Breeze & Dobson Award
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Congratulations to our 2026 Award Winner
Winner– Grace Wood, Undergraduate Dissertation entitled ‘Beads on the Frontier. Patterns of Use, Identity and Trade along and around Hadrian’s Wall’
Abstract;
Within Britain, beads are a common find on Roman sites, but they often do not undergo further study despite the potential insights they can offer. This dissertation’s main aim has been to explore the patterns in bead use for Hadrian’s Wall and the frontier zone, examining if they are typical and exploring possible explanations of the differences between sites. Data was collected mainly from published sources and analysis was undertaken through comparing percentages of bead shapes, materials and colours across the sites selected for this study.
Analysis showed that many patterns of bead use fit with wider patterns in the Empire, with some suggestion of regional variation where certain shapes were shown to be less common in the frontier zone than studies have shown of elsewhere. Variation in patterns across sites resulted from chronological patterns in bead use, variations in site type and specific features of individual sites.
The findings of this study also support evidence for the usage of certain beads in military contexts, specifically showing a connection between copper alloy beads and cavalry forts, and demonstrating that melon beads were not only restricted to military sites. Bead use in the frontier zone also functioned not only as adornment, and this has been particularly demonstrated by and linked to purposeful deposition. A number of methods were also likely used for production and trade of these items. Trade has been best demonstrated through examination of materials such as jet and amber, the former being an example of more local trade and the latter of longer distance trading.
Based on the findings, this dissertation suggests further study of Roman beads in Britain, such as typological work including all material types and regional studies in other areas of Britain.
Highly Commended– Alex Hagler, MA dissertation
The Allure of a Good Story: A Reinterpretation of the “Ordeal Pit” in the Carrawburgh Mithraeum
Breeze & Dobson Award 2026
Awarding Body for the Breeze & Dobson Award: Hadrian’s Wall Partnership Board
Coordinating Body: Archaeological Research Delivery Group (on behalf of the HW Partnership Board)
Summary: The Hadrian’s Wall Partnership Board invites nominations and self-nominations for the 2026 Breeze & Dobson Award. The Breeze & Dobson Award was established in 2018, with the aim of acknowledging the excellent research conducted in reference to Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman frontier and to encourage its publication and dissemination to a wider audience.
The competition for 2026 is open to projects and research completed between 30th June, 2025 to 1st July, 2026 by students; eligibility criteria and the nomination process is detailed below.
Eligibility
The project must:
- be focused upon Hadrian’s Wall, including the Wall as it fits within the Roman Northern Frontier (broadly defined as the region between the Humber estuary and the Firth of Forth).
- consist of original research
- have been completed between 30th June, 2025 and 1st July, 2026
Examples of original research might include (but are not limited to!) archaeological fieldwork, reinterpretations of older data/scholarship, projects relating to cultural resource management, new research focused on archival data, finds research etc. Projects from all disciplines are welcome, e.g. Archaeology, History, Landscape Studies, Palaeoecology, Placename Studies, etc. However, the research/project must pertain to the Wall and/or frontier zone.
For 2026, nominations, including self-nominations, are welcome for research on the Wall completed by any undergraduate or postgraduate student; they do not have to be at a UK based HE Institution.
Work conducted by members of the Hadrian’s Wall Archaeological Research Delivery Group is not eligible for consideration. ARDG members also may not submit nominations, but are permitted to encourage self-nominations.
Nomination Process
The following materials (as either Word documents or PDFs) should be sent to [email protected] by 6th July 2026:
- Nomination form (available for download from the Hadrian’s Wall Country Website)
- Nominators should declare their professional relationship, if any, to the nominees.
- Self-nominations are welcome and enthusiastically encouraged.
- Written output of the research, e.g. UG dissertation, MA dissertation
A decision will be made by 31st Aug, 2026 and the winner notified of the result by early September.
Judging Process
The following materials (as either Word documents or PDFs) should be sent to Frances Mcintosh at English Heritage by 6th July, 2026. NB: Frances Mcintosh’s email address is on the downloadable nomination form below.
- Nomination form (available for download from the Hadrian’s Wall Country Website)
- Nominators should declare their professional relationship, if any, to the nominees.
- Self-nominations are welcome and enthusiastically encouraged.
- Written output of the research, e.g. UG dissertation, MA dissertation
A decision will be made by 31st Aug, 2026 and the winner notified of the result by early September.
The Winning Individual Will Receive
- Invitation to present the project at Hadrian’s Wall Archaeological Forum, the main annual conference for presenting new research on the Wall. Usually held in Hexham in October/November
- Guidance and mentorship, if desired, from the Archaeological Research Delivery Group for preparing a manuscript for submission to a suitable publication, e.g. Archaeologia Aeliana or Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society
Digital certificate of the award - Recognition of the research on the Partnership Board’s Hadrian’s Wall Country website
