Nina Crummy is a British archaeologist and artefact (small finds) specialist, especially of Roman material culture.
Crummy completed an undergraduate degree at Keele University[1] and works as an independent archaeological finds specialist.[2] She was formerly Archaeological Archive Manager at the Museum of London,[3] where she helped develop the Museum's standards for the deposition of archaeological finds.[4] She consolidated the Museum of London's archaeological archive collection, based at Lever Street, the precursor to the London Archaeological Archive & Research Centre (LAARC).[5][6] She has had a long-standing relationship with the University of Reading, as a visiting research fellow to the Department of Archaeology[7] and as a small finds consultant on the Silchester Town Life Project.[8][9] She has previously been elected as a fellow to the Society of Antiquaries of London.[10][11]
She has written numerous archaeological reports and publications on the subject of small finds, ranging from site assemblages to individual artefacts.[12][13] She is notable for her work on the small finds from Roman Colchester (Camulodunum)[14] and Roman Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum).[15] Major contributions to artefact studies include those on Roman toilet instruments[16] and the manufacture of Roman bone artefacts.[17][18][19] Her book, The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9,[20] has been described as the 'bible of the Roman finds world in Britain' by archaeologist and finds specialist Hillary Cool.[21]
Crummy's publication The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9[22] was one of the first to analyse and present archaeological artefacts (small finds) within 'functional' as opposed to 'material' categories.[23] Although this system of categorisation has been questioned, for simplifying objects' multiple functionality, it remains highly influential especially within Romano-British archaeology.[24][25]
The subjects of the functional categories are: Category 1: Objects of personal adornment or dress; Category 2: Toilet, surgical or pharmaceutical instruments; Category 3: Objects used in the manufacture or working of textiles; Category 4: Household utensils and furniture; Category 5: Objects used for recreational purposes; Category 6: Objects employed in weighing and measuring; Category 7: Objects used for or associated with written communications; Category 8: Objects associated with transport. Category 9: Buildings and services; Category 10: Tools; Category 11: Fasteners and fittings; Category 12: Objects associated with agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry. Category 13: Military equipment. Finds such as weapons, fittings from armour, tools with military associations, and phallic amulets possibly used by the army; Category 14: Objects associated with religious beliefs and practices; Category 15: Objects and waste material associated with metal working; Category 16: Objects and waste material associated with antler, horn, bone, and tooth working; Category 17: Objects and waste material associated with the manufacture of pottery vessels or pipeclay objects; Category 18: Objects the function or identification of which is unknown or uncertain.
Edited Publications
Co-authored Publications