Matt Munro holding a stamped tile

Dr. Matthew Munro

PhD, RPA

Positions

Adjunct Professor

Faculty of Arts, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology

Contact information

Email

matthew.munro@ucalgary.ca

Web presence

Academia

ORCID

LinkedIn

Location

Office: ES714

Background

Educational Background

BA (Honours) Anthroplogy, Saint Mary's University,

MA (Merit) Archaeology, University of Sheffield,

PhD Archaeology, University of Calgary,

Biography

I am an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology and Senior Archaeologist at Stantec Consulting Ltd. I have worked in academic and public-sector archaeology since 2007 across Canada and in Panama, Italy, and the UK. I recently defended by PhD thesis at the University of Calgary on the topics of resilience and landscape change in southern Italy during the collapse of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the early Middle Ages. My thesis, An Archaeology of Resilience in Rural Landscapes of Southern Italy, c. 300-1000, has recently been edited into a book and is available for purchase though Edipuglia Publishing House. 

My research interests include landscape archaeology, socio-ecological resilience, complexity theory, agent-based modelling, and digital approaches to heritage interpretation and preservation. I am interested in sites and landscapes around the Mediterranean dating from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages and also the precontact and historic periods of Canada. I am currently working on the SSHRC-funded Villa of Titus Archaeological Research Project in central Italy with Myles McCallum (Saint Mary’s University) and Martin Beckmann (McMaster University) where we are investigating the role of this site in the Velino Valley during the Roman period. I am also working with Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer (University of Calgary) and Ken Holyoke (University of Lethbridge) on research into the Canadian CRM labour market. I also serve as an executive director on the board of the Archaeological Society of Alberta, Calgary Centre.

Research

Areas of Research

Landscape Archaeology, Socio-Ecological Resilience; Complexity Theory; Agent-Based Modelling; Roman Archaeology; Medieval Archaeology, Late Antiquity, The Early Middle Ages, Archaeological Method and Theory, Cultural Resource Management,Digital Humanities

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
ARKY328 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome Winter 2022
ARKY328 Stone, Bronze and Iron: The Archaeology of Europe Before Rome Fall 2022
ARKY205 Ancient Peoples and Places (World Prehistory) Winter 2023
ARKY328 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome Winter 2023
ARKY328 / ANTH399 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome Winter 2025
ARKY328 The Archaeology of Greece and Rome Winter 2026

Projects

The Villa of Titus Archaeological Research Project

The Villa of Titus, located in the town of Castel Sant’Angelo (province of Rieti), Italy, is a large Roman villa that was likely also part of an imperial estate. The goal of this research project is to identify and study the parts of the villa associated with the daily activities and lives of non-elites (farmers, laborers, slaves, etc.). We are also interested in documenting environmental changes and the economic life of the community through the analysis the site’s assemblage of zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical remains. The site, known colloquially as the ‘Baths of Titus’, is based on the supposition that this monumental concrete structure was a bath complex owned by the Flavian dynasty of emperors, and may have been frequented by Titus (reigned 79-81 CE). The ruins of this structure have been visible since antiquity, and excavations in 2011 suggest that the structure was a villa instead of a bath complex. In antiquity, this part of Italy was known as the Sabina, the home of the Sabines, and the site may also have origins sometime in the third century BCE. The entire Velino Valley is rich in archaeological sites from the Italian Iron Age and Roman period, and was an important region during the Middle Ages as well, situated along the Via Salaria (Salt Road), which connected Rome to the Adriatic coast of Italy. This research is funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant.

Shovels Ready: Understanding Cultural Resource Management Preparedness in Post-Secondary Archaeology Education

Cultural resource management (CRM) archaeology is a multimillion-dollar industry in Canada and the lead employer for archaeology graduates. However, there has been little consideration of how post-secondary archaeology programs across the country align with the needs of this industry. This research began with a CRM Labour Market and Education Preparedness survey for CRM archaeology professionals in Canada, which was completed in 2024. The survey demonstrated that the demand for archaeological professionals in Canada is quickly outpacing the number of students graduating with relevant archaeology/anthropology degrees, and that those entering the workforce do not feel that their post-secondary education has adequately prepared them for careers within CRM. A second survey has been distributed to CRM professionals around Canada which seeks to understand what skills and knowledge students require to succeed in the cultural resource management archaeology context, and what gaps exist in post-secondary education as they apply to professional positions in the CRM sector. The results of this survey, which includes a series of interviews and focus groups, forms the second phase of this research project. This research is funded through a University of Calgary SOTL grant.

Publications

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