Robert M Chapple, Archaeologist

‘Homeless spikes’ in London ( Source ) Over the last few days I’ve noticed a number of posts and photographs referring to the installation of metal studs, so-called ‘homeless spikes’, at the entrance to a property at 118 Southwark Bridge Road, London. Articles have appeared in The Guardian , ThinkProgress , Elite Daily , BuzzFeed , New York Daily News , and London’s Metro . I don’t particularly wish to make comment on the morality of using such a deterrent, other than to observe that it has united people across the political spectrum in condemnation. If there is an ‘upside’ to this story it must be that it has brought attention back on to the issue of homelessness in London, and in other cities generally. As terrible and heart-breaking as the issue of homelessness undoubtedly is, it would appear to have little direct relevance to an archaeology blog such as this. Indeed, the footnote I’d like to bring to the discussion is in relation to the notion that such deterrents are in ...

[** If you like this post, please make a donation to the IR&DD project using the button at the end. If you think it is interesting or useful, please re-share via Facebook, Google+, Twitter etc. To help keep the site in operation, please use the amazon search portal at the end of the post - each purchase earns a small amount of advertising revenue**] While this blog normally concentrates on matters archaeological and Irish, I do welcome the opportunity to do something different from time to time. In 2010, my good friend Nick Wright completed his PhD, “ Religion in Seleukid Syria: gods at the crossroads (301-64 BC) ”, at the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University. Last year a revised version of the thesis was accepted by Archaeopress for publication in BAR’s International Series. Nick has a provided this extended abstract as an introduction to the book. He skilfully weaves together the disparate strands of the surviving evidence to produce a thoughtful, nuanced, sy...