Cardiff School of History, Archaeology and Religion

Research Interests

I am a bioarchaeologist specialising in the study of animal remains. My research focuses broadly on reconstructing human-animal interactions in the past. I am particularly interested in integrating new and novel analytical techniques to achieve more nuanced interpretations of osseous remains and am currently involved with programmes of isotope (δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, δ³⁴S, δ¹⁸O,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr), taphonomic and histological analysis. I am also a keen human osteoarchaeologist and have recently been involved in projects with Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust, National Museum Wales, Cardiff Archaeological Consultants and Cardiff Archaeology Society.

I am currently employed as a British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellow on the 3 year project Reconstructing the Feasts of Late Neolithic Britain. The project will reconstruct the networks that the great monument complexes of Britain supported and to identify the frequency, scale and nature of activity at these centres. The research will integrate newly developed (taphonomic analysis) and validated (strontium isotope analysis in pigs) methods with novel uses of other techniques (pig cementum banding) for fine-grained reconstruction of connectivity and ceremony in late Neolithic Britain. The project aims to frame new directions for research on social, political and ecological relations in Neolithic Britain and complements research undertaken in the Feeding Stonehenge project (PI: Mike Parker Pearson).

Selected Publications

Madgwick, R., Sykes, N., Miller, H., Symmons, R., Morris, J. and Lamb, A. In Press. Fallow deer (Dama dama dama) management in Roman South-East Britain. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Madgwick, R., Forest, V. and Beglane, F. In Press. Syndactyly in pigs: A review of previous research and the presentation of eight archaeological specimens. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (Available online)

Madgwick, R., Mulville, J. and Evans, J. 2012. Investigating diagenesis and the application of strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) isotope analysis in pigs. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 27: 733–742.

Madgwick, R., Mulville, J. and Stevens, R.E. 2012. Isotopic analysis of fauna from British middens of the Late Bronze Age: Evidence for diversity in foddering strategy and herd management. Environmental Archaeology 17: 126-140.

Madgwick, R. and Mulville, J. 2012. Investigating variation in the prevalence of weathering in faunal assemblages in the United Kingdom: A multivariate statistical approach. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 22: 509-522.

Full list of publications:

Additional Information

I am publicity officer for the Association for Environmental Archaeology

Impact and Engagement

I am involved in a range of community engagement projects as a member of Guerilla Archaeology.

Becoming Shaman- Ran workshops on isotope analysis and shamanic ritual in archaeology and ethnography at the Secret Garden Party festival.

Einstein’s Garden- Ran workshops on archaeological science at Green Man festival.

Future Animals - Beacon funded engagement project involving practical sessions combining creativity and science on topics of natural and artificial selection with secondary schools.

STEM Ambassador Scheme – I have been inducted as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Ambassador. As such I have undergone training in effective scientific engagement.