Project role
I am Co-Investigator in the MeRit project based at the British Museum. In that role I support Roberta Gilchrist (PI) in the management of the project, leading on outreach.
Background
In my current role as Head of Portable Antiquities & Treasure at the British Museum, I manage the Portable Antiquities Scheme (a project to record archaeological finds made by the public in England and Wales) and oversee the administration of the Treasure Act 1996 (whereby the most important archaeological finds enter museum collections). The PAS is a partnership of at least 100 national and local organisations employing at least 70 staff across England and Wales. I also have a particular interest in the Middle Ages, specifically material culture related to religion and everyday life, and I am a founding member of the European Public Finds Recording Network (EPFRN) which brings together European colleagues that manage (or are interested in) public finds recording schemes and the European Medieval Finds (EMF) network which seeks to promoted an understanding of medieval small finds.
Previously I was Deputy Head of the Scheme (2002-15) and Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) for Kent (2000-02). I am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (2006-), a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2007-) and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars (2015-). I am a Visiting Professor in Archaeology at the University of Reading (2019-) and Visiting Professor in Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Helsinki (2023-).
Education and training
Doctor of Philosophy History, University of Kent, 2004
MA Medieval Studies, University of York, 1996
BA (Hons) History/Theology, Roehampton Institute (University of Surrey), 1994
Areas of interest
- Medieval small finds associated with religion and everyday life.
- Medieval landscape.
- Late Anglo-Saxon manuscript illuminations.
- Bayeux Tapestry and eleventh-century life.
Research projects
- Medieval markets and fairs (with Eljas Oksanen).
- Vervels – hawking rings (with Ian Richardson).
- The Cultural Lives of the Middling Sort 1550-1660 (advisory board) 2019-23.
- Warhorse – The Archaeology of a Military Revolution? (advisory board) 2019-23.
- Living Standards & Material Culture in English Rural Households 1300-1600 (steering committee) 2016-20.
- Archaeologies of the Norman Conquest (executive board) 2016-18.
- MEDEA – Flanders finds recording scheme (advisory panel) 2014-18.
- Portable Antiquities of the Netherlands (advisory board) 2016-20.
- FindSampo – Finnish finds recording scheme (expert advisory panel) 2018-22.
Selected publications
Sawicki, J., Lewis, M. & Vargha, M. (forthcoming 2013), A United Europe of Things: similarities and differences in portable material culture (archaeological small finds) across medieval Europe (Springer).
Oksanen, E. & Lewis, M. (2023), ‘Evaluating Transformations in Small Metal Finds Following the Black Death’, Medieval Archaeology, 67.1, 159-86.
Lewis, M. (2022) ‘Characterising Transformation in Religious Material Culture AD 1000-1700: through the study of archaeological small finds discovered by the public in England and Wales’, in K. A. Wilson & L. R. Clark (eds.), Mobility of Objects Across Boundaries 1000-1700 (Liverpool University Press), 57-81.
Lewis, M. (2021) ‘Pilgrim Badges of St Edmund of East Anglia’, The Journal of Breckland Studies, 4, 9-21.
Oksanen, E. & Lewis, M. (2020), ‘Medieval Commercial Sites: as seen through Portable Antiquities Scheme data’, Antiquaries Journal, 100, 109-40.
Dobart, A., Deckers, P., Heeren, S., Lewis, M., Thomas, S. & Wessman, A. (2020), ‘Towards a Cooperative Approach to Hobby Metal Detecting: the European Public Finds Recording Network (EPRFN) vision statement’, European Journal of Archaeology, 23.2, 272-92.
Lewis, M. & Richardson, I (2019), Inscribed Vervels: a corpus and discussion of late medieval and Renaissance hawking rings found in Britain (BAR Publishing).
Willis, A & Lewis, M. (2018), ‘A Hoard of Limoges Artefacts and Other Ecclesiastical Artefacts from Kirton’, Transactions of the Thoroton Society, 122, 69-79.
Lewis, M. (2018), 50 Medieval Finds from the Portable Antiquities Scheme (Amberley Press).
Lewis, M. (2017), ‘The Significance of Limoges Enamels Found in England’, Medieval Archaeology, 61/2, 414-20.
Lewis, M. & Speakman, N. (2016), Los Pilares de Europa: la edad media en el British Museum (British Museum/Obra Social la Caixa); also translated into Catalan.
Deckers, P, Lewis, M. & Thomas, S (2016), Aspects of Non-Professional Metal Detecting in Europe (Open Archaeology).
Lewis, M. (2016) ‘A Detectorist’s Utopia? Archaeology and Metal-Detecting in England and Wales’, Open Archaeology, 2, 127-139.
Oksanen, E. & Lewis, M. (2016), ‘Exploring the Commercial Landscape of Medieval Saltfleetby and Skidbrooke (Lincs.) Through PAS data’, Medieval Archaeology, 60, 14-7.
Locker, M & Lewis, M. (2016), ‘Landscapes of Devotion: pilgrim signs in their wider context’, Church Archaeology, 17, 49-61.
Lewis, M. (2016), ‘Life Insurance in the Medieval Period: insights offered by the distribution of pilgrims’ badges recently found in England’, in B. S. Bowers & L. M. Keyser (eds.), The Sacred and Secular in Medieval Healing: sites, objects and texts (Routledge), 266-304.
Lewis, M. (2016), ‘Mounts for Furnishings, Padlocks, and Candleholders: understanding the urbanisation of medieval England through metal small finds recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme’, in B. Jervis, L. G. Broderick, & I Grau Sologestoa (eds.), Objects, Environment, and Everyday Life in Medieval Europe (Brepols), 157-85.
Lewis, M. (2015), ‘Papal Bullae’, Medieval Archaeology, 59, 305-09.
Lewis, M. (2014), Saints and their Badges: saints’ lives and medieval pilgrim badges (Greenlight).
Oksanen, E. & Lewis, M. (2015), ‘Medieval Markets and Portable Antiquities Scheme Data’, Medieval Settlement Research, 30, 54-59.
Lewis, M. (2015), ‘Les émaux religieux de Limoges découverts en Angleterre’, Cahiers Landarc, no.11, 1-59.
Lewis, M. (2014), ‘Medieval Mirror Cases’, Medieval Archaeology, 58, 355-61.
Lewis, M. (2013), ‘Pilgrim Signs of St Margaret of Antioch: some thoughts on their spatial distribution’, Medieval Archaeology, 57, 280-83.
Lewis, M. (2013), ‘The PAS – A Rather British Solution: the mandatory reporting and voluntary recording of archaeological objects in England and Wales’, in A. S. Lagerlöf (ed.), Who Cares? Perspectives on Public Awareness, Participation and Protecting in Archaeological Heritage Management, European Archaeological Council, Occasional Paper 8 (Swedish National Heritage Board), 17-21.
Lewis, M. (2012), ‘Limoges Enamels’, Medieval Archaeology, 56, 314-17.