Staff profile

Mark is a Research Fellow attached to the UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage. His research focuses on South Asian landscape archaeology, exploring interactions between urban and non-urban communities in the past. In addition, he utilises unmanned aerial vehicles and site assessment strategies to map archaeological risk to heritage sites across South Asia to guide policy and management strategies. He has worked throughout South Asia as well as in Iran and Egypt.

Mark completed his BSc and MA in Archaeology at the Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford in 2001 and 2003 respectively, and his AHRC-funded PhD at Durham University in 2008. His PhD research focused upon testing models of the social and political organisation of the Indus Valley Tradition, through an analysis of both published and new survey data from western India. It argued that existing models are routed in ethnocentric interpretations of the archaeological record, and that the adoption of systematic approaches to survey and excavation will generate a broader spectrum of data from which to construct future models. As part of this he was attached the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, in India.

Since then he has worked primarily at the World Heritage Sites of Lumbini and Tilaurakot in Nepal, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruva in Sri Lanka and Champaner-Pavagadh in India.

Research Supervision

I would be interested in supervising students in the following areas:

Settlement survey and landscape archaeology in South Asia (or related areas)

UAVs as a tool for mapping and monitoring heritage sites

Identifying, mapping and monitoring risk to heritage

• UNESCO and World Heritage
• Cultural Heritage Management
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle mapping of sites
• Archaeological Risk Mapping
• Landscape Archaeology, in particular settlement survey
• Relationships between urban and non-urban communities in South Asia

Book review

• Manuel, M. (2011). Review of Rita Wright's The ancient Indus: urbanism, economy and society. Antiquity, 85, 678-679

Chapter in book

• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Manuel, M., & Tremblay, J. (2019). Sites of the Greater Lumbini Area. In UNESCO (Ed.), The Sacred Garden of Lumbini (223-259). (Rev. ed.). UNESCO
• Schmidt, A., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Hale, D., Coningham, R., Pushparatnam, P., …Manuel, M. (2019). Interpreting GPR data from Jaffna Fort, Northern Sri Lanka, using historic maps and new excavations. In J. Bonsall (Ed.), New Global Perspectives on Archaeological Prospection:13th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection 28 August - 1 September 2019 Sligo Ireland (224-227). Archaeopress. https://doi.org/10.32028/9781789693072
• Manuel, M., Gunawardhana, P., Coningham, R., Davis, C., Namalgamuwa, H., Senanayaka, J., …Bandara, K. (2018). Ritual and economy reconsidered at Siva Devale No. 2, Polonnaruva. In P. Gunawardhana, & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi : Vesak volume : essays in Buddhism and Buddhist monastic archaeology (33-44). Central Cultural Fund
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Simpson, I., …Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2018). Excavating ancient Kapilavastu: the childhood home of Lord Buddha. In P. Gunawardhana, & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume 2018: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology (8-25). Colombo, Sri Lanka : Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka,
• Davis, C., Gunawardhana, P., Coningham, R., Pushparatnam, P., Schmidt, A., Manuel, M., …Bandara, K. (2018). Recent excavations and survey at Jaffna Fort in 2017 and reflections on the antiquity of Indian Ocean trade. In P. Gunawardhana, & R. Coningham (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume 2018: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology (67-78). Colombo, Sri Lanka : Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka,
• Coningham, R., Manuel, M., Davis, C., & Gunawardhana, P. (2017). Archaeology and Cosmopolitanism in Early Historic and Medieval Sri Lanka. In Z. Biedermann, & A. Strathern (Eds.), Sri Lanka at the crossroads : from antiquity to modernity (19-43). UCL Press. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781911307822
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Manuel., M., Davis, C., & Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2017). Promoting the Protection, Preservation and Presentation of the Natal Landscape of the Buddha in Nepal. In P. Gunawardhana, R. Coningham, & K. Nampoothiri (Eds.), Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology (13-26). Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka
• Coningham, R., Manuel, M., & Shoebridge, J. (2016). Reconstructing Networks of Trade and Exchange in the Indian Ocean during the Early Historic Period: Case Studies from Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka). In K. Mathew (Ed.), Imperial Rome, Indian Ocean Regions and Muziris: New Perspectives on Maritime Trade (31-51). Routledge
• Manuel, M., Coningham, R., Gillmore, G., & Fazeli, H. (2014). Societal change and sustainability within the Central Plateau of Iran: an archaeological viewpoint. In P. Sillitoe (Ed.), Sustainable development : an appraisal from the Gulf Region (38-61). Berghahn Journals
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Manuel, M., Donahue, R., Schmidt, A., …Young, R. (2013). Methodology. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (21-30). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Manuel, M., Young, R., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Katugampola, M., …Rammungoda, U. (2013). Survey Data. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (49-96). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Manuel, M., & Davis, C. (2013). History of Research. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (9-20). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., …Rammungoda, U. (2013). Terracotta Objects. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (333-392). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Bailiff, I., …Rammungoda, U. (2013). Phasing the Hinterland. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (31-48). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Kourampas, N., Simpson, I., Fazeli, H., Coningham, R., & Manuel, M. (2013). Sediments, soils and livelihood in a Late Neolithic village on the Iranian Plateau. In R. Matthews, & H. Fazeli (Eds.), The Neolithisation of Iran: the formation of new societies (178-189). Oxbow Books
• Davis, C., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., & Manuel, M. (2013). Epigraphy in the hinterland. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (445-458). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Fazeli, H., Coningham, R., Marghussian, A., Manuel, M., Azizi, H., & Pollard, A. (2013). Mapping the Neolithic occupation of the Kashan, Tehran and Qazvin Plains. In R. Matthews, & H. Fazeli (Eds.), The Neolithisation of Iran: the formation of new societies (114-135). Oxbow Books
• Gilliland, K., Simpson, I., Adderley, P., Burbidge, C., Cresswell, A., Sanderson, D., …Senanayake, J. (2013). Environment and Water Management. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (191-228). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Manuel, M., Davis, C., & Simpson, I. (2013). Discussion. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (459-479). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Krishnan, K., Davis, C., Manuel, M., …Stern, B. (2013). Glazed and Unglazed Ceramics. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (229-332). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Schmidt, A., Manuel, M., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Senanayake, J., Rammungoda, U., & Namalgamuwa, H. (2013). Non-intrusive Surface Survey: Geophysics and Augering. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (97-134). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Strickland, K., Manuel, M., Senanayake, J., …Rammungoda, U. (2013). Excavation. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (135-190). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Manuel, M., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Strickland, K., Young, R., …Senanayake, J. (2013). Construction and Building Materials, Stone, Glass, Metal, Archaezoological, Archaeobotanical and Plastic Objects. In R. Coningham, & P. Gunawardhana (Eds.), Anuradhapura Volume III: The Hinterland (393-444). Archaeopress (BAR International Series 2568)
• Manuel, M. (2010). Chronology and Culture-History in the Indus Valley. In P. Gunawardhana, G. Adikari, & R. Coningham (Eds.), Sirinimal Lakdusinghe Felicitation Volume (145-152). Neptune
• Coningham, R., & Manuel, M. (2009). The Early Empires of South Asia. In T. Harrison (Ed.), The Great Empires of the Ancient World (226-249). Thames & Hudson
• Coningham, R., & Manuel, M. (2008). Geographic overviews, Asia (South): Asia, South: Northwest Frontier and Kashmir region (MS 218). In D. Pearsall (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Archaeology (733-745). Elsevier
• Coningham, R., & Manuel, M. (2008). Warfare in Ancient South Asia. In P. De Souza (Ed.), The Ancient World at War. Thames & Hudson
• Coningham, R., & Manuel, M. (2007). The Indus Civilisation. In A. Cremin (Ed.), Archaeologica : The world's most significant sites and cultural treasures (240-245). Random House

Edited book

• Gunawardhana, P., & Coningham, R. (Eds.). (2018). Buddha Rashmi Vesak Volume 2018: Essays in Buddhism and Buddhist Monastic Archaeology. Colombo, Sri Lanka : Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka,

Journal Article

• Manuel, M., Gunawardana, P., Namalgamuwa, H., Coningham, R., Davis, C., Krishnan, K., …Rammungoda, U. (2021). Low Density Urbanism in Medieval Sri Lanka: Exploring the hinterland of Polonnaruva. Asian Perspectives: The Journal of Archaeology for Asia and the Pacific, 60(2), 248-271. https://doi.org/10.1353/asi.2021.0002
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Villis, R., Davis, C., Manuel, M., …Naylor, A. (2021). Pilot geophysical investigations in Thimi, Kathmandu Valley. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 206, 23-47
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Villis, R., Hale, D., Davis, C., …Naylor, A. (2021). Geophysical Investigations at the Satya Narayan Temple, Handigaon, Kathmandu (Nepal). PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 207, 24-36
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Villis, R., Manuel, M., Davis, C., …Naylor, A. (2020). Pilot Geophysical Survey at Maulapur, Rautahat District, Nepal. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 203, 29-42
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Simpson, I., Kinnaird, T., Strickland, K., …Mo, J. (2020). Lumbini’s ‘Nursery Well’ and the evidence for an ancient routeway through Rupandehi and Kapilbastu Districts, Nepal. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 204, 5-24
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Gyawali, B., Davis, C., Simpson, I., …Woolston-Houshold, M. (2020). Archaeological Investigations at Dohani and Karma, two newly identified fortified enclosures in Kapilbastu District, Nepal: Preliminary results from geophysical survey, mapping and auger coring. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 204, 25-57
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Villis, R., Manuel, M., Davis, C., …Naylor, A. (2020). Pilot Archaeological Investigations at Panditpur, Nawalparasi District, Nepal. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 203, 43-59
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Davis, C., Kunwar, R., Manuel, M., Hale, D., …Mo, J. (2020). Geophysical Investigations at Ramagrama: Results from new surveys undertaken in November 2019 and February 2020. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 230, 5-28
• Davis, C., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Pushparatnam, P., Schmidt, A., & Manuel, M. (2019). The antiquity of Jaffna Fort: new evidence from post-disaster archaeological investigations in northern Sri Lanka. Antiquity, 93(368), Article e13. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2019.30
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Hale, D., Kunwar, R., Manuel, M., Woolston-Houshold, M., & Davis, C. (2019). Geophysical Investigations at Ramagrama, Nepal: Results from new surveys undertaken in January 2018. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 5-17
• Dahal, B., Kunwar, R., Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Hale, D., Davis, C., …Voke, P. (2019). Pilot Geophysical survey at Guita Domar, Patan, Kathmandu, Nepal. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 201, 48-56
• Dahal, B., Kunwar, R., Acharya, K., Coningham, R., Hale, D., Davis, C., …Voke, P. (2019). Pilot Geophysical survey at Panauti, Kavre Palanchok District, Nepal. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 201, 39-46
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Kunwar, R., Davis, C., Hale, D., Manuel, M., …Watson, L. (2019). Pilot Geophysical Survey in Handigaon, Kathmandu. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 19-37
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Manuel, M., Davis, C., Kunwar, R., Simpson, I., …Lafortune-Bernard, A. (2018). Archaeological investigations at Tilaurakot-Kapilavastu, 2014-2016. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 197-198, 5-59
• Manuel, M., Lightfoot, D., & Fattahi, M. (2018). The sustainability of ancient water control techniques in Iran: an overview. Water History, 10(1), 13-30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12685-017-0200-7
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Kunwar, R., Hale, D., …Mirnig, N. (2016). Exploring Ancient Pashupati: Preliminary Results of Archaeological Surveys and Excavations at Bhandarkhal, Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Property (Nepal). PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 191-192, 93-112
• Davis, C., Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Simpson, I., Tremblay, J., Kunwar, R., …Bidari, B. (2016). Re-investigating Tilaurakot’s Ancient Fortifications: a preliminary report of excavations through the northern rampart (Nepal). PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 190, 30-46
• Strickland, K., Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Schmidt, A., Simpson, I., Kunwar, R., …Bidari, B. (2016). Ancient Lumminigame: A Preliminary Report on Recent Archaeological Investigations at Lumbini’s Village Mound. PRACINA NEPALA. ANCIENT NEPAL, 190, 1-17
• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Strickland, K., Davis, C., Manuel, M., Simpson, I., …Sanderson, D. (2013). The Earliest Buddhist Shrine: Excavating the Birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini (Nepal). Antiquity, 87(338), 1104-1123. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00049899
• Bailiff, I., Lacey, H., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Davis, C., …Strickland, K. (2013). Luminescence dating of brick stupas: an application to the hinterland of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Antiquity, 87(335), 189-201. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00048717
• Gilliland, K., Simpson, I., Adderley, W., Burbidge, C., Cresswell, A., Sanderson, D., …Adikari, G. (2013). The dry tank: development and disuse of water management infrastructure in the Anuradhapura hinterland, Sri Lanka. Journal of Archaeological Science, 40(2), 1012-1028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.09.034
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Adikari, G., Simpson, I., Strickland, K., …Manuel, M. (2012). Contextualising the Tabbova-Maradanmaduva 'culture': Excavations at Nikawewa, Tirappane, Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. South Asian Studies, 28(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.2012.659877
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Manuel, M., Adikari, G., Young, R., Schmidt, A., …Batt, C. (2011). Response to Goonatilake. Antiquity, 85(329), 1065-1067
• Manuel, M. (2010). Hidden Agendas: Hoarding within the Indus Valley Tradition
• Coningham., R., & Manuel, M. (2009). Priest-Kings or Puritans? Childe and willing subordination in the Indus. European Journal of Archaeology, 12(1-3), 167-180. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461957109339691
• Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Manuel, M., Adikari, G., Katugampola, M., Young, R., …Batt, C. (2007). The state of theocracy: defining an Early Medieval hinterland in Sri Lanka. Antiquity, 81(313), 699-719. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00095673

Report

• Coningham, R., Acharya, K., Davis, C., Strickland, K., McDonnell, G., Tremblay, J., …Bidari, B. (2016). Defining the Chronological and Cultural Sequence of Mound V, Tilaurakot: A Report on pilot excavations conducted in 1999. [No known commissioning body]