MISS TEODORA SANTANDREA

Biography

Teodora obtained her BA in Cultural Heritage in 2020 from the University of Bologna. During these years, she developed an interest in history and archaeology of the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, which she deepened through her thesis on the Gothic Wars in central Italy.

During her MA in Applied Critical Archaeology and Heritage at the University of Bologna, she continued studying archaeology with a critical perspective and a focus on methodology. During her MA program, she focused on landscape archaeology through a thesis on the detection of potential archaeological sites and the identification of settlement patterns in Marche Region (Italy) during Bronze and Iron Age. The approach involved morphometric and visibility analyses, the study of geological units, remote sensing, and LiDAR data.

In 2024, Teodora started her PhD at the University of Aberdeen founded by the Interdisciplinary Institute. Her research will focus on better understanding medieval monasteries in NE Scotland, assessing their impact on the landscape of wetland areas by taking into account land reclamation and exploitation and management of water resources. The project will reconstruct the landscape changes occurred in the monastic estates from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era, aiming at better understanding the relationship between the current conservation, restoration, and management of wetland areas and the archaeological remains.

Research Overview

My research interests lie mainly in landscape archaeology, investigating the relationship between humans and the landscape, and the use of spatial analyses and remote sensing to reconstruct landscape changes and trace archaeological remains.

Current Research

I am currently investigating the relationship between medieval monasteries and the landscape in NE Scotland. The project is focused on gaining a better understanding about the monastic estates, as well as assessing their impact on the surrounding landscape in terms of exploitation and management of water resources. The research also aims at detangling the relationship between the current wetland conservation, restoration and management and the landscape changes occurred from the monastic occupation to the Modern era.

Past Research

My previous research has focused on the detection of traces of Bronze and Iron Age settlements and the identification of a settlement pattern in Marche Region, Italy. The aims were fulfilled by applying a combination of spatial and geomorphometric analyses, the study of geological units, and remote sensing (LiDAR-derived DTM enhancement, satellite, and aerial imagery).