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Staff profile

Overview

Dr Christopher Davis

Research Associate

Affiliations
Affiliation
Research Associate in the Department of Archaeology
Member of the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Biography

Chris undertook both his BA and MA in Archaeology at Durham University and continued his studies in the Department of Archaeology with an AHRC funded PhD. His thesis, ‘Early Buddhist Monasteries in Sri Lanka: a landscape approach’, was linked to an AHRC-funded investigation of the hinterland of Anuradhapura, in the Northern Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. This study integrated archaeological evidence from excavations and landscape survey with epigraphic, textual and ethnographic sources to investigate the social, administrative and economic functions of Buddhist monasteries, including the role of monastic enterprise in the colonisation of marginal land, around the city of Anuradhapura between c. 340 BCE to 1200 CE.

Working within the UNESCO Chair in Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage, Chris’ research relates to the archaeology of South Asia, with a continued focus towards the development of religious institutions. Located at the interface between archaeology, epigraphy, ethnography and heritage management, these elements are combined through site and landscape based approaches to provide understandings on the development of societies in the past as well as the ramifications for heritage in the present.

Chris is a member of UNESCO-sponsored archaeological investigations in the natal landscape of the Buddha, refining and characterising archaeological sequences at the sites of Lumbini and Tilaurakot (Nepal). He is part of a team that is now developing these methodologies across the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Property (Nepal) in multi-disciplinary post-earthquake archaeological responses to heritage damaged and destroyed in the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. These investigations are identifying and characterising archaeological sequences and assessing foundations of collapsed monuments to guide future development and reconstruction, whilst protecting cultural heritage. This methodology has now been developed through British Academy sponsored fieldwork at Jaffna Fort, in Northern Sri Lanka, where damaged heritage is assessed and the earliest sequences of the site are being uncovered and linked to Indian Ocean trade networks. 

In addition to fieldwork in Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruva, Jaffna) and Nepal (Lumbini, Tilaurakot and Kathmandu Valley), Chris has been part of archaeological projects in Bangladesh (Bagerhat, Mahasthangarh and Paharpur), India (Champaner-Pavagadh and Sarnath), Iran (Sialk) and Cambodia (Siem Reap – Angkor).

Publications

Chapter in book

  • Interpreting GPR data from Jaffna Fort, Northern Sri Lanka, using historic maps and new excavations
    Schmidt, A., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Hale, D., Coningham, R., Pushparatnam, P., Villis, R., Woolston-Houshold, M., & Manuel, M. (2019). Interpreting GPR data from Jaffna Fort, Northern Sri Lanka, using historic maps and new excavations. In J. Bonsall (Ed.), New Global Perspectives on Archaeological Prospection:13th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection 28 August - 1 September 2019 Sligo Ireland (pp. 224-227). Archaeopress. https://doi.org/10.32028/9781789693072
  • Ritual and economy reconsidered at Siva Devale No. 2, Polonnaruva
    Manuel, M., Gunawardhana, P., Coningham, R., Davis, C., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayaka, J., Rammungoda, U., & Bandara, K. (2018). Ritual and economy reconsidered at Siva Devale No. 2, Polonnaruva. In P. Gunawardhana & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi : Vesak volume : essays in Buddhism and Buddhist monastic archaeology. (pp. 33-44). Central Cultural Fund.
  • Recent excavations and survey at Jaffna Fort in 2017 and reflections on the antiquity of Indian Ocean trade.
    Davis, C., Gunawardhana, P., Coningham, R., Pushparatnam, P., Schmidt, A., Manuel, M., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayaka, J., & Bandara, K. (2018). Recent excavations and survey at Jaffna Fort in 2017 and reflections on the antiquity of Indian Ocean trade. In P. Gunawardhana & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume 2018: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology. (pp. 67-78). Colombo, Sri Lanka : Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka,.
  • Excavating ancient Kapilavastu: the childhood home of Lord Buddha
    Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Simpson, I., Strickland, K., Hale, D., Tremblay, J., & Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2018). Excavating ancient Kapilavastu: the childhood home of Lord Buddha. In P. Gunawardhana & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume 2018: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology (pp. 8-25). Colombo, Sri Lanka : Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka,.
  • Apres le Deluge: observations and recommendations from a post-disaster mission to the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site in October and November 2015
    Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Davis, C., Kunwar, R., LaFortune-Bernard, A., Tremblay-Fitton, J., Schmidt, A., & Simpson, I. (2018). Apres le Deluge: observations and recommendations from a post-disaster mission to the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site in October and November 2015. In M. Richon (Ed.), The Cultural Heritage of Nepal, Before, During and After the 2015 Earthquakes: current and future challenges (pp. 92-103). Vajra Books.
  • Look Down, Not Up: Protecting the Post-disaster Subsurface Heritage of the Kathmandu Valley’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Davis, C., Weise, K., Kunwar, R., & Simpson, I. (2018). Look Down, Not Up: Protecting the Post-disaster Subsurface Heritage of the Kathmandu Valley’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. In L. Bracken, H. Ruszczyk, & T. Robinson (Eds.), Evolving Narratives of Hazard and Risk The Gorkha Earthquake, Nepal, 2015. (pp. 159-181). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65211-5_10
  • Patterns of Patronage: a reanalysis of the contents and distribution of inscriptions in Sri Lanka
    Davis, C. (2018). Patterns of Patronage: a reanalysis of the contents and distribution of inscriptions in Sri Lanka. In P. Gunawardhana & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi: Vesak Volume: essays in Buddhism and Buddhist monastic archaeology. (pp. 53-66). Colombo, Sri Lanka Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka.
  • Archaeology and Cosmopolitanism in Early Historic and Medieval Sri Lanka
    Coningham, R., Manuel, M., Davis, C., & Gunawardhana, P. (2017). Archaeology and Cosmopolitanism in Early Historic and Medieval Sri Lanka. In Z. Biedermann & A. Strathern (Eds.), Sri Lanka at the crossroads : from antiquity to modernity. (pp. 19-43). UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781911307822
  • Promoting the Protection, Preservation and Presentation of the Natal Landscape of the Buddha in Nepal
    Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Manuel., M., Davis, C., & Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2017). Promoting the Protection, Preservation and Presentation of the Natal Landscape of the Buddha in Nepal. In P. Gunawardhana, R. Coningham, & K. Nampoothiri (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology (pp. 13-26). Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka.
  • Archaeological Evidence and the Historicity of the Buddha: Lumbini
    Coningham, R., Acharya, K., & Davis, C. (2015). Archaeological Evidence and the Historicity of the Buddha: Lumbini. In M. Degalle (Ed.), Vesak, Peace and Harmony: Thinking of Buddhist Heritage. (pp. 59-82). Nagananda International Buddhist University.
  • History of Research
    Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Manuel, M., & Davis, C. (2013). History of Research. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland. (pp. 9-20). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Phasing the Hinterland
    Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Bailiff, I., Batt, C., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayake, J., & Rammungoda, U. (2013). Phasing the Hinterland. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland. (pp. 31-48). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Glazed and Unglazed Ceramics
    Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Krishnan, K., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Rammungoda, U., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayake, J., & Stern, B. (2013). Glazed and Unglazed Ceramics. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland. (pp. 229-332). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Terracotta Objects
    Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayake, J., & Rammungoda, U. (2013). Terracotta Objects. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland. (pp. 333-392). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Discussion
    Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Manuel, M., Davis, C., & Simpson, I. (2013). Discussion. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (pp. 459-479). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Construction and Building Materials, Stone, Glass, Metal, Archaezoological, Archaeobotanical and Plastic Objects
    Manuel, M., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Strickland, K., Young, R., Davis, C., Jones, J., McDonnell, G., Rammungoda, U., Namalgamuwa, H., & Senanayake, J. (2013). Construction and Building Materials, Stone, Glass, Metal, Archaezoological, Archaeobotanical and Plastic Objects. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland. (pp. 393-444). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • Epigraphy in the hinterland
    Davis, C., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., & Manuel, M. (2013). Epigraphy in the hinterland. In R. Coningham & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (pp. 445-458). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568).
  • The Durham Bodhisattva
    Coningham, R., & Davis, C. (2010). The Durham Bodhisattva. In C. Barclay, R. Grocke, & H. Armstrong (Eds.), Treasures of the Oriental Museum Durham University (pp. 74-75). Third Millennium Publishing.

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