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Dilys Amanda Johns

FIIC London, ICCROM Rome, CCI Ottawa, NZCCM

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Senior Research Fellow
In: Anthropology » Social Sciences » Faculty of Arts

Biography

Dilys Johns studied Archaeology at the University of Auckland, completing a thesis: Waterlogged Wood Conservation – an investigation of radiation-induced polymerization of monomers in 1985.

Subsequently Dilys received a Te Tari Taiwhenua - Department of Internal Affairs Cultural Conservation Advisory Council scholarship to study conservation science in Rome at the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation of Cultural Property and in Ottawa at the Canadian Conservation Institute.

Returning to New Zealand in 1987 Dilys established the National Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conservation Laboratory at The University of Auckland. This purpose-built laboratory, a unique facility in NZ, specializes in the study and conservation of waterlogged ‘at risk’ taonga / artefacts and in situ preservation of wetland archaeological sites.

Dilys Johns has been involved with a variety of projects throughout New Zealand and the Pacific. She currently directs conservation at  the University of Auckland Conservation laboratory 8 satellite laboratories in Southland, Otago, Wellington, Nelson, Waiuku, Wairapapa,  Muriwai and Rekohu (Chatham Islands).

Current large scale conservation projects in New Zealand include:

Research | Current

  • Conservation of at-risk taonga
  • Sustainability of in situ preservation for wetland archaeological sites in New Zealand

Teaching | Current

ANTHRO 340 Heritage Conservation in Aotearoa

This course presents a cultural conservation overview focused on rationale and principles rather than treatment. Heritage Conservation in Aotearoa equips students with a cultural orientation to materials conservation where issues are examined through several contexts including anthropological studies and conservation science.

Distinctions/Honours

Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic works (London, United Kingdom)

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/news-events-and-notices/news/news-2015/08/academic-elected-to-international-institute-for-conservation.html 

Responsibilities

Senior Research Fellow and Director of the University of Auckland National Conservation Laboratory for Wet Organic Archaeological Materials and 8 satellite conservation facilities throughout New Zealand and the Chatham Islands.

Areas of expertise

Committees/Professional groups/Services

An Assistant Coordinator of the Wet Organic Archaeological Materials International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation (ICOM CC) Paris, France. In 2016 on executive organizing committee for the 13th ICOM CC Wet Organic Archaeological Materials (WOAM) in Florence, Italy. In 2019 on academic committee for the 14th ICOM WOAM Conference in Portsmouth, U.K.

  • Founding member of New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials (NZCCM)
  • Member International Council of Museums New Zealand Aotearoa (Board member 2012 to 2014)
  • Member Wetland Archaeological Research Project (Exeter,U.K.)
  • Member of Heritage New Zealand - Pouhere Taonga
  • Member of New Zealand Archaeological Association

 

Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)

  • Boswijk, G., & Johns, D. (2018). Assessing the potential to calendar date Māori waka (canoes) using dendrochronology. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 17, 442-448. 10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.11.030
    URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/42468
    Other University of Auckland co-authors: Gretel Boswijk
  • Johns, D., ki Mohua, M., & o Ōtākou TR (2018). Conserving 14th and 15th century canoes in satellite treatment facilities in Aotearoa, New Zealand: ‘Getting by’ down under. In E. Williams, E. Hocker (Eds.) Proceedings of the 13th ICOM-CC Group on Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Conference, 125-133. Florence, Italy: ICOM.
  • Johns, D. A., Briden, S., Wesley, R., & Irwin, G. (2017). Understanding Aotearoa’s past through the recovery and conservation of a 15th century canoe and fibre work Papanui Inlet, Otago Peninsula. The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 4 (126), 469-494. 10.15286/jps.126.4.469-494
    URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/40669
    Other University of Auckland co-authors: Geoffrey Irwin
  • Boswijk, G., & Johns, D. A. (2017). Tree-ring analysis of kauri (Agathis australis) samples from a waka recovered from Muriwai Beach, Auckland. University of Auckland: School of Environment.
    Other University of Auckland co-authors: Gretel Boswijk
  • Boswijk, G., & Johns, D. (2017). Tree-ring analysis of kauri (Agathis australis) samples from a waka recovered from Maioro Beach, Waikato River Delta, Waikato. University of Auckland: School of Environment.
    Other University of Auckland co-authors: Gretel Boswijk
  • Johns, D. (2017). Conserving 14th to 19th century canoes in satellite facilities around Aotearoa, NZ. New Zealand Maritime Museum, Auckland, New Zealand. 6 July - 6 July 2017.
    URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/39774
  • Johns, D. (2017). Recovery and conservation of a waterlogged waka and associated taonga from Papanui Inlet, Otago Peninsula. Otakou Marae, Otago Peninsula, Otago. 6 February - 6 February 2017.
  • Irwin, G., Johns, D., Flay, R. G. J., Munaro, F., Sung, Y., & Mackrell, T. A. (2017). A review of archaeological Maori canoes (waka) reveals changes in sailing technology and maritime communications in Aotearoa/New Zealand, AD 1300-1800. Journal of Pacific Archaeology, 8 (2), 31-43.
    Other University of Auckland co-authors: Geoffrey Irwin, Richard Flay, Timothy Mackrell
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Contact details

  • Media Contact

Alternative contact

021 206 4209

Primary office location

HSB - EAST - Bldg 201E
Level 8, Room 849
10 SYMONDS ST
AUCKLAND CENTRAL
AUCKLAND 1010
New Zealand

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