Old Members’ Trust Graduate Conference and Academic Travel Fund report – Willa Stonecipher (2024, MSt History – Medieval History)

From November 4^th through 6^th, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Society for Medieval Archaeology Student Colloquium 2024 at the University of Leicester as a presenter. My paper, entitled ‘To Kill an Ampulla? Ritual Mutilation and Folded Ampullae in Medieval Britain, 1066-1540’, explored the phenomenon of folded pilgrim souvenirs within the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. As a historian with strong interdisciplinary tendencies towards archaeology, this conference was an opportunity to more formally step into archaeology and network with established and upcoming academics in the field.

On November 4^th, I arrived in the early afternoon in Leicester, where I soon joined a group of presenters and attendees for a walking tour of the city, which was amazing. I even got to see Richard III’s carpark, which was an unassuming highlight of the tour. On November 5^th, the students presented. I found all of the papers so interesting, especially the ones on osteoarchaeology and another one that looked at the humoral qualities of archaeobotanic remains through the lens of medieval medicine. After the conference presentations, we went out for a lovely networking dinner.

Overall, I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend this conference as a presenter, and I am very grateful for the Old Members’ Trust Graduate Conference and Academic Travel Fund 2024-25 for enabling me to develop my academic activities and meet so many wonderful people.

Published: 17 January 2025

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