Christopher Gaffney (archaeologist)

Gaffney's early interest in archaeology became evident at School when undertook voluntary work at archaeological sites including Calleva Attrebatum, the Roman town in Hampshire, excavated by Michael Fulford. Discovering that he had an interest in archaeological sciences' he decided to take his first degree at the University of Bradford,[3] which had founded Britain's first archaeological department specialising in archaeological sciences. At Bradford he also undertook a placement at the Oxford Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, where he worked as a technician with Martin Aitken, one of the founders of archaeometry as a distinct discipline. As an undergraduate he undertook a series of geophysical surveys including several as part of the Maddle Farm Project team.[4] He decided to pursue this interest and undertook a PhD entitled "The Schlumberger array in archaeological prospection", under one of Britain's pioneers of archaeological geophysical survey, Arnold Aspinall.[5] As part of his degree Chris regularly worked on and carried out research surveys as part of the Cambridge and Bradford Boeotian Archaeological and Geographical Expedition (CABBAGE), led by John Bintliff and Anthony Snodgrass.[6]

Following his postgraduate research, Gaffney undertook commercial geophysical surveys, and eventually he and John Gater set up a partnership and traded under the name Geophysical Surveys of Bradford before renaming GSB Prospection.[7] For nearly two decades Chris and John operated one of the country's most successful private archaeo-geophysical commercial groups. GSB Prospection carried out over 2000 projects, including work in Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, USA, Wales and Zimbabwe. Among the many significant projects Chris Gaffney undertook at GSB Prospection, the survey at Roman Wroxeter was amongst the most important and involved organising a multinational geophysical team to survey, for the first time, a complete Romano-British town. During his period at GSB Prospection Chris worked on Channel 4 archaeological television series, Time Team, appearing on many episodes of this long-running and ground-breaking archaeological programme. Gaffney retained key linkages with the broader academic community throughout his commercial career and, in 2004, became Editor of Archaeological Prospection.[8] In 2006 he moved from GSB Prospection with the intention of pursuing his academic interests.

Chris Gaffney surveying at Stonehenge in 2007

In the summer of 2007, Gaffney was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Bradford for "popularising archaeological geophysics via Time Team and other media opportunities".[9] From October 2007, he was employed as a lecturer in Archaeological Geophysics at the University of Bradford, and is currently Head of the School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences.[10] As part of the School, Gaffney was active in founding, with Andrew Wilson, Bradford Visualisation in 2013. Bradford Visualisation (BradViz), is a research group dedicated to establishing digital methods and visualisation as an integral part of archaeological research at Bradford. The group has grown significantly since 2013 and is now managed by Gaffney, Wilson, and Vincent Gaffney. Key research projects associated with Bradford Visualisation and Gaffney include "Fragmented Heritage",[11] "Digitised Diseases",[12] "From Cemetery to Clinic" and "Augmenting Jordanian Heritage."

Aside from these projects, worked on a range of smaller projects including a study of the spatial and social topography of ancient Olynthos, the analysis of legacy data, for the National Roads Authority (Ireland),[13] and the DART Project (Detection of Archaeological Residues using remote sensing Techniques). Work on the Iron Age Landscape of Chesters Hillfort investigated novel techniques to investigate aerial evidence from problematic geologies. From 2010, Gaffney was part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project investigating the largely unmapped landscape of Stonehenge: carried out in conjunction with the University of Birminngham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Society for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology.

• Archaeological Prospection, Editor, (2004–present)[8]
• International Society for Archaeological Prospection: Chair (2009-2013) Vice-Chair (2003-7) and Honorary Secretary (2013- 15), Conference Secretary ISAP 2016-17[14]

• Schmidt, S., Linford, P., Linford, N., David, A., Gaffney, C., Sarris, A., and Fassbinder, F. (2015) EAC Guidelines for the Use of Geophysics in Archaeology: Questions to Ask and Points to Consider. Europae Archaeologia Consilium
• Bonsall, J.P.T, Gaffney, C.F. and Armit, I. (2014) Preparing for the Future: A reappraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Bradford
• R. H. White, C. Gaffney and V. L. Gaffney with A. Baker (2013) Wroxeter, the Cornovii and the Urban Process. Volume 2: Characterizing the City. Final Report of the Wroxeter Hinterland Project, 1994-1997. Oxford: Archaeopress
• Aspinall, A., C. F. Gaffney & A. Schmidt (2008) Magnetometry for Archaeologists. Lanham: AltaMira Press.
• Gaffney, CF and Gater, JA (2003) Revealing the Buried Past: geophysics for archaeologists. Tempus Publishing.
• Jennings, B., Gaffney, C., Sparrow, T. and S. Gaffney eds (2017) AP2017: 12th International Conference of Archaeological Prospection. Archaeopress.
• Gaffney, CF and Gaffney, VL eds (1987) Pragmatic Archaeology. Theory in crisis? BAR 167
• Bintliff, JL and Gaffney, CF eds (1986) Archaeology at the Interface: studies in archaeology’s relationships with history, geography, biology and physical science – BAR International Series 300

• School of Archaeological and Forensics Sciences
• Curious Travellers
• Archaeological Prospection
• International Society for Archaeological Prospection
• GSB Prospection