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Matthew Johnson

@matthewj.bsky.social

350 followers 470 following 37 posts

Archaeologist at Northwestern University; Norwich City fan. He/him. Dis/Abled. Opinions expressed my own.

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History 43%

Geology 12%

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · 14d

Marry an archaeologist. The older you get the more interested they will be in you (paraphrased from Agatha Christie)

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · 14d

Congratulations Gabe!

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Aug 20

I visited last week. It's an amazing achievement. Congratulations to all involved.

Medievalist.net @medievalists.bsky.social · Aug 20

Norwich Castle Reopens as “The People’s Palace” www.medievalists.net/2025/08/norw... #castles #medieval #England #NorwichCastle

Norwich Castle Reopens as “The People’s Palace” - Medievalists.net

Norwich Castle has reopened after a £27.5 million transformation, offering full access from basement to battlements, immersive medieval rooms, and a new British Museum gallery of 900 artefacts.

www.medievalists.net

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Reposted by Matthew H. Johnson

Medievalist.net @medievalists.bsky.social · Aug 20

Norwich Castle Reopens as “The People’s Palace” www.medievalists.net/2025/08/norw... #castles #medieval #England #NorwichCastle

Norwich Castle Reopens as “The People’s Palace” - Medievalists.net

Norwich Castle has reopened after a £27.5 million transformation, offering full access from basement to battlements, immersive medieval rooms, and a new British Museum gallery of 900 artefacts.

www.medievalists.net

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Aug 20

Envious. Can't make it to TAG unfortunately.

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Aug 5

Brian, building of the US Capitol was ongoing into the 1860s using enslaved labor www.whitehousehistory.org/enslaved-lab...

Enslaved Labor and the Construction of the U.S. Capitol

“Would it be superstitious to presume, that the Sovereign Father of all nations, permitted the perpetration of this apparently execrable transaction, as a fiery, though salutary signal of his displeas...

www.whitehousehistory.org

Reposted by Matthew H. Johnson

Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · Dec 20

👇 Open letter calling for the reframing of the #Stonehenge debate. Please read.

If you're an #archaeologist, please sign & share. Thank you 😊

(Please check junk mail if verification email doesn't arrive within a couple of mins!)

#Archaeology #Prehistory

openletter.earth/the-stonehen...

The Stonehenge Debate Must Be Reframed

openletter.earth

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Reposted by Matthew H. Johnson

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Sep 3

Voting has opened for the National Trust's annual elections & members' resolutions. Deadline is 11:59 pm on Friday 25 October. As in past years, so-called 'Restore Trust' is running candidates, identified in the banner on their website. Quick-vote is a quick way to vote against RT, if so minded.

External view of a corner of Osterley House, London and its gardens with daffodils flowering. Osterley is a National Trust property.

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Reposted by Matthew H. Johnson

Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · Dec 27

I've just heard the sad news that John Barrett has died. #Archaeology has lost a lot of folks this year. 😔

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jul 27

Cracking stuff from the Lionesses

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jul 25

Understood but his article has left me Full of Doubt about the whole concept of ancient landscapes. Maybe best discussed over a pint...

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jul 25

You don't buy Williamson's critique of 'ancient fields' then?

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jul 4

Really important book, not least on EP Thompson

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jun 17

Au contraire Brian. One of the great evocations of a deserted London. I agree it goes downhill when they leave for the countryside and it all gets faux pastoral

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jun 11

Do you welcome archaeologists?

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · May 8

Time for the epic Bluesky quest of @popeleo?

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · May 6

Thank you for the shout out Adam! This is spot on!

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Apr 18

In the c18 gentry bought books by the yard, to furnish their houses

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Mar 19

When Anthony Fletcher complained that Germaine Greer panned his gender book without reading the 2nd half, a colleague retorted that he shouldn't have written such a very long book in the 1st place

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Mar 16

Hang in there Jonny

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Feb 18

Tell us more about the medieval furrows please

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jan 13

It's the white heat of intellectual enquiry emanating from the IoA

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Jan 12

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhi4... greatest cricket movie ever made

Lagaan Trailer | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India | Aamir Khan | Ashutosh Gowariker

YouTube video by Amal Koshy George

www.youtube.com

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 29

When the rest of us would sit around saying 'someone should do/say something', John was the one who got up and did it.

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 28

RIP John Barrett. I never came away from one of his talks without being forced to think deeply and in new ways about archaeology. His was a really profound and uncompromising intellect. And he practiced and insisted on values of decency and responsibility in our work.

Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · Dec 27

I've just heard the sad news that John Barrett has died. #Archaeology has lost a lot of folks this year. 😔

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 23

I show this (the clean version) every year in our Intro class

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 19

Wear it as a badge of pride Cat. Your work is transformative, and therefore will attract its naysayers.

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 15

Saddened to hear of the death of Mark Leone. He was a giant figure in historical archaeology; his work set an intellectual horizon for the field. I can't think of anyone who thought more deeply and profoundly about the archaeology of capitalism. He was also a kind and generous mentor to me.

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Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 15

Mark Leone, The Archaeology of Liberty in an American Capital. RIP Mark.

Matthew Johnson @matthewj.bsky.social · Dec 3

Very sorry to hear this Leonie.

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