Dr Penelope Allison’s research interests focus on household archaeology and gender and space.  She has published extensively on houses and household in Pompeii and also on gender and space in Roman military forts in Germany. Her recent research has also involved households and household activities in colonial outback Australia. She is also concerned with digital archaeology and the digital dissemination of archaeological data.

Research projects (current and past)

Kinchega Archaeological Research Project

This project involves the study of the environmental, material cultural, written, and oral record for 19th- and early 20th-century homestead complex on pastoral estate in western NSW, Australia, for investigating household production and consumption associated from colonialism in the rural context.

• Project outline

Engendering Military Roman Spaces

This project involves analyses of artefact distribution patterns in Roman military bases to assess socio-spatial behaviour, and particularly the places of women and families in 1st and 2nd century AD military forts and fortresses. It has also involved the on-line publication of GIS maps and digital data from this project.

• Project database and GIS maps

Insula of the Menander in Pompeii: the Finds (British Pompeii Research Committee)

This project involved the study of some 2,000 artefacts and room contents in one Pompeian insula to investigate the use of space in these rooms and also better understand the functions of these artefacts.

• Project artefact database

Pompeian Households

This project involved research of the excavation archives, extant houses and in-situ furnishings of 30 Pompeian houses to compile a database and to analysis of the artefact assemblages in these houses. These analyses provided important information on site formation processes at Pompeii and on the use of household space.

• Project website and database

Australian Expedition to Pompeii

This project involved the documentation and analyses of the extant structural and decorative remains of the Casa della Caccia Antica in Pompeii; as well as research of 18th- and 19th-century illustrations of Pompeian wall-paintings in collections in Naples, Rome and London.

Past and present research students

Past students

Lisa Cougle, thesis title: 'Dress and social identity in mortuary context: the case of Iron Age Osteria dell'Osa' (Australian National University,  PhD awarded 2011).

Katherine Huntley, thesis title: 'Material culture approaches to children and childhood in the Roman world' (PhD awarded 2010). Current position: Asst. Professor in History, Boise State University, Idaho - http://sspa.boisestate.edu/history/faculty-staff/katie-huntley/ 

Steven Ellis, thesis title: 'The bars in Pompeii: an archaeological typology of functions, forms and space' (University of Sydney, PhD awarded 2005). Current position: Asst. Professor of Classics, University of Cincinnati.

Current students

Laura Nicotra, thesis topic: The significance of decorative motifs in Roman relief sculpture, with specific reference to those from Trajan's Forum in Rome.

David Griffiths, thesis topic: The social and economic impact of artificial light in the Roman world.

Ian Marshman,  thesis topic: Making your Mark in Britannia: the use of intaglios in the production, and presentation of identity under the Roman Empire

Carla Brain, thesis topic: The Landscape of Pompeian religion in public and private space and practice

Topics for supervision

• Household archaeology
• Pompeii
• Roman art and archaeology
• Consumption approaches to Roman artefacts
• Space and gender in archaeology