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Biography
Biography
Dr Rachel M. Winter is a bioarchaeologist and marine historical ecologist specialising in the biomolecular study of aquatic resources. She currently leads the FINS project as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, investigating the historical trade and exploitation of sharks and rays in early modern Europe.
Rachel earned her PhD from the University of Groningen, where her doctoral research focused on the historical ecology of Mediterranean groupers. She holds an MSc with Distinction in Bioarchaeology from the University of York and a BA in Anthropology (with a Certificate in Forensic Science) from Hamline University. Throughout her career, she has held diverse roles ranging from a Forensic Pathology Intern at the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to an Osteology Specialist on burial recovery projects across the United States and Europe.
Research
Research
Rachel’s research integrates zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis, collagen sequencing (ZooMS), and peptide mass fingerprinting to reconstruct past environments and human-animal interactions. Her work is primarily centered on establishing ecological baselines for marine species to inform modern conservation efforts.
Current Project: FINS (Marine Shagreen)
Current Project: FINS (Marine Shagreen)
As the lead of Project FINS, Rachel investigates marine shagreen—a luxury leather crafted from the skin of sharks, rays, and skates that was highly popular in Europe between the 17th and 19th centuries. By employing a multi-methodological approach including biocodicology and historical research, she aims to:
Identify the specific elasmobranch species targeted for shagreen production.
Reconstruct the historical exploitation and trade networks of these now-threatened species.
Provide long-term ecological data to support elasmobranch conservation.
In addition to her work on elasmobranchs, Rachel is an active ichthyoarchaeology specialist, currently working on assemblages from Deir el-Médina (Egypt) and various sites in Greece.
Contact
Contact
University of Copenhagen
Globe Institute,
Section for Geobiology Øster Voldgade 5-7,
1350 København K, Denmark
p: +45 35 33 38 65
e: rachelwinter@palaeome.org
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