CORACLE ARCHAEOLOGY - Key Persons

Darren joined Coracle Archaeology in early 2020 following a period working as an independent researcher and consultant. He previously spent several years as a lecturer and research fellow in the Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton, and has directed and participated in numerous archaeological projects in Europe, the Middle East, east Africa and the Gulf. He has also worked on a number of commercial marine and offshore developments around the UK, including renewable energy technologies, interconnector and telecoms cables, and power stations. Darren has published extensively on heritage management programs, non-invasive archaeological survey and the impact of archaeological research on coastal communities. Whilst at the University of Southampton he taught both archaeological method and theory, and spent two years as co-ordinator of the MSc in Maritime Archaeology. He has also taught archaeological methods in Egypt, Eritrea and the UAE. Darren completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Southampton in 2003.

Michael established Coracle Archaeology Ltd in summer 2019, following several years as head of marine archaeology at commercial archaeological consultancies around the UK. He has extensive experience in the research and commercial spheres, and has provided marine archaeological support to numerous developments in the UK and overseas, including off-shore wind farms, electrical systems, interconnector and telecoms cables, tidal lagoons and arrays, and pipelines. Michael has directed many large-scale geophysical and archaeological surveys around the world, including one of the largest non-invasive surveys ever undertaken in Abu Dhabi. He has worked on a variety of maritime sites in the UK, Ireland, the Red Sea and the Gulf, and is project manager for the excavation of the London, a 17th century warship that sunk in the Thames Estuary. An experienced diver, Michael completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Southampton in 2006, focusing on the Pudding Pan Roman wreck site in the outer Thames Estuary, and has published extensively on both marine heritage management and the archaeology of the Roman world. He has also taught geophysical survey methods to students in the UAE and from Birzeit University in the West Bank, Palestinian Authority. Michael is a visiting research fellow at the University of Southampton. Michael's book on the Roman shipwreck at Pudding Pan can be found here.

Ryan joined Coracle as a marine archaeologist in 2019, having previously worked for archaeological consultancies in the UK and the US. He is an experienced diver and surveyor, and has completed numerous dives on archaeological projects. Ryan has a special interest in the investigation of submerged palaeo-landscapes, with a focus on how best to incorporate maritime archaeological research into offshore commercial development programs. Since joining Coracle, Ryan has undertaken full EIAs for a number of marine projects around the UK, including energy developments and submarine cables. He graduated with an MSc in Maritime Archaeology from the University of Southampton in 2018.