I am a DPhil student in Archaeology at St Cross College. My academic interests lie at the intersection of archaeology and music, a field I first became drawn to back in high school. I pursued this interest through a BA in Combined Honours in Social Sciences at Durham University, where I studied both archaeology and music. After graduating in 2023, I undertook an MSc in Archaeology at Keble College, Oxford, with a dissertation examining the materiality of ancient Chinese bronze bells. I am now continuing this line of interest as a DPhil student, focusing on sound archaeology of Neolithic and Bronze Age China. My project is co-supervised by the School of Archaeology and the Faculty of Music, reflecting its interdisciplinary scope.
Alongside my studies, I enjoy playing in orchestras and strolling in museums around Oxford. It is really a great pleasure studying and living in Oxford, a city so rich in culture and history.
DPhil topic
'Sound Archaeology of Neolithic and Bronze Age China (ca. 5000–1046 BC)'
This project investigates the role of sound in rituals in Neolithic and Bronze Age China, addressing a critical yet often overlooked aspect of human experience in archaeology. While ritual music and sound held deep political and religious significance, most archaeological and musicological research has focused mainly on musical instruments, with limited attention to soundscapes or the broader cultural meanings of auditory experience in early societies. Building on developments in sound archaeology, this project seeks to develop an interdisciplinary framework that integrates archaeology, musicology, acoustics, and spatial technologies. By examining soundscapes in ritual spaces, the research will address the central question: What was the role of sound in rituals in early Chinese societies? In doing so, this project not only broadens understanding of the role of sound in ancient China but also contributes to global discourse in sensory archaeology.
