Pottery and the Roman period are central to Roderick’s career. It started during his education at Leiden University and developed until pottery became a focal point in his research. After his graduation from Leiden University in 2009 he worked at Archeologie Delft (2005-2009) and subsequently started in 2010 at ADC ArcheoProjecten, where he is still employed. His current employment within Dutch development-led archaeology as a field director, senior KNA archaeologist and senior KNA specialist material culture provides ample opportunity to broaden his vision on all facets of Dutch archaeology, thereby focusing on the Roman period, Iron Age and Roman-period pottery as well as Second World War archaeology. He was one of the authors of the KNA Leidraad Romeins aardewerk (Guidelines on the study of Roman pottery).
He has published many excavation reports, specialist chapters and papers on this topic. With a membership and as board member of several specialist organisations he promotes the study of material culture and Roman pottery. His research interest into pottery doesn’t stop there. In 2019, he started his Ph.D. at Leiden University on changes in Roman pottery assemblages, which will be completed in 2024.
Since 2015 he is involved in the Berenike Project (Egypt, lead by the University of Delaware and PCMA in Warsaw), where he is part of the pottery team that analyses the Ptolemaic, Roman and Late Roman pottery from this cosmopolitan port site. Many publications on Berenike are forthcoming, and also on the pottery found at several Late Roman and Islamic sites the Eastern Desert Survey of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and University of Delaware.
In 2023 he started his own company, RODERICVS ceramics, through which he recreates Roman pottery as a potter. His replicas are sold but the process also yields valuable insights into production processes – he is furthermore involved in several research projects concerning the recreation of ancient pottery.
