sciences
University of Stirling
Stirling
Scotland, FK9 4LA

tel: +44 1786 467850
fax: +44 1786 467843
email: Ian Simpson

Research

Soils, sediments and landscape history considers soils and sediments as historical narratives defining land resource utilisation and organisation by early societies together with their environmental consequences.  These narratives are elucidated through innovative theoretical frameworks of landscape and new techniques in thin section micromorphology, soil biomarker analyses and modelling applied to anthrosols, podzols, andosols and archaeo-sediments.  In doing so historical depth is given to long-term human interactions with environmental processes, contribution is made to discussions on cultural and national identities as they relate to environments and landscapes, and foundations for natural and cultural heritage resources management are provided.  The scope of this work is international with current research programmes focussed in -

Current Research Students

Jennifer Brown (US National Science Foundation).  Historical farm resilience in marginal landscapes, northern Iceland

Val Dufeu (UK Arts and Humanities Research Council).  The environmental history of fishing development in Iceland.

Krista Gilliland (Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada).  The emergence and abandonment of an urban hinterland, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka.  

Heather Green (UK Leverhulme Trust).  Soils -based evidence of landscape change in landscapes of interaction, northern Scandinavia.

iLaria Marengo (Scottish Natural Heritage). GIS-based methodologies to identify the landscape character.

Laura McKenna (Historic Scotland).  Links of Noltland, Orkney: Land management and palaeo-landscape narratives from soil and sedimentary records.

Stuart Morrison (University of Stirling).  History and geoarchaeology of early fishing communities in north-west Iceland.

Ana Polo-Diaz (University of the Basque Country).  Formation processes in rock-shelter deposits.

Val Turner (Shetland Amenity Trust).  Form and function of pre-historic field systems in Shetland.

North Atlantic Region Map Keywords

Further details can be found on the Geoarchaeology and Environmental History web pages

Teaching

Critical, research based, teaching in Geoarchaeology and Environmental History, achieved through specialist modules that integrate science, policy and practice aspects of landscape history. International teaching activity includes the application of video-conference and net-meeting technology as part of the US National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programme, and field-based research training in Iceland under the Learning and Leading programme of the Royal Geographical Society. Contribution is also made to the Summer School in Icelandic Archaeology funded through the Icelandic Institute of Archaeology.

Recent Publications

Academic Journals

Simpson, I.A., Perdikaris, S., Cook, G., Campbell, J.L. and Teesdale, W.J. (2000). Cultural sediment analyses and transitions in early fishing activity at Langenesværet, Vesterålen, Northern Norway. Geoarchaeology 15, 743-763.

Barrett, J.H, Beukens, R., Simpson, I.A., Ashmore, P., Poaps,S. and Huntley, J. (2000). What was the Viking Age and when did it happen? A view from the periphery. Norwegian Archaeological Review 33, 1-39.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A., Lockheart, M.J., Evershed, R.P. and Davidson, D.A. (2000). Modeling traditional manuring practice: soil organic mater sustainability of an early Shetland community? Human Ecology 28, 415-431.

Banks, I., Alldritt, D., Duncan, J.S., Photos-Jones, E., Simpson, I.A., Taylor, K., and Simpson, B. (2000). Excavation of an Iron Age and Romano-British enclosure at Woodend Farm, Johnstonebridge, Annandale, 1994 & 1997. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 130, 223-281.

Simpson, I.A., Dugmore, A.J., Thomson, A. and Vésteinsson, O. (2001). Crossing the thresholds: human ecology and historical patterns of landscape degradation. Catena 42, 175-192.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A. and MacLeod, G.W. (2001). Testing high resolution X-ray computed tomography for the micromorphological analyses of archaeological soils and sediments. Archaeological Prospection 8, 107-112.

Wilson, C., Simpson, I.A. and Currie, E.J. (2002). Soil management in pre-hispanic raised field systems: micromorphological evidence from Hacienda Zuleta, Ecuador. Geoarchaeology 17, 261-283.

Adderley, W.P. Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2002) Colour-based segmentation and use of colour annotation in the image analysis of high-resolution, large-area soil thin sections. Geoderma 108, 181-195.

Simpson, I.A., Adderley, W.P., Guðmundsson, G., Hallsdóttir, M., Sigurgeirsson, M. and Snæsdóttir, M. (2002). Soil limitations to agrarian land production in pre- modern Iceland. Human Ecology 30, 423-443.

Simpson I.A. (2002). A soils based approach to landscape study (includes reprinted paper - Early anthropogenic soil formation at Tofts Ness, Sanday, Orkney). Journal of the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers 31, 52-69.

Guttmann, E.B.A., Simpson, I.A. and Dockrill, S.J. (2003). Joined-up archaeology at Old Scatness, Shetland: thin section analysis of the site and hinterland. Environmental Archaeology 8, 17-31.

Simpson, I.A., Vésteinsson, O., Adderley, W.P. and McGovern, T.H. (2003). Fuel resources in landscapes of settlement. Journal of Archaeological Science 30, 1401- 1420.

Simpson, I.A., Guðmundsson, G., Thomson, A.M. and Cluett, J. (2004).  Assessing the role of winter grazing in historic land degradation, Mývatnssveit, north-east Iceland.  Geoarchaeology 19, 471-503.

Adderley, W.P., Alberts, I.L., Simpson, I.A. and Wess, T.J. (2004).  Calcium-iron-phosphate features in archaeological sediments: characterisation through microfocus synchrotron X-ray scattering analyses. Journal of Archaeological Science 31, 1215-1224.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A., Kirscht, H., Adam, M., Spencer, J.Q. and Sanderson, D.C.W. (2004). Enhancing ethno-pedology: integrated approaches to Kanuri and Shuwa Arab definitions in the Kala-Balge region, North East Nigeria.  Catena 58, 41-64.

Simpson, I.A., Barrett, J.H. and Milek, K.B. (2005).  Interpreting the Viking age to Medieval period transition in Norse Orkney through cultural soil and sediment analyses.  Geoarchaeology 20, 357-379.

Dercon, G., Davidson, D.A., Dalsgaard, K., Simpson, I.A., Spek, T., and Thomas, J. (2005).  Formation of anthropogenic soils in NW Europe: identification of inputs based on particle size distribution. Catena 59, 341-356.

Dugmore, A J, Church, M J, Buckland, P C, Edwards, K J, Lawson, I, McGovern, T H, Panagiotakopulu, E, Simpson, I A, Skidmore, P and Sveinbjarnardóttir, G (2005). The Norse landnám on the North Atlantic islands: an environmental impact assessment.  Polar Record 41, 21-37.

Adderley, W.P. and Simpson, I.A. (2005).  Early Norse home-field productivity in the Faroe Islands.  Human Ecology 33, 711-736.

Edwards, K.J., Borthwick, D., Cook, G., Dugmore, A.J. Mairs, K.A., Church, M.J., Simpson, I.A. and Adderley, W.P. (2005). A hypothesis-based approach to landscape change in Suðuroy, Faroe Islands.  Human Ecology 33, 621-650.

Thomson, A.M., Simpson, I.A. and Brown, J.L.  (2005). Sustainable rangeland grazing in Norse Faroe. Human Ecology 33, 737-761.

Guttmann, E.B., Dockrill, S.J. and Simpson, I.A. (2005).  Arable agriculture in prehistory: new evidence from soils in the Northern Isles.  Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 134, 53-64.

Guttmann, E.B., Simpson, I.A., Davidson, D.A., and Dockrill, S.J. (2006).  The management of arable land from prehistory to the present: case studies from the Northern Isles of Scotland.  Geoarchaeology 21, 61-92.

Simpson, I.A., Guttmann, E.B., Cluett, J. and Shepherd, A. (2006).  Characterising anthropic sediments in north European Neolithic settlements: an assessment from Skara Brae, Orkney.  Geoarchaeology 21, 221-235.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2006).  Historic landscape management: A validation of quantitative soil thin section analyses.  Journal of Archaeological Science 33, 320-334.

Adderley, W.P. and Simpson, I.A. (2006).  Soils and palaeo-climate based evidence for irrigation requirements in Norse Greenland.  Journal of Archaeological Science 33, 1666-1679.

Thomson, A.M. and Simpson, I.A. (2006).  A grazing model for simulating the impact of historical land management decisions in sensitive landscapes: Model design and validation.  Environmental Modeling and Software 21, 1096-1113.

Thomson, A.M. and Simpson, I.A. (2007).  Modeling historic rangeland management and grazing pressures in landscapes of settlement.  Human Ecology 35, 151-168. 

McGovern, T.H., Vésteinsson, O., Friðriksson, A., Church, M., Lawson, I., Simpson, I.A., Einarsson, A., Dugmore, A., Cook, G., Perdikaris, S., Edwards, K.J., Thomson, A.M., Adderley, W.P., Newton, A., Lucas, G., Edvardsson, R., Aldred, O., Dunbar, E. (2007).  Landscapes of settlement in northern Iceland: Historical Ecology of Human Impacts and Climate Fluctuations on the Millennial scale.  American Anthropologist 109, 27-51.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A., Barrett, R. and Wess, W.J. (2007).  Archaeological soils and sediments: Application of microfocus synchrotron X-ray scattering, diffraction and fluorescence analyses in thin section.  American Chemical Society 968, 194-209.

R. Coningham, P. Gunawardhana, M. Manuel, G. Adikhari, M. Katugampola, R. Young, A. Schmidt, K. Krishnan, I. A. Simpson, G. McDonnell and C. Batt (2007).  The state of theocracy: defining an Early Mediaeval hinterland in Sri Lanka.  Antiquity 81, 699-719.

Sveinbjarnardóttir, G., Erlendsson, E., Vickers, K., McGovern, T.H., Milek, K.B., Edwards, K.J., Simpson, I.A., Cook, G. (2007).  The palaeoecology of a high status Icelandic farm.  Environmental Archaeology 12, 187-206.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A. and Vésteinsson, O. (2008).  Local scale adaptations: a modeled assessment of soil, landscape, microclimatic and management factors in Norse home-field productivities.  Geoarchaeology 23, 500-527.

Guttmann, E.B., Simpson, I.A., Nielsen, N. and Dockrill, S.J. (2008).  Anthrosols in Iron Age Shetland: Implications for arable and economic activity.  Geoarchaeology 23, 799-823.

Sveinbjarnardóttir, G., Simpson, I.A., and Thomson, A.M.  (2008). Land in landscapes circum Landnám: An integrated study of settlements in Reykoltsdalur, Iceland.  Journal of the North Atlantic 1, 1-15.

Simpson, I.A., Kourampas, N. and Perera, H.N. (2008).  Bellan-bandi Palassa, Sri Lanka: Formation processes of a Mesolithic open air site identified through thin section micromorphology.  Archaeologia – Journal of Archaeology 4, 3-18.

Kourampas, N., Simpson, I.A., Perera, H.N. and Deraniyagaga, S.U. (2008).  Late Pleistocent hunter-gatherers in the South Asian rainforest: Geoarchaeology of inhabited rockshelters in south-western Sri Lanka.  Antiquity 82, http://antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/golding/

Edwards, K.J., Dugmore, A.J., Panagiotakopulu, E., Simpson, I.A., Schofield, J.E., Golding, K. A., Casely, A.F. (2009).  Footprints on the edge of Thule: Landscapes of Norse-indigenous interaction.  Journal of Northern Studies 2, 117-122.

Dugmore, A.J., Gisladóttir, G., Simpson, I.A. and Newtone, A. (2009).  Conceptual models of 1200 years of Icelandic soil erosion reconstructed using tephrochronology.  Journal of the North Atlantic 2, 1-18.

Golding, K.A., Simpson, I.A., Schofield, J.E. and McMullen, (2009).  Geoarchaeological investigations at Sandhaven, south Greenland.  Antiquity 83, http://antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/golding/

Kourampas, N., Simpson, I. A., Perera, N., Deraniyagala, S.U., and Wijeyapala, W.H. (2009).  Rockshelter sedimentation in a dynamic tropical landscape: Late Pleistocene - early Holocene archaeological deposits in Kitulgala Beli-lena, south-western Sri Lanka. Geoarchaeology 24, 677-714.

 

Refereed Conference Proceedings

Adderley, W.P. and Simpson, I.A. (2000) Agro-ecosystem modelling of historical data In Buchinger, E., Maderthaner R., and Schrefel, C. (Editors) "Quality of Life ~ Sustainability ~ Environmental Changes" Proceedings of the Third Euroconference, Stadtschlaining, Burgenland, Austria. 27-30 April 2000. Austrian Research Centres: Seibersdorf, Austria. pp 137-142.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2000) “Quantitative micro-pedofeature analysis within archaeological soils ~ past manuring practices”. In Barba, L., (Editor) Proceedings of the 32nd International Symposium on Archaeometry, 15-19 May 2000, Mexico City.

Adderley, W.P., Simpson, I.A., Lockheart, M.J., Evershed, R.P. and Davidson, D.A. (2001). Modeling traditional manuring practices in the north Atlantic context: soil sustainability of a Shetland island community? In Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter. Eds. R.M. Rees, B.C. Ball, C.D. Campbell and C.A. Watson. CAB International. pp. 173-179.

Simpson, I.A. and Guttmann, E.B. (2002). Transitions in early arable land management in the Northern Isles: the Papar as agricultural innovators? In B. Crawford (ed.) The Papar of the North Atlantic: Environment and History. St Andrews: St John’s House papers No.10. pp 59-67.

Thomas, J., Simpson, I.A., Davidson, D.A.and Gauld, J.H. (2003). GIS mapping of anthropogenic soils in Scotland: investigating the location and vulnerability of Scottish plaggen soil deposits. In: G. Boschian (ed.) Second International Conference on Soils and Archaeology. Pisa: Felici Editore. pp. 127-128.

Lancaster, S.J. and Simpson, I.A. (2003). Assessing and modelling faunalturbation. Proceedings of the Archaeological Sciences Conference, 1999. Ed. K. A. Robson- Brown. BAR International Series, 1111. pp. 64-85.

Bond, J.M., Guttmann, E. and Simpson, I.A. (2004).  Bringing in the sheaves: farming intensification in the post-broch Iron Age.  In R. Housley and G. Coles (eds.) The North Atlantic: Culture and Environment. Oxford: Oxbow Monographs.  pp. 138-145. 

Edwards, K.J., Buckland, P.C., Dugmore, A.J., McGovern, T.H., Simpson, I.A. and Sveinbjarnardóttir, G.  (2004). Landscapes circum – Landnám: Viking settlement in the North Atlantic and its human and ecological consequences: a major new research programme.  In R. Housley and G. Coles (eds.) The North Atlantic: Culture and Environment. Oxford: Oxbow Monographs.  pp. 260-271.

Simpson, I.A. and Adderley, W.P. (2004).  A micromorphological perspective on archaeological site formation processes. In J.H. Larsen and P.Rolfsen (eds.) Halvdanshaugen – Arkeologi, Historie og Naturvitenskap. Oslo: Universitetets Kulturhistoriske Museer, Skrifter nr 3.  pp. 329-340.

Turner, V., Chrystall, F., Simpson, I.A. and Guttmann, E.B. (2004).  Form and function in Shetland prehistoric field systems. In R. Housley and G. Coles (eds.) The North Atlantic: Culture and Environment.  Oxford: Oxbow Monographs.  pp. 120-127.

Vésteinsson,O. and Simpson, I.A. (2004).  Fuel utilisation in pre-industrial Iceland: A micromorphological and historical analysis.  In G. Guðmundsson (ed.) Current Issues in Nordic Archaeology.  Reykjavik: Society of Icelandic Archaeologists. pp. 181-187.

Guttmann, E.B., Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2005).  Manuring practices in antiquity: a review of the evidence.  In: D.N. Smith, M.B. Brickley and W. Smith (eds.).  Fertile Ground. Symposia of the Association for Environmental Archaeology No. 22.Oxford: Oxbow Books. pp 68-76.

Bond, J.M., Nicholson, R.A. and Simpson, I.A. (2005).  Living off the land: farming and fishing at Old Scatness.  In: V. E. Turner, R. A. Nicholson, S. J. Dockrill and J. M. Bond (eds.) Tall Stories? Two millennia of Brochs. Lerwick: Shetland Amenity Trust.  pp. 209-218.

Thomas, J., Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2007).  GIS mapping of anthropogenic soils in Scotland: Investigating the location and vulnerability of Scottish plaggen-type soils.  Atti. Soc. tosc. Sci. Nat, Mem., Serie A. 112, 85-90.

Davidson, D.A., Dercon, G., Simpson, I.A., Dalsgaard, K., Spek, T. and Plant, D.A. (2007).  The identification and significance of inputs to anthrosols in north-west Europe.    Atti. Soc. tosc. Sci. Nat, Mem., Serie A. 112, 79-83.

 

Contributions to Research Monographs and Edited Volumes

Simpson, I.A. & Davidson, D.A. (2000). Palaeosols of the Clava Cairns. In The Good Stones - A New Investigation of the Clava Cairns. R. Bradley (Ed.). Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Monograph Series No. 17: Edinburgh. pp 89-96.

Thomas, M.F.T. and Simpson, I.A. (2001). Landscape Sensitivity: Principles and Applications in Northern Cool Temperate Environments. Catena 42, 81-386.

Davidson, D.A. & Simpson, I.A. (2001). Archaeology and soil micromorphology. In: Handbook of Archaeological Sciences. D.R. Brothwell & A.M. Pollard (Eds) Chichester: Wiley. pp. 167-177.

Hanley, N., Whitby, M., and Simpson, I.A. (2001; reprinted paper). Assessing the success of agri-environmental policy in the UK. In Rural Planning and Management. Eds. J. Morris, A. Bailey, R.K. Turner and I. Bateman. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. pp. 377-390.

Davidson, D.A. and Simpson, I.A. (2005).  The time dimension in landscape ecology: cultural soils and spatial pattern in early landscapes.  In: Issues in Landscape Ecology.  J. Weins & M. Moss (eds.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  pp. 152-158.

Guðmundsson, G., Snæsdóttir, M., Simpson, I.A., Hallsdóttir, M., Sigurgeirsson, M., and Árnasson, K. (2004).  Fornir akrar á Íslandi.  Árbók: Hins Íslenszka Fornleifafélags 2002-2003, 79-106.

Lancaster, S.J., Simpson, I.A. and Davidson, D.A. (2005).  Soil micomorphology.  In: R. Bradley The Moon and the Stone: An investigation of three stone circles in north-east Scotland.  Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.  pp. 42-46 & 68-72.

Reprint (2006) of: Simpson, I.A., Parsisson, D., Nanley, N. and Bullock, C.H. (1997).  Envisioning future landscapes in the Environmentally Sensitive Areas of Scotland.  Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 22, 307-320.  Reprinted with Introduction in Landscapes Under Pressure.  L.R. Lozny (Ed.).  Springer: New York. pp. 116-134.

Simpson, I.A., Dockrill, S.J., Guttmann, E., Bull, I.D. and Evershed, R.P. (2007).  Soils and the early cultural landscape.  In: S.J. Dockrill, (Ed.).  Investigations in Sanday, Orkney Volume 2: Tofts Ness, Sanday. An island landscape through 3,000 years of prehistory.  Edinburgh:  Historic Scotland.  pp. 239-252.

Simpson, I.A. (2007) In: The Lands of Ancient Lothian: Interpreting the Archaeology of the A1.  Eds. O. Lelong and G. MacGregor.  Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Crawford, B. E. and Simpson, I.A. (2008).  The Papar Project: The Hebrides Introduction.  Edinburgh: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland.  http://www.paparproject.org.uk/

External Activities & Links

External activities

Editorial Board member:
Journal of the North Atlantic
Human Ecology
Archaeologia Islandica

Member.  Research Sub-committee of the ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’ UNESCO World Heritage Site

Adjunct Professor. Anthropology Department, The Graduate School City University of New York

Fellow.  Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

NABO

Member.  North Atlantic Biocultural Organisation

Board Member.  Enabling Open Scholarship 

 

Links

Centre for Environmental History, University of Stirling

Micromorphology Research Laboratory, University of Stirling