Curriculum

I am an archaeologist specialised in North European textiles and costumes. I received my Ph.D. in Prehistoric Archaeology from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), and a M.Phil from Ancient Textile Unit, University of Manchester, UK. In 2005 I founded together with historian and Director Marie-Louise Nosch og archaeologist Eva Andersson Strand the Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre for Textile Research (CTR) at University of Copenhagen (DNRF64). I have analysed textiles for numerous museums in Denmark and abroad. My areas of research include Scandinavian and Roman textile and costume traditions, the use and production of prehistoric plant fibre materials, especially nettle and flax, and study of costume from iconographic sources. I have also worked intensively applying methods of dyeing technology, fibre analysis, fibre identification, protein, DNA, pollen, 14C and strontium isotope analyses to prehistoric textile and skin materials. The results of my work have provided new and unexpected insights into the development of textile techniques and technology throughout the longue durée of social development in prehistoric Scandinavia. The last years I have primarily worked with Viking Age skin and textile production.

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

2020-2025     Research Professor (MSO) at Prehistory, Middle Ages and Renaissance, National Museum of Denmark

2018-2020    Senior Researcher and Project Leader of Fashioning the Viking Age (2028-2023) at Ancient Cultures of Denmark and the Mediterranean, National Museum of Denmark. Collaboration with Centre for Textile Research (CTR), University of Copenhagen and Lands of Legends, Lejre, Denmark. Funded by the VELUX FOUNDATION’s Museum Programme

Since 2016    Guest Lecturer at CTR, the SAXO Institute, UCPH, Denmark

2015-2018     Senior Researcher and Curator, Ancient Cultures of Denmark and the Mediterranean, National Museum of Denmark

2010-2015     Senior Researcher and Research programme manager of Textile Crafts and Cultures at the Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research, The National Museum of Denmark

2009-2010     Associate Professor and Research programme manager of Textile and Costume from Bronze and Early Iron Ages in Danish Collections at the Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research, The SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen

2005-2009     Postdoc and Research programme manager of Textile and Costume from Bronze and Early Iron Ages in Danish Collections at the Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research, The SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen

1999-2000     Research assistant at the Department of Archaeology, University of Copenhagen, for the Mons Claudianus Textile Project. Analysis and publication of Roman costumes from Egypt. Funded by the Nordic Research Council for the Humanities (NOS-H)

EDUCATION

2008              Diploma in Research Management, Copenhagen Business School

2006              Ph.D. from University of Copenhagen. Dissertation: Billeder af dragt. En analyse af påklædte figurer fra yngre jernalder i Skandinavien

2000-2005     Ph.D. scholarship at the Department of Archaeology, University of Copenhagen. Work on dress in Scandinavian iconography of the 6-11th centuries AD. Funded by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities (FKK)

1998              MA from the Department of Archaeology and Ethnology, University of Copenhagen in prehistoric archaeology

1995              M.Phil. from the Ancient Textile Unit, University of Manchester, UK

1994              Diploma in Hand Weaving Theory, Guild of Weavers

1992-1993     Postgraduate student at the Ancient Textile Unit, University of Manchester, UK

1987-1992         BA student at the Department of Archaeology, University of Copenhagen

MEMBERSHIPS AND COMMISSIONS OF TRUST

2022-2026     Appointed member of the Erik Westerby Grant Board

2020-2024     Danish Management Committee Member of the COST action, EuroWeb: Europe Through Textiles

2017-2021     Danish Bibliometric Research Indicator, Group 15 (archaeology, archaeometry and conservation)

Since 2017    Nordic Network Cloth Cultures in and beyond the Viking Age

Since 2016    International Association on the Study of Silk Road Textiles (IASSRT)

Since 2009    Centre International d'Etude des Textiles Anciens (CIETA)

Since 2008    Editorial Board of Archaeological Textiles Newsletter/Review (ATN/ATR)

Since 2005    Steering committee for the North European Symposium for Archaeological Textiles (NESAT)

Since 1998    Det Kongelige Nordisk Oldskriftselskab

TEACHING

Since 2006    Regular teaching at the Department of Archaeology, University of Copenhagen at BA, MA and PhD level

Since 1998    Regular lectures at the Danish Open University

OTHER MAJOR COLLABORATIONS

2013-2016     The Lønne Hede Textile Project (Danish Early Roman Iron Age Textiles) with Ulla Lund Hansen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2012-2016     Wool on the Silk Road (Danish and Chinese Bronze Age Textiles) with Zhao Feng, China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou, China

2012-2016     The Rise of the Bronze Age Society (Danish Bronze Age Textiles) with Kristian Kristiansen, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

2009-2019     The Hammerum Textile Project (Danish Late Roman Iron Age textiles) with Tinna Møbjerg, Museum Midtjylland, Denmark

2008-2019     Identification of flax and nettle (Experimental and archaeological data) with Bodil Holst, University of Bergen, Norway

2008-2017     The Vorbasse Textile Production Project (Danish Late Roman Iron Age textiles) with Ulla Lund Hansen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2007-2012     EU Project Dress and Identity (Roman Textiles) Mannheim, Germany

SELECTED FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

2023              Included in Kvindernes og Kønsminoriteternes Blå Bog  2023-2024 by FIU-Ligestilling

2018              Fashioning the Viking Age, VELUX FOUNDATION’s Museum Programme

2017              Erik Westerby Travel Grant (Award for special scientific achievements)

2012              Rothenborgs Legat 2012 (Award for the scientific staff at the National Museum of Denmark)

LANGUAGE

Fluent:           Danish, English

Reading and speaking: German, FrenchNederst på formularen

CAREER BREAKS

2018              Sick leave (treatment of cancer: January-December 2018, 12 months)

2004              Parental leave (January-December 2004, 12 months)

1998-1999     Parental leave (September 1999-August 1999, 12 months)

1996-1997     Parental leave (June 1996-May 1997, 12 months)