ZOE OUTRAM
3 Beech Square, Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD14 6BX
Tel: 01274 416039; Mobile: 07879 641222
Email:z.outram2@bradford.ac.uk; z.outram@gmail.com
PROFILE SUMMARY
I am a science based archaeologist who is able to work in many different capacities in the field (including dating and
environmental sampling and processing, excavation supervision and direction, topographic survey and more recently
Forensic search and recovery under the remit of the ‘Good Friday Agreement’). I have experience of teaching in
higher education institutions, presenting both scientific and cultural aspects of archaeology to audiences from a
range of backgrounds. I have carried out and completed a number of research projects, including a PhD and postdoctoral project, and regularly carry out commercial work for the University of Bradford.
EMPLOYMENT
2010 onwards Archaeological Consultant and Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Archaeological. Geographical
and Environmental Sciences. University of Bradford.
2009-2010
Post-Doctoral Researcher for the AHRC funded project ‘Magnetic Moments in the Past’
2006-2009
Post-Excavation Assistant Manager for the Viking Unst Project
2011 onwards Freelance Archaeologist
EDUCATION:
2001 – 2006: University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP
AHRC funded PhD research project
Title: A Reassessment of the Iron Age Chronology of the Northern Isles: a Pilot Study at the Old Scatness Broch
site, Shetland
Submitted 30/09/2005, viva 11/1/2006
1997 – 2001: University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP
BSc (Hons) Archaeological Sciences: First class
Diploma in Professional Archaeology
RESEARCH INTERESTS
 The development of robust and precise chronologies through the use of multiple dating techniques (archaeomagnetic,
optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), AMS radiocarbon dating and tephrochronology), assessing sequences of
dates within a Bayesian framework.
 The assessment of domestic structures using a combination of environmental and geoarchaeological techniques.
 The archaeology of Viking expansion across the North Atlantic region.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
 Member of the Viking Society of Northern for Northern Research
 Member of North Atlantic Biocultural Organisation (NABO)
SKILLS
Field Skills:
 Excavation, recording and planning of archaeological sites.
 Supervising the excavation of key areas of a site and training new students and volunteers how to excavate.
 Co-ordination and management of dating, environmental and geoarchaeological sampling strategies.
 Surveying archaeological sites and features.
 Carrying out commercial archaeomagnetic dating on a range of sites across the UK.
 Carrying out forensic investigations for the Independent Commission for the Location of Victim Remains (ICLVR).
Laboratory Skills:
 The collection, preparation and analysis of samples for dating, including radiocarbon, archaeomagnetism, optically
stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and tephra.
 The collection, preparation and analysis of samples for environmental and geoarchaeological studies.
 The application of statistical models to investigate data sets, in particular the combination and analysis of multiple
dating techniques, and their integration with other archaeological information, such as typological sequences and
theoretical models.
 Processing and archiving archaeological records, and the construction of databases.
Teaching:
 University of Birmingham (2009 and 2010): present lectures on the scientific methods of dating for the ‘Archaeological
Practice’ Masters programme.
 University of Bradford (2001-present): presented lectures on the ‘Scientific Methods of Dating I’, ‘Introduction to
Physics and Chemistry’, ‘Scientific Frameworks for Archaeology’, ‘Archaeometry’, and ‘Site to Page’ modules. I
have also delivered practical classes for the modules ‘Archaeological method and theory’, ‘Assessment of Sites and
Monuments’, ‘Instrumental Analysis’ and the ‘Archaeology Field Course’.
RESEARCH PROJECTS INVOLVED IN:
 The Old Scatness Broch and Jarlshof Environs Project (Shetland), directed by Steve Dockrill and Dr. Julie Bond
(University of Bradford)
 The Viking Unst Project (Shetland) directed by Dr. Julie Bond (University of Bradford)
 St Ninian’s Isle (Shetland), directed by Rachel Barrowman (University of Glasgow)
 The Gateway to the Atlantic Project (Rousay, Orkney), directed by Steve Dockrill and Dr. Julie Bond (University of
Bradford)
 The Shetland Islands Climate Change and Settlement Project (Shetland), directed by Prof. Gerry Bigelow (Bates
College, USA)
 Sandwick South, Unst (Shetland), directed by Prof. Gerry Bigelow (Bates College, USA)
 Excavations at Tingwall, the Assembly Project (Shetland), directed by Dr Natascha Mehler (University of Vienna)
 The Birsay Bay Project (Orkney), directed by Prof. Chris Morris
 The Cairns (Orkney), directed by Martin Carruthers, Orkney College
 The Dun Eistean Archaeological Project (Lewis), directed by Rachel Barrowman (University of Glasgow)
RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE:
Contract post-excavation staff, University of Bradford (2001-present):
 The Post-Excavation Assistant Manager for the Viking Unst Project
 Completion of archaeomagnetic dating reports for commercial and research excavations carried out in the UK.
 The production of reports following the reassessment of site chronologies within a Bayesian framework
 Analysis of archaeobotanical remains recovered from the excavations at Belmont, Jarlshof, Old Scatness Broch, Broo,
Norby (Shetland) and Við Kirkjugarð (Sandoy, Faroe Islands).
Contract fieldwork:
 Forensic Archaeological monitoring on behalf of the Independent Commission for the Recovery of Victims Remains.
 The excavation of sites investigated as part of the ‘Gateway to the Atlantic’ project on Rousay, Orkney.
 The survey, recording and sampling of the sites excavated as part of the ‘Shetland Islands Climate Change and
Settlement Project’.
North Atlantic Research Unit, University of Bradford (voluntary)
 The excavation of key areas at the site of Jarlshof (Shetland), directed by Steve Dockrill (University of Bradford).
 The production of a chronology for the site of Mine Howe (Orkney), directed by Nick Card (Orkney College)
 The production of a chronology for the site of Norwick (Shetland), directed by Beverly Ballin Smith (GUARD).
 Site assistant and on-site dating and environmental supervisor for the ‘Old Scatness and Jarlshof Environs Project’
during summer excavation seasons (1999-2003)
Student Placement: OSL laboratory technician, RLAHA, Oxford University (October 1999-March 2000).
This post required me to process the commercial dating samples collected by the unit, to train new staff and visitors in the
techniques of sample processing as well as assisting Dr Rhodes in his research to develop the OSL technique.
PUBLICATIONS:
Batt, C.M., Outram., Z., Clelland, S.J., and Linford, P. in prep. Recent archaeomagnetic developments in Britain. Journal of
Archaeological Science.
Bond, J.M., Dockrill, S.J., Outram, Z., Batey, C.E., Summers, J., Friel, R., Brown, L.D., Cussans, J., Cook, G., Legg, R.,
Mustchin, A., and Church, M. in press. Excavations at Hamar and Underhoull. In Bond, J.M., Turner, V.E., and
Larsen, A.-C. (eds.) Viking Unst: Viking Settlement in the Extreme North of Britain. Shetland Heritage Publications.
Dockrill, S.J., Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. 2006. Time and Place: A new chronology for the origin of the broch based on the
scientific dating programme at the Old Scatness Broch, Shetland. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of
Scotland: 136: 89-110.
Outram, Z. 2007. Appendix 1: The calibration of the radiocarbon dates. In Dockrill, S.J., Bond, J.M., Smith, A.N., and
Nicholson, R.A. (eds.) Vol 2: Tofts Ness, Sanday. An Island Landscape Through 3000 Years of Prehistory: 397-400.
Kirkwall, Orkney: The Orcadian: Historic Scotland.
Outram, Z. in press. The dating evidence from the excavations carried out at the Brough of Birsay (1974-1980). In Morris,
C.D. (ed.) The Birsay Bay Project (Volume 3).
Outram, Z., Ashmore, P., Barrowman, R., and Cook, G. 2012. Section 4.6.2: Re-modelling of all dated samples to include
those from the 1959 and 2000 excavations on St Ninian’s Isle. In Barrowman et al. (eds.) The chapel and burial
ground on St Ninian's Isle, Shetland: Excavations past and present. Society of Medieval Archaeology monograph
Volume 132.
Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. 2010. Dating at Old Scatness. In Dockrill, S.J., Bond, J.M., Brown, L.D., Turner, V.E., Bashford,
D.J., Cussans, J.E., and Nicholson, R.A. (eds.) Excavations at Old Scatness, Shetland Volume 1: The Pictish Village
and Viking Settlement: 99-130. Lerwick: Shetland Heritage Publications.
Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. In press. Dating at Old Scatness. In Dockrill, S.J., Bond, J.M., Brown, L.D., Turner, V.E., Bashford,
D.J., Cussans, J.E., and Nicholson, R.A. (eds.) Excavations at Old Scatness, Shetland Volume 2: The Neolithic to Iron
Age Village. Lerwick: Shetland Heritage Publications.
Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. In press. Dating at Old Scatness. In Dockrill, S.J., Bond, J.M., Brown, L.D., Turner, V.E., Bashford,
D.J., Cussans, J.E., and Nicholson, R.A. (eds.) Excavations at Old Scatness, Shetland Volume 3: The Post-Medieval
Village. Lerwick: Shetland Heritage Publications.
Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. In press. Magnetic Susceptibility. In Dockrill, S.J., Bond, J.M., Brown, L.D., Turner, V.E., Bashford,
D.J., Cussans, J.E., and Nicholson, R.A. (eds.) Excavations at Old Scatness, Shetland Volume 2: The Neolithic to Iron
Age Village. Lerwick: Shetland Heritage Publications.
Outram, Z., Batt, C.M., Rhodes, E.J., and Dockrill, S.J. 2010. The integration of chronological and archaeological information
to date building construction: an example from Shetland. Journal of Archaeological Science 37(11): 2821-2830
Outram, Z., and Legg, R.M. in press. Geoarchaeological investigations at Hamar: a summary. In Bond, J.M., Dockrill, S.J.,
Outram, Z., Batey, C.E., Summers, J., Friel, R., Brown, L.D., Cussans, J., Cook, G., Legg, R., Mustchin, A., and
Church, M. Excavations at Hamar and Underhoull. In Bond, J.M., Turner, V.E., and Larsen, A.-C. (eds.) Viking Unst:
Viking Settlement in the Extreme North of Britain. Shetland Heritage Publications.
Rhodes, E.J., Bronk Ramsey, C., Outram, Z., Batt, C., Willis, L., Dockrill, S., and Bond, J. 2003. Bayesian methods applied to
the interpretation of multiple OSL dates: high precision sediment ages from Old Scatness Broch excavations,
Shetland Isles. Quaternary Science Reviews 22: 1231-1244.
POSTERS & PRESENTATIONS
Friel, R.M., and Outram, Z. Survey and contouring of House 1, Hamar, Unst. Poster presented at the Viking Unst
Conference, Lerwick, Shetland, 16/6/09
Outram, Z., Batt, C.M., Church, M.J., and Swindles, G.T. 2008. Dating Vikings: Geochronology and Palaeoenvironments of
Viking Unst, Shetland. Poster presented at NABO 08; Towards a research framework for the North Atlantic.
University of Bradford, 27/08/08
Outram, Z., Cussans, J.E., Summers, J.S., Batt, C.M., Swindles, G.T., and Friel, R.F. The Science of the Viking Unst Project.
Presentation given at the Unst Heritage Centre, Shetland, 01/07/08
Outram, Z., Batt, C.M., Rhodes, E.J., and Dockrill, S.J. Developing an Iron Age Chronology for the Northern Isles: a Pilot
Study at the Old Scatness Broch site, Shetland. Poster presented at UK Archaeological Sciences Conference,
Oxford, April 2003
Outram, Z., Batt, C.M., and Linford, P. Magnetic Moments in the Past: developing archaeomagnetic dating in the UK.
Presentation given at the English Heritage Science Advisors annual meeting, February 2010.
Outram, Z., Batt, C.M., and Linford, P. Magnetic Moments in the Past: developing archaeomagnetic dating in the UK.
Poster presented at the European Geosciences Union, Vienna, Austria, May 2010.
Outram, Z. 2010. The Radiocarbon dates produced for the site of Dun Eistean. Paper presented at the ‘Dun Eistean Project’
conference, Lewis. June 2010.
Outram, Z., and Batt, C.M. Magnetic Moments in the Past: Archaeomagnetic dating in the UK. Presentation given at the
ALGAO GeoSIG meeting, November 2010.
Outram, Z. Principles and Practice of Archaeomagnetic dating. Lecture given to the Bates College students, Shetland, as
part of the Shetland Islands Climate Change and Settlement Project, 16th May 2012.