Lily Alice Bell GriffinClassical Archaeology and Ancient History University of Oxford
Lily Griffin has a background in Classical Archaeology, having achieved a BA in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History from the University of Oxford in 2018. Following this, she began specialising in archaeological conservation, obtaining an MA in Principles of Conservation (2019) and MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums (expected 2021) as an Anna Plowden Trust Scholar, both from University College London (UCL).
Throughout her studies, Lily has worked with a range of sites and institutions, focusing on collections care and education. She has participated in excavations in the UK and Naples, working as a supervisor at the latter. While excavating a Roman bath and villa complex in Naples, she had the opportunity to assist the conservation team with the block-lifting and preservation of collapsed wall-paintings from a second century AD villa. She has experience of working in the collections care and conservation departments at a variety of UK museums, including the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Museum of London, and Imperial War Museums. Additionally, she is very keen on spreading awareness and accessibility of museums and collections care, having worked with schools and families at many of the educational departments at these museums.
Currently, Lily is on a visiting student placement at the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, carrying out conservation treatments on a range of objects, material types, loans, and exhibitions. During her MSc, she has specialised in the treatment and material analysis of archaeological materials, including ceramics, stone, metals, and organics. During her placement, she has been able to hone these skills and become increasingly involved with the conservation of the Fitzwilliam’s Egyptian collection and ongoing Egyptian Coffin Project.
Lily is increasingly interested in synthesising modern-day technology, materials science, and conservation to further heritage research. She is part of a UCL team developing a photogrammetric model of Christopher Wren’s Great Model of St. Paul’s Cathedral. She is trained in the use of X-ray Fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, petrography, Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy, and multispectral imaging of archaeological materials and excited to be able to apply this to materials in the field.
