James H. Barrett
About
I study ecological globalisation. My background is in medieval, historical and environmental archaeology, with special interests in the trade of fish, furs and ivory. I am particularly drawn to the complex links between rural and Indigenous producers of the north and (often distant) urban consumers, and their implications. Thus I am also interested in the construction of local (including island) identities and the social, economic and ecological consequences of resource depletion and/or sustainability.
In methodological terms, most of my research has involved the combination of archaeological science, medieval/historical archaeology and history, with the ultimate aim of reconciling archaeology's divergent scientific and humanistic traditions. I started academic life as a zooarchaeologist, but have since been directly or indirectly involved in applying a diverse range of techniques and am better described as a historical ecologist. As a proponent of the holistic study of historical ecology, I am equally interested in the study of ecofacts (bones, plant remains, soils, etc.) and artefacts. Much of my research relates to the study of marine resources, but I am interested in the interface of nature and culture on land and sea.
I am presently one of four Principal Investigators of the ERC Synergy Project 4-OCEANS, a 10 million Euro initiative exploring global historical ecology through meta-analysis and primary scientific analysis of ten marine taxa (key examples being walrus, bowhead whale and cod). I also coordinate a long-term project, the Northern Seas Synthesis, to harvest the power of archaeological fish bone records for archaeology, environmental history and conservation biology. Examples of other collaborative projects include the Demise of the Atlantic Grey Whale (as supervisor of Youri van den Hurk's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship at NTNU), the SeaChanges Innovative Training Network (led by the University of York), FoodImpact (led by the University of Oslo with funding from the Research Council of Norway) and the Glacial Archaeology Program which is rescuing the archaeology of reindeer hunting sites melting out of ice patches in Jotunheimen (led by Oppland County Council).
I have previously worked at the University of Toronto (1996-1998), the University of York (1999-2007) and the University of Cambridge (2007-2021). At the latter, I remain a Senior Research Fellow of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological research. I moved to a professorship at Trondheim in July 2021, to join a university fully committed to sustainability and oceans (two of NTNU's four strategic research areas), and to realise a lifelong goal of living among forests, mountains and fjords.
Publications
2022
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Barrett, James;
Khamaiko, Natalia;
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Kneale, Catherine;
Hufthammer, Anne Karin.
(2022)
Walruses on the Dnieper: new evidence for the intercontinental trade of Greenlandic ivory in the Middle Ages.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Makowiecki, Daniel;
André, Carl;
Lõugas, Lembi;
Barrett, James.
(2022)
Population dynamics of Baltic herring since the Viking Age revealed by ancient DNA and genomics.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Academic article
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Hufthammer, Anne Karin;
Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd;
Jentoft, Sissel;
Barrett, James Harold.
(2022)
Ancient DNA reveals a southern presence of the Northeast Arctic cod during the Holocene.
Biology Letters
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Ferrari, Giada;
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Blevis, Rachel;
Granado, José.
(2022)
Ancient DNA sequence quality is independent of fish bone weight.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Academic article
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
López-Arias, Begoña;
Culling, Mark.
(2022)
Ancient DNA evidence for the ecological globalization of cod fishing in medieval and post-medieval Europe.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences
Academic article
-
Holm, Poul;
Barrett, James;
Brito, Cristina;
Ludlow, Francis.
(2022)
New challenges for the Human Oceans Past agenda.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
-
Pilø, Lars;
Reitmaier, Thomas;
Fischer, Andrea;
Barrett, James;
Nesje, Atle.
(2022)
Ötzi, 30 years on: A reappraisal of the depositional and post-depositional history of the find.
The Holocene
Academic article
2021
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Oosting, Tom;
Ballantyne, Rachel;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Ystgaard, Ingrid.
(2021)
Historical demographic processes dominate genetic variation in ancient Atlantic cod mitogenomes.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Academic article
-
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Wyrozemska, Agata Teresa;
Ballantyne, Rachel;
Kersten, Oliver;
Palsdottir, Albina Hulda.
(2021)
The preservation of ancient DNA in archaeological fish bone.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Academic article
-
Ferrari, Giada;
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Jentoft, Sissel;
Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd;
Makowiecki, Daniel;
Barrett, James.
(2021)
An accurate assignment test for extremely low-coverage whole-genome sequence data.
Molecular Ecology Resources
Academic article
-
Barrett, James.
(2021)
A radiocarbon revolution sheds light on the Vikings.
Nature
Short communication
-
Barrett, James.
(2021)
The exploitation of walrus ivory in medieval Europe.
Academic Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Pilø, Lars;
Finstad, Espen;
Wammer, Elling Utvik;
Post-Melbye, Julian Robert;
Rømer, Axel Hee;
Andersen, Øystein Rønning.
(2021)
On a Mountain High: Finding and Documenting Glacial Archaeological Sites During the Anthropocene.
Journal of Field Archaeology
Academic article
2020
-
Pilø, Lars Holger;
Barrett, James;
Eiken, Trond;
Finstad, Espen;
Grønning, Sunniva;
Martinsen, Julian Robert Post.
(2020)
Interpreting archaeological site-formation processes at a mountain ice patch: A case study from Langfonne, Norway.
The Holocene
Academic article
-
Pilø, Lars Holger;
Finstad, Espen;
Barrett, James.
(2020)
Crossing the ice: an Iron Age to medieval mountain pass at Lendbreen, Norway.
Antiquity
Academic article
-
Barrett, James;
Boessenkool, Sanne;
Kneale, Catherine;
O'Connell, Tamsin C;
Star, Bastiaan.
(2020)
Ecological globalisation, serial depletion and the medieval trade of walrus rostra.
Quaternary Science Reviews
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Barrett, James;
Khamaiko, Natalia;
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Kneale, Catherine;
Hufthammer, Anne Karin.
(2022)
Walruses on the Dnieper: new evidence for the intercontinental trade of Greenlandic ivory in the Middle Ages.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Makowiecki, Daniel;
André, Carl;
Lõugas, Lembi;
Barrett, James.
(2022)
Population dynamics of Baltic herring since the Viking Age revealed by ancient DNA and genomics.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Academic article
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Hufthammer, Anne Karin;
Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd;
Jentoft, Sissel;
Barrett, James Harold.
(2022)
Ancient DNA reveals a southern presence of the Northeast Arctic cod during the Holocene.
Biology Letters
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Ferrari, Giada;
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Blevis, Rachel;
Granado, José.
(2022)
Ancient DNA sequence quality is independent of fish bone weight.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Academic article
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
López-Arias, Begoña;
Culling, Mark.
(2022)
Ancient DNA evidence for the ecological globalization of cod fishing in medieval and post-medieval Europe.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences
Academic article
-
Holm, Poul;
Barrett, James;
Brito, Cristina;
Ludlow, Francis.
(2022)
New challenges for the Human Oceans Past agenda.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
-
Pilø, Lars;
Reitmaier, Thomas;
Fischer, Andrea;
Barrett, James;
Nesje, Atle.
(2022)
Ötzi, 30 years on: A reappraisal of the depositional and post-depositional history of the find.
The Holocene
Academic article
-
Martinez Garcia, Lourdes;
Ferrari, Giada;
Oosting, Tom;
Ballantyne, Rachel;
van der Jagt, Inge;
Ystgaard, Ingrid.
(2021)
Historical demographic processes dominate genetic variation in ancient Atlantic cod mitogenomes.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Academic article
-
Ferrari, Giada;
Cuevas, Angelica;
Wyrozemska, Agata Teresa;
Ballantyne, Rachel;
Kersten, Oliver;
Palsdottir, Albina Hulda.
(2021)
The preservation of ancient DNA in archaeological fish bone.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Academic article
-
Ferrari, Giada;
Atmore, Lane Margaret;
Jentoft, Sissel;
Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd;
Makowiecki, Daniel;
Barrett, James.
(2021)
An accurate assignment test for extremely low-coverage whole-genome sequence data.
Molecular Ecology Resources
Academic article
-
Barrett, James.
(2021)
A radiocarbon revolution sheds light on the Vikings.
Nature
Short communication
-
Pilø, Lars;
Finstad, Espen;
Wammer, Elling Utvik;
Post-Melbye, Julian Robert;
Rømer, Axel Hee;
Andersen, Øystein Rønning.
(2021)
On a Mountain High: Finding and Documenting Glacial Archaeological Sites During the Anthropocene.
Journal of Field Archaeology
Academic article
-
Pilø, Lars Holger;
Barrett, James;
Eiken, Trond;
Finstad, Espen;
Grønning, Sunniva;
Martinsen, Julian Robert Post.
(2020)
Interpreting archaeological site-formation processes at a mountain ice patch: A case study from Langfonne, Norway.
The Holocene
Academic article
-
Pilø, Lars Holger;
Finstad, Espen;
Barrett, James.
(2020)
Crossing the ice: an Iron Age to medieval mountain pass at Lendbreen, Norway.
Antiquity
Academic article
-
Barrett, James;
Boessenkool, Sanne;
Kneale, Catherine;
O'Connell, Tamsin C;
Star, Bastiaan.
(2020)
Ecological globalisation, serial depletion and the medieval trade of walrus rostra.
Quaternary Science Reviews
Academic article
Part of book/report
-
Barrett, James.
(2021)
The exploitation of walrus ivory in medieval Europe.
Academic Press
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Teaching
Courses
Media
2022
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InterviewBarrett, James Harold; Jarman, Catrine. (2022) The Norse Walrus Ivory Trade Crash Gone Medieval Podcast. https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/walrus-ivory https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/walrus-ivory [Internet] 2022-07-27
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold. (2022) Ecological Globalization and the Medieval Trade of Walrus Ivory. Harvard University Harvard Medieval History Graduate Workshop , Cambridge, Massachusetts 2022-05-24 - 2022-05-24
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold. (2022) The Medieval Walrus Ivory Trade as Ecological Globalisation. Leeds International Medieval Congress Leeds International Medieval Congress , Leeds 2022-07-04 - 2022-07-07
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold. (2022) Ecological Globalization and the Medieval Trade of Walrus Ivory. UrbNet: Centre for Urban Network Evolutions Guest Lecture, UrbNet: Centre for Urban Network Evolutions , Aarhus 2022-10-11 - 2022-10-11
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold. (2022) Sea Ivories: Tracking Global Networks of the Viking Age and Medieval North. University of York Guest lecture, Viking Studies Research Group , York 2022-11-04 - 2022-11-04
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Academic lecturevan den Hurk, Youri; Collins, Matthew J; Nadeau, Marie-Josee; Barrett, James Harold. (2022) The Demise of the Atlantic Grey Whale. Oceans Past Initiative Oceans Past IX , Seattle 2022-05-22 - 2022-05-25
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Academic lectureHolm, Poul; Barrett, James Harold; Brito, Cristina; Ludlow, Francis. (2022) 4-OCEANS: a global, collaborative project. Oceans Past Initiative Oceans Past IX , Seattle 2022-05-22 - 2022-05-25
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold; Star, Bastiaan; Buss, Danielle; Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen; Larsen, Thomas; Nadeau, Marie-Josee. (2022) Multi-proxy Approaches to the Historical Ecology of Marine Resource Exploitation c.100 BCE to 1860 CE. Oceans Past Initiative Oceans Past IX , Seattle 2022-05-22 - 2022-05-25
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PosterBuss, Danielle; Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen; Ballantyne, Rachel; Boethius, Adam; Dütting, Monica K.; Bødker Enghoff, Inge. (2022) Using the Northern Seas Synthesis database to infer spatiotemporal changes in commercially important fish taxa over the past two millennia. British Ecological Society British Ecological Society 2022 conference , Edinburgh 2022-12-18 - 2022-12-22
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InterviewBarrett, James Harold; Pennisi, Elizabeth. (2022) Loss of Viking-era herring may be a warning to today’s fishers. Science Science [Journal] 2022-11-02
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InterviewBarrett, James Harold; Curry, Andrew. (2022) Vikings shipped walrus ivory from Greenland to Kyiv, ancient skulls show. Science Science [Journal] 2022-04-22
2021
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Academic lectureBarrett, James Harold; Brito, Cristina; Ludlow, Francis; Star, Bastiaan; Holm, Poul. (2021) A History of the World in 10 Marine Taxa? An Introduction to 4-OCEANS. University of Groningen ICAZ 3rd Marine Mammal Research Group Meeting , Groningen 2021-09-02 - 2021-09-03