Landscape and Coastal Archaeologist
Mentored by Leslie V. Grinsell, author of The Ancient Burial Mounds of England, at Bristol Museum, Michael began his journey into archaeology during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He pursued a degree in Archaeology at the University of Southampton (1974-77), balancing fieldwork with a successful career in both the public and private sectors before returning to academia to complete an MA in Archaeology at the University of Nottingham in 2017.
Michael co-edited the first volume of papers from the Colloquium on Post-Minoan Crete (1998), a forum he founded in 1995. He subsequently has been co-editor of the publication Change and Transition on Crete during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Early Byzantine Periods, which built on discussions from the 1st International Colloquium on Roman Crete (University of Nottingham, 2016) and is currently co-editor of Cretan Studies: New Approaches and Perspectives in the Study of Hellenistic, Roman, and Early Byzantine Crete, a new book series that was launched in 2024 by Oxbow Books.
Research Interests
Since 2015, Michael's academic research have centred on ancient maritime landscapes and the social archaeology of Roman ports and harbours. He is a well-known author of articles on the maritime landscape of Hellenistic and Roman Crete, a topic on which he has also presented extensively, as well as pursuing research into the landscape of the British late Iron Age and Roman Catuvellauni tribe. His doctoral research at the University of Leicester focuses on the Roman Imperial ports and harbours of Crete. He has played a leading role in a Greek-led project investigating the Roman harbour and its coastal hinterland at Ierapetra (ancient Hierapytna) in eastern Crete.
As a Trustee and Executive Board member of the Nautical Archaeology Society, Michael is actively involved in advancing coastal archaeology as a professional discipline, bridging the expertise of both terrestrial and underwater archaeology. He is also committed to raising awareness of coastal heritage within local and regional development planning, climate change strategies, and community engagement initiatives.
In late 2022, Michael partnered with fellow Adult Learning tutor Joanna O'Neill to establish My Ancient World Learning Ltd, a company dedicated to developing and delivering online and in-person lifelong learning courses, educational workshops, and study visits on archaeology and ancient history for adult learners worldwide.
Beyond archaeology, Michael serves as Finance Director of Rushden Escape Rooms Ltd, a business he acquired with his wife, Ruth Curtis, in 2023, and is also a broadcaster with Northampton's NLive Radio.
Michael holds several key roles, including:
- Honorary Fellow, School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester.
- Course and Business Development Director, My Ancient World Learning Ltd.
- Trustee & Executive Committee Member, Nautical Archaeology Society.
- Trustee & Chair, Northamptonshire Archaeological Society.