Professor Caitlin Buck

School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Professor

Deputy Head of School

Careers, Placements and Employability Lead

Professor Caitlin Buck
Profile picture of Professor Caitlin Buck
c.e.buck@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 3715

Full contact details

Professor Caitlin Buck
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
I23
Hicks Building
Hounsfield Road
Sheffield
S3 7RH
Profile

Prof Buck has a BSc in Archaeological Science (1987, Bradford) and a PhD in Statistics (1994, Nottingham). Her research interests lie in the applications of Bayesian statistics to archaeology and palaeoenvironmental science. She is best known for her seminal work in Bayesian radiocarbon dating which is widely held to have revolutionised archaeological chronology construction. 

Research interests

Drawing on experience in archaeology, palaeoenvironmental science and Bayesian statistics, Prof Buck works with teams of other experts from a range of fields to develop statistical models, methods and software. Previous and current work includes:

  • analysis of field survey data from Britain and Greece.
  • provenancing archaeological ceramics via multivariate chemical compositional data.
  • calibration and interpretation of radiocarbon determinations.
  • developing models and methods for estimating radiocarbon calibration curves.
  • modelling relative archaeological chronologies (seriation).
  • analysis of the structure of prehistoric corbelled domes.
  • Bayesian tephrochronology.
  • Bayesian approaches to palaeoclimate reconstruction.
  • models for the (re-)colonisation of landscapes in response to past climate change.
  • models for ice cores and lake/ocean sediments.
  • graphical theoretic approaches to describing and analysing archaeological stratigraphy.
Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Books

  • O'Hagan A, Buck CE, Daneshkhah A, Eiser JR, Garthwaite PH, Jenkinson DJ, Oakley JE & Rakow T (2006) . Wiley.
  • LITTON CD & BUCK CE (1995) . Wiley.

Journal articles

  • Turner FE, Buck CE, Jones JM, Sime LC, Vallet IM & Wilkinson RD (2023) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics, 72(5), 1493-1511.
  • Dye TS, Buck C, DiNapoli RJ & Philippe A (2023) . Journal of Archaeological Science, 153.
  • Otarola-Castillo E, Torquato MG, Wolfhagen J, Hill Jr ME & Buck CE (2022) . Advances in Archaeological Practice, 10(4), 397-413.
  • Sweeney J, Salter‐Townshend M, Edwards T, Buck CE & Parnell AC (2018) . WIRES Computational Statistics, 10(5).
  • Bennett K & Buck CE (2016) . The Holocene, 26(7), 1092-1102.
  • Jensen BJL, Pyne-O’Donnell S, Plunkett G, Froese DG, Hughes PDM, Sigl M, McConnell JR, Amesbury MJ, Blackwell PG, van den Bogaard C , Buck CE et al (2014) . Geology, 42(10), 875-878.
  • Seddon AWR, Mackay AW, Baker AG, Birks HJB, Breman E, Buck CE, Ellis EC, Froyd CA, Gill JL, Gillson L , Johnson EA et al (2014) . Journal of Ecology, 102(1), 256-267.
  • Reimer PJ, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Bronk Ramsey C, Buck CE, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Friedrich M , Grootes PM et al (2013) . Radiocarbon, 55(4), 1869-1887.
  • Klauenberg K, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Mulvaney R, Röthlisberger R & Wolff EW (2011) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(21-22), 2961-2975.
  • Parnell AC, Haslett J, Allen JRM, Buck CE & Huntley B (2008) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 27(19-20), 1872-1885.
  • Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2008) . BAYESIAN ANAL, 3(2), 225-248.
  • Buck CE & Bard E (2007) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 26(17-18), 2031-2035.
  • Buck CE & Blackwell PG (2004) Formal statistical models for estimating radiocarbon calibration curves. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1093-1102.

All publications

Books

  • O'Hagan A, Buck CE, Daneshkhah A, Eiser JR, Garthwaite PH, Jenkinson DJ, Oakley JE & Rakow T (2006) . Wiley.
  • Buck CE & Millard A (2004) Tools for Constructing Chronologies Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries. Springer Science & Business Media.
  • (2004) . Springer London.
  • (2000) U.K. Chapter of Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology: Proceedings of the Fourth Meeting, Cardiff University, 27 and 28 February 1999. Oxford: Archaeopress, British Archaeological Reports, International Series 844.
  • Buck CE, Cavanagh WG & Litton CD (1996) The Bayesian Approach to Interpreting Archaeological Data. Chichester: Wiley.
  • LITTON CD & BUCK CE (1995) . Wiley.

Journal articles

  • Buck CE & Juarez MA (2025) . Archaeometry, 67(S1), 31-48.
  • Turner FE, Buck CE, Jones JM, Sime LC, Vallet IM & Wilkinson RD (2023) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics, 72(5), 1493-1511.
  • Dye TS, Buck C, DiNapoli RJ & Philippe A (2023) . Journal of Archaeological Science, 153.
  • Otarola-Castillo E, Torquato MG, Wolfhagen J, Hill Jr ME & Buck CE (2022) . Advances in Archaeological Practice, 10(4), 397-413.
  • Moody B, Dye TS, May K, Wright H & Buck CE (2021) . Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 40(A).
  • Hassan M, Jones E & Buck C (2019) . Archaeometry, 61(4), 991-1010.
  • Sweeney J, Salter‐Townshend M, Edwards T, Buck CE & Parnell AC (2018) . WIRES Computational Statistics, 10(5).
  • Bennett K & Buck CE (2016) . The Holocene, 26(7), 1092-1102.
  • Dye TS & Buck CE (2015) . Journal of Archaeological Science, 63, 84-93.
  • Buck CE & Meson B (2015) . World Archaeology, 47(4), 567-584.
  • Jensen BJL, Pyne-O’Donnell S, Plunkett G, Froese DG, Hughes PDM, Sigl M, McConnell JR, Amesbury MJ, Blackwell PG, van den Bogaard C , Buck CE et al (2014) . Geology, 42(10), 875-878.
  • Grimm EC, Blaauw M, Buck CE & Williams JW (2014) . Past Global Changes Magazine, 22(2), 104-104.
  • Seddon AWR, Mackay AW, Baker AG, Birks HJB, Breman E, Buck CE, Ellis EC, Froyd CA, Gill JL, Gillson L , Johnson EA et al (2014) . Journal of Ecology, 102(1), 256-267.
  • Grimm EC, Blaauw M, Buck CE & Williams JW (2014) Age models, chronologies, and databases workshop, Belfast, UK, 13-16 January 2014. PAGES Magazine, 22, 104-104.
  • Reimer PJ, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Bronk Ramsey C, Buck CE, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Friedrich M , Grootes PM et al (2013) . Radiocarbon, 55(4), 1869-1887.
  • Reimer PJ, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Ramsey CB, Brown DM, Buck CE, Edwards RL, Friedrich M , Grootes PM et al (2013) . RADIOCARBON, 55(4), 1923-1945.
  • Hogg AG, Hua Q, Blackwell PG, Niu M, Buck CE, Guilderson TP, Heaton TJ, Palmer JG, Reimer PJ, Reimer RW , Turney CSM et al (2013) . Radiocarbon, 55(4), 1889-1903.
  • Niu M, Heaton TJ, Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2013) . Radiocarbon, 55(4), 1905-1922.
  • Lv Q, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Charles M, Jones G & Colledge S (2013) Network-based spatial-temporal modelling of the first arrival of prehistoric agriculture: a case study of the UK and Ireland. Bayesian Analysis.
  • Parnell AC, Buck CE & Doan TK (2011) A review of statistical chronology models for high-resolution, proxy-based Holocene palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Quaternary Science Reviews.
  • Parnell AC, Buck CE & Doan TK (2011) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(21-22), 2948-2960.
  • Klauenberg K, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Mulvaney R, Röthlisberger R & Wolff EW (2011) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 30(21-22), 2961-2975.
  • Klauenberg K, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Mulvaney R, Röthlisberger R & Wolff EW (2011) Bayesian Glaciological Modelling to quantify uncertainties in ice core chronologies. Quaternary Science Reviews.
  • Parnell AC, Buck CE & Doan T (2011) Chronology construction for Holocene climate reconstruction. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30, 2948-2960.
  • Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Ramsey CB, Buck CE, Burr GS, Edwards RL , Friedrich M et al (2009) INTCAL09 AND MARINE09 RADIOCARBON AGE CALIBRATION CURVES, 0-50,000 YEARS CAL BP. RADIOCARBON, 51(4), 1111-1150.
  • Heaton TJ, Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2009) A BAYESIAN APPROACH TO THE ESTIMATION OF RADIOCARBON CALIBRATION CURVES: THE INTCAL09 METHODOLOGY. RADIOCARBON, 51(4), 1151-1164.
  • Parnell AC, Haslett J, Allen JRM, Buck CE & Huntley B (2008) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 27(19-20), 1872-1885.
  • Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2008) . BAYESIAN ANAL, 3(2), 225-248.
  • Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2008) . BAYESIAN ANAL, 3(2), 263-268.
  • Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2008) Rejoinder to discussion of “Estimating radiocarbon calibration curves”. Bayesian Analysis, 3, 263-268.
  • Jones G, Buck C, Charles M, Higham T & Colledge S (2007) Out of asia. Planet Earth(WINTER), 22-23.
  • Buck CE & Bard E (2007) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 26(17-18), 2031-2035.
  • Ramsey CB, Buck CE, Manning SW, Reimer P & van der Plicht H (2006) Developments in radiocarbon calibration for archaeology. ANTIQUITY, 80(310), 783-798.
  • Reimer PJ, Bard E, Buck C, Guilderson TP, Hogg A, Hughen K, Kromer B, Reimer R, Southon J, Turney CSM , Van der Plicht J et al (2006) . PAGES news, 14(3), 9-10.
  • Buck CE, Aguilar DGP, Litton CD & O'Hagan A (2006) Bayesian nonparametric estimation of the radiocarbon calibration curve. BAYESIAN ANAL, 1(2), 265-288.
  • Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, McCormac G, Reimer RW, Bard E, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Burr GS, Edwards RL , Friedrich M et al (2006) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 25(7-8), 855-862.
  • Blackwell PG, Buck CE & Reimer PJ (2006) . QUATERNARY SCI REV, 25(5-6), 408-413.
  • Buck CE, ter Braak CJF, Millard AR, Rougier J, O'Hagan A, Birks HJB, Telford R, Katz RW, Murphy TB, Gormley IC , Sahu SK et al (2006) Bayesian palaeoclimate reconstruction - Discussion on the paper by Haslett et al.. J ROY STAT SOC A STA, 169, 430-438.
  • Buck CE, Goméz Portugal Aguilar D, Litton CD & O’Hagan AA (2006) Bayesian non-parametric estimation of the calibration curve for radiocarbon dating. Bayesian Analysis, 1, 265-288.
  • Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Burr GS, Edwards RL, Guilderson MFTP, Hogg AG , Hughen KA et al (2006) Comment on “Radiocarbon Calibration Curve Spanning 0 to 50,000 Years B.P. Based on Paired 230Th/234U/238U and 14C Dates on Pristine Corals” by R.G. Fairbanks, R. A. Mortlock, T.-C. Chiu, L. Cao, A. Kaplan, T. P. Guilderson, T. W. Fairbanks, A. L. Bloom, P. M. Grootes, and M.-J. Nadeau and “Extending The Radiocarbon Calibration Beyond 26,000 Years Before Present Using Fossil Corals” by T.-C. Chiu, R. G. Fairbanks, R. A. Mortlock, and A. L. Bloom. Quaternary Science Reviews, 25, 855-862.
  • Buck CE (2006) Contribution to the discussion of “Bayesian palaeoclimate reconstruction” by Haslett et al.. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A, 169, 430-431.
  • Buck CE & Blackwell PG (2004) Formal statistical models for estimating radiocarbon calibration curves. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1093-1102.
  • van der Plicht J, Beck JW, Bard E, Baillie MGL, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Friedrich M, Guilderson TP, Hughen KA, Kromer B , McCormac FG et al (2004) NotCal04 - Comparison/calibration C-14 records 26-50 cal kyr BP. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1225-1238.
  • Hughen KA, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Beck JW, Bertrand CJH, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Burr GS, Cutler KB, Damon PE , Edwards RL et al (2004) Marine04 marine radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1059-1086.
  • McCormac FG, Hogg AG, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Higham TFG & Reimer PJ (2004) SHCal04 Southern Hemisphere calibration, 0-11.0 cal kyr BP. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1087-1092.
  • Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Bertrand CJH, Blackwell PG, Buck CE, Burr GS, Cutler KB , Damon PE et al (2004) IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 cal kyr BP. RADIOCARBON, 46(3), 1029-1058.
  • Blackwell PG & Buck CE (2003) The Late Glacial human reoccupation of north-western Europe: new approaches to space-time modelling. ANTIQUITY, 77(296), 232-240.
  • Buck CE, Higham TFG & Lowe DJ (2003) . HOLOCENE, 13(5), 639-647.
  • Reimer PJ, Hughen KA, Guilderson TP, McCormac G, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Barratt P, Beck JW, Buck CE, Damon PE , Friedrich M et al (2002) Preliminary report of the first workshop of the IntCal04 radiocarbon calibration/comparison working group. RADIOCARBON, 44(3), 653-661.
  • Anderson C, Buck C & Fieller N (2002) . MSOR Connections, 2(3), 69-75.
  • Buck CE (2001) Archaeological chronology building: an archaeostatistician’s tale. Student, 4, 43-59.
  • Buck CE & Sahu SK (2000) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics, 49(4), 423-440.
  • Zeidler JA, Buck CE & Litton CD (1998) . Latin American Antiquity, 9(2), 160-179.
  • Christen JA & Buck CE (1998) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C: Applied Statistics, 47(4), 543-557.
  • Zeidler JA, Buck CE & Litton CD (1998) The integration of archaeological phase information and radiocarbon results from the Jama River Valley, Ecuador: a Bayesian approach. Latin American Antiquity, 9, 135-159.
  • Buck CE & Christen JA (1998) . Journal of Archaeological Science, 25(4), 303-310.
  • Buck CE, Litton CD & Scott EM (1994) . Antiquity, 68(259), 252-263.
  • BUCK CE, CHRISTEN JA, KENWORTHY JB & LITTON CD (1994) . Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 13(2), 229-240.
  • Laxton RR, Cavanagh WG, Litton CD, Buck CE & Blair R (1994) The Bayesian approach to archaeological data analysis: an application of change-point analysis to prehistoric domes. Archeologia e Calcolatori, 5, 53-69.
  • Buck CE, Litton CD & Shennan SJ (1994) A case study in combining radiocarbon and archaeological information: the early Bronze Age settlement of St. Veit-Klinglberg, Land Salzburg, Austria. Germania, 72, 427-447.
  • Buck CE, Litton CD & Stephens DA (1993) . The Statistician, 42(4), 483-483.
  • (1993) . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B: Statistical Methodology, 55(1), 53-102.
  • Litton CD & Buck CE (1993) Contribution to the discussion of “The Gibbs sampler and other Markov Chain-Monte Carlo methods” by Clifford, P; Jennison, C; Wakefield, J; et al.. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series B, 55, 53-102.
  • Buck CE, Litton CD & Smith AFM (1992) . Journal of Archaeological Science, 19(5), 497-512.
  • Buck CE, Kenworthy JB, Litton CD & Smith AFM (1991) . Antiquity, 65(249), 808-821.
  • Cavanagh WG, Buck CE & Litton CD (1988) . Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 10(3-4), 92-95.
  • Cavanagh WG, Buck CE & Litton CD (1988) The interpretation of noisy data from archaeological field survey: phosphate analysis. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 10(3/4), 92-95.
  • Buck C, Christen A & James GN () . Internet Archaeology(7).

Book chapters

  • Otarola-Castillo E, Torquato MG & Buck CE (2023) The Bayesian inferential paradigm in archaeology In Pollard AM, Armitage RA & Makarewicz C (Ed.), Handbook of Archaeological Science Wiley-Blackwell
  • Buck CE & Juárez MA (2020) Modelización bayesiana de radiocarbono para principiantes In Barceló JA & Morell B (Ed.), Métodos cronométricos en arqueología, prehistoria y paleontología (pp. 297-314). Madrid: Dextra Editorial.
  • Turner F, Wilkinson R, Buck C, Jones J & Sime L (2019) , Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics (pp. 175-182). Springer International Publishing
  • (2006) Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 322-323). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 313-321). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 223-226). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 193-216). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 179-192). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 25-31). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 121-151). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 97-119). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 307-312). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 1-24). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 161-177). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 217-222). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 33-59). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 153-160). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 61-96). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 227-265). Wiley
  • (2006) (pp. 267-306). Wiley
  • Buck CE (2004) , Lecture Notes in Statistics (pp. 1-24). Springer London
  • Buck CE & Millard AR (2004) Preface: towards integrated thinking in chronology building In Buck CE & Millard AR (Ed.), Tools for Constructing Chronologies: crossing disciplinary boundaries London: Springer-Verlag.
  • Buck CE (2001) Applications of the Bayesian statistical paradigm In Brothwell DR & Pollard AM (Ed.), Handbook of Archaeological Sciences (pp. 695-702). Chichester: Wiley.
  • Baxter MJ & Buck CE (2000) Data handling and statistical analysis In Ciliberto E & Spoto G (Ed.), Modern Analytical Methods in Art and Archaeology (pp. 681-746). New York: Wiley.
  • Buck CE & Christen JA (2000) A Bayesian calibration of radiocarbon determinations from the Pearl Harbor Fishpounds, Hawai’i In Athens JS (Ed.), Ancient Hawaiian Fishponds of Pearl Harbor; archaeological studies on U. S. Navy Lands, Hawai’i Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, Project Number 1729
  • Buck CE (1999) Archaeology, statistics in In Kotz S (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences, Update Volume 3 (pp. 6-11). New York: Wiley.
  • Buck CE (1999) , Studies in Classification, Data Analysis, and Knowledge Organization (pp. 547-554). Springer Berlin Heidelberg
  • Litton CD & Buck CE (1996) An archaeological example: radiocarbon dating In W. Gilks SR & Spiegelhalter D (Ed.), Markov Chain Monte Carlo in Practice (pp. 465-480). London: Chapman and Hall.
  • Buck CE & Litton CD (1996) Mixtures, Bayes and Archaeology In Bernardo JM, Berger JO, Dawid AP & Smith AFM (Ed.), Valencia 5 (pp. 499-506). Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  • Buck CE & Litton CD (1995) The radiocarbon chronology: further consideration of the Danebury dataset In Cunliffe B (Ed.), Danebury: an iron age hillfort in Hampshire, Volume 6, A hillfort community in Hampshire (pp. 130-136). Council for British Archaeology, Report Number 102
  • Craddock PT & Buck CE (1993) The composition of the mirrors In Nicholls RV (Ed.), Corpus Speculorum Etruscorum: Great Britain 2 (pp. Appendix-Appendix). Cambridge University Press
  • Karlsberg AJ, Buck CE & Blackwell PG () A Bayesian reanalysis of the S2age database

Conference proceedings

  • Buck CE, Christen JA & James GN (1999) Towards BCal: an on-line Bayesian radiocarbon calibration facility. Actes du 3ème colloque C14 et Archéologie, Lyon, 6-10 Avril 1998 (pp 113-117). Mémoires de la Société Française Tome 26 et Supplément de la Revue d’Archéométrie
  • Buck CE (1995) Radiocarbon dating: problem definition and sample selection. Science and Site (pp 1-11)
  • Buck CE & Litton CD (1993) Applications of the Bayesian paradigm to archaeological data analysis. Actes du XIIe Congrés International des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques, Part I (pp 367-374)
  • Buck CE (1993) The provenancing of archaeological ceramics: a Bayesian approach. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 1992 (pp 293-301). Aarhus
  • Buck CE, Cavanagh WG & Litton CD (1992) Tools for the interpretation of soil phosphate data from archaeological field surveys. Geoprospection in the Archaeological Landscape (pp 75-87). Oxford
  • Buck CE & Litton CD (1991) A computational Bayes approach to some common archaeological problems. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 1990 (pp 93-100)
  • Buck CE, Cavanagh WG & Litton CD (1990) Image segmentation methods for archaeological field survey data. New Tools from Mathematical Archaeology (pp 55-68). Warsaw, Poland
  • Buck CE & Litton CD (1989) Image segmentation techniques for archaeological geochemical data. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 1989 (pp 121-131)
  • Buck CE, Cavanagh WG & Litton CD (1988) The spatial analysis of site phosphate data. Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 1988 (pp 151-160)

Preprints

  • Otarola-Castillo E, Torquato MG & Buck CE (2021) , Center for Open Science.
Research group

Mathematical and Statistical Modelling

Grants

Current grants, as Principal Investigator

 
Heritage Data Analytics: Sustainable strategies for large and complex stratigraphic and chronometric dataAHRC
Past grants, as Principal Investigator 
Uncertainty in Palaeoclimate International NetworkLeverhulme
Statistical Support for BAS Palaeoclimate StudiesBAS
NERC

Past grants, as Coinvestigator

 
The future of the past: A robust framework for the upgrade and development of the international radiocarbon calibration/comparison curves (IntCal)NERC
NERC
 
Teaching activities
MAS106Mathematics Core 
MAS2001Mathematics Core II 
MAS6041Dissertation