Personal Statement
Steven graduated with a BA and Ph.D in Egyptian Archaeology from Liverpool University. His Ph.D thesis was on "Mortuary Assemblages from Abydos", based on the excavations at Abydos of John Garstang from 1906-1909.
He has been an active fieldworker in Egypt, collaborating with colleagues on projects in Saqqara and Moalla, and directing surveys and excavations in North Sinai, the Eastern Nile Delta, Thebes, Abydos and, especially, the Ramesside fortress-town at Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham.

Research Overview
My main research interests are:

1) Ramesside military activity, trade and foreign relations (especially with the Libyans), based on my fieldwork at the site of Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham (for free downloads of several of my research publications in this area see my 'Academia' pages.

2) Sacred Landscape in Ancient Egypt, especially the interrelationship between the built environment and natural world, and especially the interest of Egyptians in their ancient past.

3) Biodiversity in Egyptian Archaeology during Societal Transitions. The main aims of this interdisciplinary, Leverhulme-funded study are to uncover how drastic changes in climate and human land-use interacted to drive biodiversity dynamics and socioeconomic and cultural development in Northeast Africa since the last glacial maximum, with an emphasis on predynastic and pharaonic Egypt.

In addition to my main research interests, I also currently supervise five Ph.D students on topics including 'Soul Houses', 'Paddle Dolls', Coffin Workshops in the Middle Kingdom, and New Kingdom Royal Children.