Blewett, Jacob William (2025) Founts of Knowledge: An Archaeological Ethnography of Four Sacred Wellsprings in Glamorgan, Wales. Masters thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
![[img]](https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
Blewett_JW_MA_Thesis.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License CC-BY-NC-ND Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (9MB) |
Abstract
Sacred wells and springs in Wales are well-evidenced as heritage sites of contemporary ritual significance in reception of earlier traditions (Holmes, 2020; Jones, 1954). They are associated with likely early medieval provenance and contextualised by ancient and prehistoric ritual practices at similar water sources (Huws, 2022; Ray, 2020). Despite strong evidence of medieval saintly associations, late modern ritual, and ongoing use, however, the site-biographies of many specific Welsh wellsprings are muddied. The length and variety of their possible use periods, post-Reformation erosion, and an ambiguous archaeological record make many wellsprings complex subjects (Roberts, 2011; Seaman, 2020). In an attempt to account for this complexity, this study synthesises archaeological and ethnographic approaches to consider four case study wellsprings in Glamorgan in multitemporal context (Hamilakis, 2011). Through an ‘archaeological-ethnographic landscape survey’ (AELS), an analysis is developed considering the interplay of a range of historical periods of magico-religious significance and contemporary use (Hamilakis, 2011). References to archaeological ethnography emphasise themes of materiality and object agency, ontological reflexivity, and experiences of liminality (Bennet, 2010; Chadwick, 2012; Foley, 2013; Latour, 2005). Supplementing sparse archaeological data with ethnographic methods is found to be interpretively generative, although AELS may be a more effective contributor to more intensive archaeological research.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain |
| Divisions: | Theses and Dissertations > Masters Dissertations |
| Identification Number: | https://doi.org/10.82227/repository.uwtsd.ac.uk.00004118 |
| Depositing User: | Victoria Hankinson |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Feb 2026 15:59 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Feb 2026 16:02 |
| URI: | https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/4118 |
Administrator Actions (login required)
 |
Edit Item - Repository Staff Only |