The research project seeks to reveal how leather was produced, traded, and used across the Roman Empire – an area of study that has long proved challenging due to the limited preservation of organic materials.
The project is led by Dr Gillian Taylor, Associate Professor in Teesside University’s School of Health & Life Sciences which has been awarded £1.3 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Using a combination of cutting-edge scientific techniques, ancient DNA sequencing, and archaeological expertise, the team will analyse leather artefacts from key Roman sites in Britain, the Netherlands, and Syria.
The research focuses on material from sites including Vindolanda, a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, which holds the largest collection of Roman leather objects in the Empire. Additional sites include Trimontium in Scotland, and Valkenburg and Vechten in the Netherlands.
The team is working closely with the Vindolanda Trust, the National Museum of Scotland, and the National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands. These partner institutions are providing access to collections and supporting public engagement activities designed to bring the research to life for international audiences.
“This is the first large-scale biomolecular analysis of Roman leather,” said Dr Taylor. “By identifying the species, sex, and origin of animals used in leather production, we can reconstruct and learn more about the socio-economic networks that supported Roman life, from military supply chains to civilian craftsmanship.”
Dr Taylor added: “By integrating scientific data with historical models, we’re building a more complete picture of the Roman economy. This work will help us understand not just how people lived, but how they adapted, innovated, and connected across vast distances.”
Dr Taylor also emphasised the project’s urgency in light of accelerating climate change, which is contributing to the degradation of archaeological sites worldwide. The findings will help inform future policies for archaeological recovery and improve methods for identifying and preserving leather artefacts, particularly in contexts where organic materials are most at risk.
Sources : Teeside University
