Kellogg student Christo Leventis wins MSRG John Hurst Memorial Prize

Kellogg College is delighted to announce that Christo Leventis (MSc, Applied Landscape Archaeology) has been awarded the MSRG John Hurst Memorial Prize, an annual honour recognising the best student paper on medieval settlement and landscape studies in Britain, Ireland, or mainland Europe between c. 400 and 1600. Presented by the Medieval Settlement Research Group at its Winter Seminar, the prize celebrates emerging scholarship in archaeology, history, and geography, and includes a £200 award alongside the opportunity for publication in the group’s journal.

Christo Leventis at matriculation

Christo’s winning paper drew on his MSc dissertation research, which applied spatial statistics to settlement forms in south-west Norfolk. His work explored the contrasting patterns of nucleated and dispersed settlements that characterise much of the English countryside, assessing long-debated theories posed by landscape historians and archaeologists. Using spatial regression and mapping software, he was able to test these theories in new ways.

By analysing soil types alongside social factors such as manorial complexity and levels of peasant freedom recorded in Domesday Book, he demonstrated that soils appear to be more influential on settlement morphology in his study area compared to social factors.

Christo Leventis – Surveying for his research

Reflecting on the award, Christo said: “The judges were interested in whether this approach could be applied nationally and whether settlement classification could be systematically automated. I’m planning to explore both areas in my next research stage.”

Christo came to the MSc in Applied Landscape Archaeology after an earlier career in the City of London, following his undergraduate studies in Classics. Returning to university after thirty years in the workplace allowed him to reconnect with a long-standing interest in the ancient world. The programme’s blend of theoretical and practical training, together with a diverse student cohort and the flexibility of part-time study, provided an ideal environment for pursuing his academic goals. He also highlights the welcoming community at Kellogg – including, in particular, the College’s much-loved formal dinners – as an important part of his experience.

He now hopes to continue his work in spatial archaeology at doctoral level, building on the methods that earned him this year’s MSRG prize.