Richard M Thomas
Biographic Data
| ID | 271003 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Richard M Thomas |
| GIVEN NAMES | Richard M |
| FAMILY NAME | Thomas |
| SIGNATURE | THOMAS R M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Leicester |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1207-793X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 80 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 402 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 80 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1971 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 11 |
Toward an operational tool to integrate land degradation neutrality into land use planning: Lup4ldn
Land use planning (LUP) to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) needs methods and tools that support the identification of best LUP solutions in terms of transitions from current degradative land use (LU) and land management (LM) practices to better LU and LM options. A crucial need is the identification of context specific sustainable land management (SLM) options. Addressing this need must aim at not only reversing/recovering past degradat…
Feeding Anglo-Saxon England: A bioarchaeological dataset for the study of early medieval agriculture (Data paper)
The FeedSax project combined bioarchaeological data with evidence from settlement archaeology to investigate how, when and why the expansion of arable farming occurred between the 8th-13th centuries in England. It has generated and released a vast, multi-faceted archaeological dataset both to underpin its own published findings and to support further research
Response to Goldstein et al. (2022) Humanitarian Action in Academic Institutions: A Case Study in the Ethical Stewardship of Unidentified Forensic Cases
Redefining the timing and circumstances of the chicken's introduction to Europe and north-west Africa
Little is known about the early history of the chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), including the timing and circumstances of its introduction into new cultural environments. To evaluate its spatio-temporal spread across Eurasia and north-west Africa, the authors radiocarbon dated 23 chicken bones from presumed early contexts. Three-quarters returned dates later than those suggested by stratigraphy, indicating the importance of direct dating. Th…
Refining the methods for identifying draught cattle in the archaeological record: Lessons from the semi-feral herd at Chillingham Park
OBJECTIVE: This study provides a baseline of pathological and sub-pathological changes in the lower-limb bones of a semi-feral herd of domestic cattle. The purpose is to refine an existing method for identifying the use of cattle for traction using zooarchaeological evidence. METHODS: A published recording system for identifying draught cattle was applied to a sample of 15 individuals from Chillingham Park, Northumberland. Correlations were explo…
Periodontal disease in sheep and cattle: Understanding dental health in past animal populations
OBJECTIVE: To provide a comparative baseline for future studies of oral pathology in domestic livestock and to better understand connections between lesion prevalence and biological context in past animal populations. MATERIALS: Over 1600 sheep and cattle mandibles recovered from archaeological sites in England between 500 and 1300 CE. METHODS: A comprehensive investigation of periodontal disease was conducted based on four characteristics: denta…
Identifying draught cattle in the past: Lessons from large-scale analysis of archaeological datasets
PURPOSE: Improve understanding of the links between biological variables (sex, body size and anatomical position) and adaptive remodelling of autopodia, and the identification of traction use in the archaeological record. METHODS: A modified version of the recording system for identifying draught cattle in the archaeological record (Bartosiewicz et al., 1997) was applied to a sample of 1509 bones from six sites from medieval England. Analysis foc…
Lesions in sheep elbows: Insights from a large-scale study
OBJECTIVES: Enthesophytes on sheep elbow joints are commonly reported in archaeological material. Although these lesions are often described as 'penning elbow', little is known of their aetiology. In this study, a new method for recording these lesions is presented, and the effect of age, sex and body size is explored to understand their potential for informing upon past human-animal interactions. MATERIALS: 1133 distal humerii and proximal radii…
Why National Media Systems Matter: A Longitudinal Analysis of How UK Left-Wing and Right-Wing Alternative Media Critique Mainstream Media (2015–2018)
In recent years, the growth of new alternative media has brought greater editorial choice and diversity to political coverage in many advanced democracies. But their coverage of mainstream media and portrayal of professional journalism has been subject to little academic attention. This study examined the role alternative political media play in advancing public debate about the value and editorial standards of a national media system. Drawing on…
Pathological and sub-pathological changes in European rabbit bones: Two reference cases to be applied to the analysis of archaeological assemblages
To provide prevalence data for future comparative analysis of the health status of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) accumulated in the archaeological record. Two contrasting assemblages were analysed for pathological and sub-pathological changes: 1) an assemblage of domestic modern rabbit bones; and 2) a non-anthropogenic accumulation of archaeological rabbit remains. The lesions observed macroscopically, under magnification, and radiographically …
A typology of alternative online political media in the United Kingdom: A longitudinal content analysis (2015–2018)
Alternative online political media (AOPM) have become increasingly prominent elements of the media system in many countries. In response, numerous academic studies have examined the nature of these newer forms of alternative media. In line with this recent scholarship, in this study we carry out a longitudinal and systematic content analysis of nine AOPM websites in the United Kingdom (UK) ( N = 3452) between 2015 and 2018. Overall, we found a di…
In search of the 'great horse: A zooarchaeological assessment of horses from England (AD 300-1650)
Popular culture presents a deep-rooted perception of medieval warhorses as massive and powerful mounts, but medieval textual and iconographic evidence remains highly debated. Furthermore, identifying warhorses in the zooarchaeological record is challenging due to both a paucity of horse remains relative to other domesticates, and the tendency of researchers to focus on osteological size, which makes it difficult to reconstruct in-life usage of ho…
Estimating the age of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticusL. 1758) cockerels through spur development
Determining the age of bird remains after the cessation of growth is challenging due to the absence of techniques such as tooth eruption and wear available for mammals. Without these techniques, it is difficult to reconstruct hunting strategies, husbandry regimes, and wider human-animal relationships. This paper presents a new method, developed from a collection (n = 71) of known-age specimens of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticusL. 1758), f…
Public archaeology at Baynard-Zion: Bringing life back to an antebellum cemetery
Heritage tourism is a driving economic force in much of the coastal southeastern United States, including on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, one of the most popular destinations for vacationers in the country. Working with local community members in developing a diverse and multipronged public archaeology program, we helped facilitate research and develop programing at the Baynard Mausoleum and Zion Chapel of Ease and Cemetery (Baynard-Zion).…
An Integrated Bioarchaeological Approach to the Medieval ‘Agricultural Revolution: A Case Study from Stafford, England, c. ad 800–1200
In much of Europe, the advent of low-input cereal farming regimes between c. ad 800 and 1200 enabled landowners—lords—to amass wealth by greatly expanding the amount of land under cultivation and exploiting the labour of others. Scientific analysis of plant remains and animal bones from archaeological contexts is generating the first direct evidence for the development of such low-input regimes. This article outlines the methods used by the FeedS…
Healed impact trauma to a Neolithic cattle frontal bone: A posthuman perspective
Trauma associated with slaughter is identified occasionally archaeologically in the cranial remains of domesticated animals, with evidence for pole-axing occurring in Europe, especially from the Roman period onwards. The injury typically extends through the frontal bone and sinuses to penetrate the braincase, causing haemorrhage, loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death. Evidence for slaughter methods in the British Neolithic, however, is l…
The Changing Exploitation of Oysters ( Ostrea edulis L. 1758) in Late Medieval and Early Modern England: A Case Study from Dudley Castle, West Midlands
Analysis of over 4000 complete left oyster valves from late medieval and post-medieval Dudley Castle reveals the changing role of this perishable luxury over a 700-year period. Throughout the occupation, it seems that oysters were used as ingredients rather than served raw in the shell. A greater reliance on oyster consumption is apparent in the later fourteenth century, perhaps reflecting a more diverse diet amongst the aristocracy in the wake o…
Archaeological and biometric perspectives on the development of chicken landraces in the Horn of Africa
Domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticusL., 1758) were integrated into agricultural systems in the Horn of Africa as early as the pre-Aksumite period (c. 2,500 years ago), after they were introduced from Asia through land and maritime trade and exchange. In this paper, we explore the development of chicken landraces in this region by examining continuity and change in chicken body size. Specifically, we compare the measurements of chicken bone…
Feeding Anglo-Saxon England: The Bioarchaeology of an Agricultural Revolution
Cultural Models ofRaça: The Calculus of Brazilian Racial Identity Revisited
Nearly 50 years ago, Marvin Harris published a seminal paper that examined how Brazilians create taxonomic categories of racial identity. In the intervening decades, new cognitive theories and analytical approaches have enabled researchers to investigate cultural domains with increased sophistication and nuance. In this paper, we revisit, replicate, and extend Harris’s research by utilizing modern cognitive anthropological approaches such as mult…
Ring depressions in cattle horncores as indicators of traction use – a cautionary note
The brede of good & strong Horsis’: Zooarchaeological evidence for size change in horses from early modern London
The file associated with this record is under embargo until 18 months after publication, in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. The full text may be available through the publisher links provided above
When wildcats feed on rabbits: An experimental study to understand the taphonomic signature of European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris)
Biting the Hand: Using the relationship between ITV and Barclays to examine political economy
The Global Financial Crisis presented the media with numerous opportunities to tell dramatic business-based stories. However, the relationship between commercial news and the corporate world is often thought to be deferential, where advertisers wield influence over journalists who are reluctant to criticise those indirectly funding them. Because of these models of capitalist power dynamics, it is often assumed that journalists will take a gentle …
The identification of poultry processing in archaeological ceramic vessels using in-situ isotope references for organic residue analysis
Poultry products are rarely considered when reconstructing pottery use through organic residue analysis, impinging upon our understanding of the changing role of these animals in the past. Here we evaluate an isotopic approach for distinguishing chicken fats from other animal products. We compare the carbon isotopes of fatty acids extracted from modern tissues and archaeological bones and demonstrate that archaeological bones from contexts associ…
Understanding the taphonomic signature of Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata)
Newspapers, Impartiality and Television News: Intermedia agenda-setting during the 2015 UK General Election campaign
Drawing on a content analysis of television news and newspapers during the 2015 UK General Election along with semi-structured interviews with the heads and/or senior editors of news or politics from each broadcaster examined, we explore the intermedia agenda-setting influence of the national press during the campaign. Overall, we found similar policy-orientated agendas, with more stories emanating from right-wing newspapers and moments when fron…
An Integrated Bioarchaeological Approach to the Medieval ‘Agricultural Revolution: A Case Study from Stafford, England, c. ad 800–1200
In much of Europe, the advent of low-input cereal farming regimes between c. ad 800 and 1200 enabled landowners—lords—to amass wealth by greatly expanding the amount of land under cultivation and exploiting the labour of others. Scientific analysis of plant remains and animal bones from archaeological contexts is generating the first direct evidence for the development of such low-input regimes. This article outlines the methods used by the FeedS…
When wildcats feed on rabbits: An experimental study to understand the taphonomic signature of European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris)
So bigge as bigge may be”: Tracking size and shape change in domestic livestock in London (AD 1220–1900)
The identification of poultry processing in archaeological ceramic vessels using in-situ isotope references for organic residue analysis
Poultry products are rarely considered when reconstructing pottery use through organic residue analysis, impinging upon our understanding of the changing role of these animals in the past. Here we evaluate an isotopic approach for distinguishing chicken fats from other animal products. We compare the carbon isotopes of fatty acids extracted from modern tissues and archaeological bones and demonstrate that archaeological bones from contexts associ…
An Imperial Frontier of the Sasanian Empire: Further Fieldwork at the Great Wall of Gorgan
The 2006 season has yielded significant new insights into the Great Wall of Gorgan's relation to landscape features and settlement, notably the division of the associated complex water supply system into sectors. The westernmost part of the wall is buried deeply beneath sediments from a past transgression of the Caspian Sea. An unexpectedly high number of brick kilns, of standardised design, shed light on the manner of the wall's construction. Ge…
Blind test evaluation of accuracy in the identification and quantification of digestion corrosion damage on leporid bones
Pannage, Pulses and Pigs: Isotopic and Zooarchaeological Evidence for Changing Pig Management Practices in Later Medieval England
ZOOARCHAEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF a substantial assemblage of animal bones excavated from Dudley Castle, West Midlands, suggests that a significant change in pig management occurred during the 14th century. A dramatic decrease in the relative abundance of pigs, combined with an increase in the size of post-cranial bones and teeth, and a higher proportion of neonatal individuals, raises the possibility that greater control over breeding and feeding wa…
The role of the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) as a bone accumulator in cliff rock shelters: An analysis of modern bone nest assemblages from North-eastern Iberia
Zooarchaeology, Improvement and the British Agricultural Revolution
Why National Media Systems Matter: A Longitudinal Analysis of How UK Left-Wing and Right-Wing Alternative Media Critique Mainstream Media (2015–2018)
In recent years, the growth of new alternative media has brought greater editorial choice and diversity to political coverage in many advanced democracies. But their coverage of mainstream media and portrayal of professional journalism has been subject to little academic attention. This study examined the role alternative political media play in advancing public debate about the value and editorial standards of a national media system. Drawing on…
Differential diagnosis of vertebral spinous process deviations in archaeological and modern domestic dogs
An Osteobiography of a 19th-Century Dog from Toronto, Canada
A 19th-century dog burial uncovered from a historical homelot in Toronto, Canada, provided a unique opportunity to reconstruct the individual's osteobiography. Of particular interest are the dog's very large size and a suite of skeletal pathologies. Recovery of a nearly complete skeleton combined with the use of X-rays and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) allowed for a discriminating differential diagnoses. Stable isotope analyses were applie…
Housing improvement and self-reported mental distress among council estate residents
Preventative action and the diffusion of HIV/Aids
The isolation of HIV (Barre-Sinoussi et al., 1983; Gallo et al., 1984) confirmed the urgent need for interventions to curtail its transmission and, therefore, the incidence of AIDS. In the absence of an effective vaccine (Gallo, 1987; Cease and Berzofsky, 1988), direct action to prevent HIV infection has either entailed implementing medical interventions linked to
Redefining the timing and circumstances of the chicken's introduction to Europe and north-west Africa
Little is known about the early history of the chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), including the timing and circumstances of its introduction into new cultural environments. To evaluate its spatio-temporal spread across Eurasia and north-west Africa, the authors radiocarbon dated 23 chicken bones from presumed early contexts. Three-quarters returned dates later than those suggested by stratigraphy, indicating the importance of direct dating. Th…
Talking up a storm? Using language to activate adherents and demobilize detractors of European Commission policy frames
The linguistic premises of European policy-making often remain hidden from public debate and the scrutiny of social scientists, despite the fact that ‘rhetorical framing’ is a widely recognized strategy and frame theory has dominated the way social scientists talk about ideas in social movements. Our concern is how the European Commission uses the ‘master frame’ of neoliberalism to establish a mandate for sector-specific policies that can be purs…
From quantitative precision to qualitative judgements: Professional perspectives about the impartiality of television news during the 2015 UK General Election
Drawing on interviews with key stakeholders – regulators, editors, party spin-doctors and politicians – supported by a systematic content analysis of television news during the 2015 UK General Election, this study makes an intervention into debates about how impartiality is understood and interpreted. Contrary to recent scholarly interpretations about ‘due impartiality’ being applied with some degree of quantitative precision – a stop-watch appro…
A typology of alternative online political media in the United Kingdom: A longitudinal content analysis (2015–2018)
Alternative online political media (AOPM) have become increasingly prominent elements of the media system in many countries. In response, numerous academic studies have examined the nature of these newer forms of alternative media. In line with this recent scholarship, in this study we carry out a longitudinal and systematic content analysis of nine AOPM websites in the United Kingdom (UK) ( N = 3452) between 2015 and 2018. Overall, we found a di…
Archaeological and biometric perspectives on the development of chicken landraces in the Horn of Africa
Domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticusL., 1758) were integrated into agricultural systems in the Horn of Africa as early as the pre-Aksumite period (c. 2,500 years ago), after they were introduced from Asia through land and maritime trade and exchange. In this paper, we explore the development of chicken landraces in this region by examining continuity and change in chicken body size. Specifically, we compare the measurements of chicken bone…
Developmental Osteology of Cross-bred Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus L. 1758) and the Implications for Ageing Chickens from Archaeological Sites
We document the developmental osteology of a captive population of cross-bred red junglefowl (Gallus gallus L. 1758) that were slaughtered at known ages from 6 days old until they reached maturity and explore the relationships that exist between bone size, maturity, body weight and sex. In doing so, we contribute to the body of knowledge concerning developmental osteology in domestic fowl, which has previously focussed upon 'improved' breeds. Com…
Animals and Cotswold-Severn Long Barrows: A Re-examination
In this paper new collaborative research is presented following a re-examination of the faunal remains and architectural evidence from a selected number of Cotswold-Severn long barrow sites. Five different loci of deposition are considered: ‘pre-barrow’ contexts; the chambers; the superstructure of the barrow and the ditches; the forecourt; and blocking material. These spatial locations were chosen following research that has demonstrated that th…
Food for the Dogs? The Consumption of Horseflesh at Dudley Castle in the Eighteenth Century
Excavations carried out at Dudley Castle recovered an assemblage of animal bones dominated by horse from the vaulted cellar beneath the Great Hall. The deposit dates to c. 1710 and appears to have been the result of partial butchery of several aged horses. The possible interpretations are discussed and it seems likely that the deposit represents the leftover waste of a knacker
Lead Isotope Analysis and Oxhide Ingots: A Final Comment
We thank the editors of JMA for allowing us to make a few closing remarks on the exchange of opinons (Budd et al., Gale and Stos-Gale, Hall, Sayre et al., Muhly, Pernicka) regarding the interpretation of lead isotope data. There are probably few archaeologists with the time or the inclination to follow every twist and turn of the scientific argument in this or in the earlier discussions in Archaeometry 34 (1992) and 35 (1993). Much of the debate …
Toward Increasing the Sociological Relevance of Sensitivity Training
As a means of increasing the theoretical relevance of sensitivity training for sociologists engaged in evaluative pursuits, the concept of role-based sensitivity is suggested for use in an evaluative research perspective. Results of the application of a role-based sensitivity scale, as a pre-training diagnostic device, in a training program for local human relations commissioners, suggest that the area of sensitivity training has potential as an …
Spycatcher: The Commodification of Truth
The Spycatcher saga continued for over three years at enormous expense to the British taxpayer. It has generated a plethora of articles and books and has captured the imagination of too many journalists. It is the stuff films are made of, although the book2 itself has little to recommend it. Many of its revelations are thinly disguised regurgitations and the only really serious piece of new information - concerning the British security service's …
Capital Mobility, Urban Crisis, and the Theory of Uneven Development
Introduction: Spatial Statistics and Modeling
Introduction: Spatial statistics and modeling
Source Region Effects in Epidemic Disease Modeling: Comparisons Between Influenza and Hiv
Source region effects in epidemic disease modeling: Comparisons between influenza and HIV
A typology of care episodes experienced by people with schizophrenia in an english town
Going private: Why people pay for their health care
Statistics for the environment
Lead Isotope Analysis and Oxhide Ingots: A Final Comment
We thank the editors of JMA for allowing us to make a few closing remarks on the exchange of opinons (Budd et al., Gale and Stos-Gale, Hall, Sayre et al., Muhly, Pernicka) regarding the interpretation of lead isotope data. There are probably few archaeologists with the time or the inclination to follow every twist and turn of the scientific argument in this or in the earlier discussions in Archaeometry 34 (1992) and 35 (1993). Much of the debate …
Aids: The politics of survival
Preventative action and the diffusion of HIV/Aids
The isolation of HIV (Barre-Sinoussi et al., 1983; Gallo et al., 1984) confirmed the urgent need for interventions to curtail its transmission and, therefore, the incidence of AIDS. In the absence of an effective vaccine (Gallo, 1987; Cease and Berzofsky, 1988), direct action to prevent HIV infection has either entailed implementing medical interventions linked to
Modelling space-time HIV/Aids dynamics: Applications to disease control
Preventing HIV transmission: The role of sterile needles and bleach
Feasting at Worcester Cathedral in the seventeenth century: A zooarchaeological and historical approach
In the summer of 1996, excavations outside the Chapter House at Worcester Cathedral revealed a chamber filled with animal bones and a considerable quantity of artefacts. Analysis of this material suggests that this deposit constituted the remains of one or more high status meals, probably a feast, which were disposed of in the seventeenth century. These archaeological findings are supported and amplified by the extensive documentary evidence, whi…
Food for the Dogs? The Consumption of Horseflesh at Dudley Castle in the Eighteenth Century
Excavations carried out at Dudley Castle recovered an assemblage of animal bones dominated by horse from the vaulted cellar beneath the Great Hall. The deposit dates to c. 1710 and appears to have been the result of partial butchery of several aged horses. The possible interpretations are discussed and it seems likely that the deposit represents the leftover waste of a knacker.
Food for the Dogs? The Consumption of Horseflesh at Dudley Castle in the Eighteenth Century
Excavations carried out at Dudley Castle recovered an assemblage of animal bones dominated by horse from the vaulted cellar beneath the Great Hall. The deposit dates to c. 1710 and appears to have been the result of partial butchery of several aged horses. The possible interpretations are discussed and it seems likely that the deposit represents the leftover waste of a knacker
The comparative osteology of european corvids (aves: (Corvidae), with a key to the identification of their skeletal elements. Tomek T, Bochenski ZM, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Systemics …
Epidemic modelling of HIV/Aids transfers between Eastern and Western Europe
State-event relations among indicators of susceptibility to mental distress in Wythenshawe in the UK
The Young Woman and her Baby or the Juvenile and their Dog: Reinterpreting Osteological Material from a Neolithic Long Barrow
The results of the re-analysis of the bone from West Tump long barrow, Gloucestershire, which was originally excavated in the late nineteenth century, are presented in this paper. The study revealed that the young woman and her baby mentioned by the excavator are in fact a juvenile of indeterminate sex and a dog. It is possible that this represents one of the youngest dogs to have been placed in association with a human burial from England. The f…
Animals, Economy and Status: Integrating Zooarchaeological and Historical Data in the Study of Dudley Castle, West Midlands (c.1100-1750)
This volume charts the changing human-animal relationship at one particular location, Dudley Castle, West Midlands, over several centuries. The temporal span considered (the 11th-18th centuries) is, arguably, one of the most formative in the evolving relationship between humans and animals. The period was one of profound economic, social and demographic change, witnessing not only the evolution of modern breeds of domestic animals, but also a cha…
Zooarchaeology, Improvement and the British Agricultural Revolution
Burning Issues: An introduction to selected papers from the 10th International Symposium in Medical Geography, Manchester 2003
Geography (44 works) · Biology (36 works) · Archaeology (35 works) · Medicine (26 works) · History (25 works) · Sociology (24 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (18 works) · Ecology (18 works) · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (15 works) · History (15 works)