Elizabeth Slater facts for kids

Elizabeth Slater (born June 13, 1946 – died September 11, 2014) was a British archaeologist. She was an expert in archaeometallurgy. This is the study of ancient metals. She made history at the University of Liverpool. She was the first woman to become a professor of archaeology there. She held the important Garstang Chair in Archaeology from 1991 to 2007.

Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Anne Slater was born in Preston, Lancashire. Her birthday was June 13, 1946. Both of her parents were school teachers. She went to a girls' grammar school. After that, she studied at New Hall College in Cambridge. She earned a BA degree in Natural Sciences in 1969.

While working with old artifacts, Elizabeth became very interested in the history of metals. She decided to continue her studies. She did research on metals from the Bronze Age at the University of Cambridge. In 1973, she earned her PhD. Her research focused on understanding how ancient metals were made and used.

A Career in Archaeology

In 1974, Elizabeth Slater joined the Department of Archaeology. This was at the University of Glasgow. She started as a lecturer in archaeological sciences. She taught about how science helps us understand the past. She stayed at the University of Glasgow until 1991.

Then, she moved to the University of Liverpool. There, she became the Garstang Chair in Archaeology. This was a very important position. It also made her the first female professor of archaeology at the university.

Elizabeth did a lot of research. She studied copper metals, pottery, and glass from ancient times. She worked on big archaeological digs. These digs were in places like the UK, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.

She was also interested in experimental archaeology. This means trying to recreate ancient methods. She did projects to learn how ancient people processed raw materials. She wanted to see how they turned them into finished objects.

Elizabeth Slater retired from the University of Liverpool in 2007. After retiring, she spent her time traveling. She also did a lot of charity work. She passed away near her home in Hoylake on September 11, 2014.

Honoring Her Legacy

In 2015, the University of Liverpool opened new laboratories. They named them the Professor Elizabeth Slater Archaeological Research Laboratories. These labs are in Abercromby Square.

These special labs help students and researchers study the past. They have a lab for studying ancient diets. There is also an imaging suite for taking detailed pictures. An ancient technologies workshop lets people try old crafting methods. There is also a GIS lab. This lab uses computer maps to study archaeological sites. The labs also have powerful microscopes and other tools. These tools help scientists learn more about ancient materials.