Word for today - tephrochronology

Since my punting adventures, I’ve taken to having the occasional after-work pint with some of the Oxford Uni Centre for the Environment crew, courtesy of an invitation from Simon-The-Wet-Punter. Most of them are archaeologists – not surprising, since Simon is one himself.

Actually, he’s a Tephrochronologist – someone who works out the history of volcanoes (and climate change, and other climatic stuff) by studying layers of dead volcano ash. Cool huh? Anyway, for a bunch of science boffins, they make surprisingly brilliant conversation. Take these excerpts from a single evening session.,“You can’t say that to me - I’m an early bronze age metallurgist!” or “You remember Phil, Professor, he once sat next to you in a dress” and the diamond of them all: “Aaah yes, another brilliant dead archaeologist, ruined by Canberra”…