Maeve McHugh

My research aims to create multi-vocal narratives of ancient life from the perspectives of rural communities and individuals traditionally labelled as economically poor. My goal is to provide a better-rounded picture of the lives and experiences of free and enslaved individuals and rural communities as they went about their working lives.

 I am involved in the Department’s The Ancient City and Landscape, Nature, and the Environment research themes.

I am a member of the School’s Centre for Material Cultures and Materialities and the International Centre for Heritage.

 Current projects

 I am a senior archaeologist and intensive survey co-director of the Bays of East Attica Regional Survey (BEARS). 

I joined the Department of Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Birmingham in 2017 as a Teaching Fellow in Classical Archaeology, and in 2021, I became a Lecturer in Classical Archaeology. Since joining the Department, I have developed my research which is motivated by a strong interest in reconstructing the lives and experiences of communities that are often overlooked in ancient history.

My research specifically revolves around the lives of households and individuals who earned their living, and I aim to gain a deeper understanding of their lives using historical, archaeological, and ethnographic data. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to reconstruct their lives through my ongoing fieldwork projects.

In my teaching, I guide students to unravel the lives of these groups in my modules on ancient Greek daily life. Additionally, I lead students on guided trips to archaeological sites as part of the Study Tour module, which is always an exciting experience. Beyond the classroom, I have enjoyed working closely with students as part of our volunteering program with the Archaeology Collection, the Department’s teaching collection of ancient antiquities.

Lecturer in Classical Archaeology

• 2018, Fellowship in Higher Education – Advance HE via the University of Birmingham Professional Recognition Framework
• 2014, PhD in Classical Archaeology (viva 12/05/2014)

School of Classics, University College Dublin

Thesis title: ‘The Ancient Greek Farmstead: Its Role and Function in Agriculture’

• 2009, MA in Classical Archaeology (First Class, Hons)

School of Classics, University College Dublin

• 2008, BA, joint honours Classics and Archaeology (First Class, Hons)

School of Classics, University College Dublin