Caroline Sturdy Colls

Forensic Approaches
to Buried Remains
by Caroline Sturdy Colls et al

Forensic Approaches to Buried Remains (cover) by Caroline Sturdy Colls in collaboration with John Hunter and Barrie Simpson
Born 1980 (age 35–36)
Nationality British
Education Staffordshire University
Known for Forensic investigation of Treblinka extermination camp

Caroline Sturdy Colls (born 1980) is a lecturer in forensic investigation at Staffordshire University specializing in identification of human remains, forensic archaeology and crime scene investigation. She serves as Research Lead for the Centre of Archaeology there, but also undertakes consultancy for the UK Police forces. Her main area of interest is the methodology of investigation into the Holocaust and genocide murder sites with special consideration given to ethical and religious norms associated with the prohibition of excavating a grave.[1][2][3][4]

Sturdy Colls graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2007 with a BA(Hons) in Archaeology and Ancient History, and with the MPhil in Archaeological Practice in 2008. In 2012 she completed her PhD thesis in Archaeology and Antiquity at the University of Birmingham, titled "Holocaust Archaeology: Archaeological Approaches to Landscapes of Nazi Genocide and Persecution".[1] She is the author of numerous scientific publications, lectures and selected books on the subject,[5][6] not to mention TV interviews and documentaries.[7]

Archaeological studies

A team of archeologists led by Sturdy Colls appeared in the Smithsonian film made for television about the most recent excavations on the grounds of the Treblinka extermination camp Museum, leading to the discovery of several floor tiles made by Dziewulski & Lange ceramic factory, and that she believed to have been used in the lining of the gas chambers.[8] Approval for a limited archaeological study was issued for the first time in 2010 to a British team from Staffordshire using non-invasive technology and Lidar remote sensing notably, because neither the authorities nor the Jewish religious leaders in Poland allowed excavations at the camp out of respect for the dead. Sturdy Colls analyzed soil resistance at the site with ground-penetrating radar.[9] Features that appeared to be structural were found, two of which were thought to be the remains of the gas chambers, and therefore the study was allowed to continue.[10]

The archaeological team discovered three new mass graves. At the site of the previously unknown foundations several yellow tiles were unearthed, pressed with a symbol D✡L resembling a “Star of David”. The logo was soon identified as the pierced mullet star belonging to the Polish ceramics factory from Opoczno founded by Jan Dziewulski and brothers Józef and Władysław Lange.[11][12][13] It was therefore not the Star of David as reported by the Israeli Ynet News service which made the announcement.[14] Nevertheless, the tiles located by the ground-penetrating radar were claimed to provide the first physical evidence of the existence of the gas chambers in Camp Two.[8][14][15][16]

Selected Publications

Books
Book Chapters
Papers

References

  1. 1 2 Staff Profiles (2014). "Dr Caroline Sturdy Colls". Staffordshire University. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Channel 5 (27 November 2013), Treblinka: Inside Hitler's Secret Death Camp Episodes. Channel 5 Broadcasting.
  3. ↑ Andy Tootell (23 January 2012), Treblinka: searching for the Holocaust's hidden graves. Ideas Lab Predictor Podcast, the University of Birmingham.
  4. ↑ Goldsmiths' Centre for Research (28 February 2014), Gone but not forgotten: Archaeological approaches to the site of the former Treblinka Extermination Camp. Centre for Research Architecture (with biographical note).
  5. ↑ Caroline Sturdy Colls, Holocaust Archaeology: Archaeological Approaches to Landscapes of Nazi Genocide and Persecution. (PDF, direct download) Journal of Conflict Archaeology, Vol. 7 No. 2, May, 2012, 70–104.
  6. ↑ Centre of Archeology (27 January 2014), 'Finding Treblinka: Archaeological Investigations at Treblinka Extermination and Labour Camps' by Dr Caroline Sturdy Colls. Public Lecture Series. Staffordshire University, Book launch.
  7. ↑ Alan Boyle (29 March 2014), Archaeologists Delicately Dig Up Nazi Death Camp Secrets at Treblinka. NBC News
  8. 1 2 Smithsonian Channel (24 February 2014). "Treblinka: Hitler's Killing Machine" (4:52 min. trailer on YouTube). The watershed discovery of Star of David tiles confirms the existence of Treblinka's gas chambers and becomes the key to reconstructing the death camp's sinister workings. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Ronen, Gil (30 March 2014). "Archaeologists Find Treblinka Gas Chambers". Israel National News.com. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Sturdy Colls, Caroline (22 January 2012). "Treblinka: Revealing the hidden graves of the Holocaust". BBC News Magazine. Archived from the original (Internet Archive) on October 11, 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  11. ↑ Waldemar Oszczęda (2008). "Jak to z opoczyńskimi "skarbami" było" [How it was, with the Opoczno treasures]. B. & Wł. Baranowski, J. Koloński – "Katalog zabytków budownictwa przemysłowego w Polsce", PAN, 1970. Opoczno.Republika.pl. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  12. ↑ Dr Paweł Budziński (22 December 2009). "Towarzystwo Akcyjne Dziewulski i Lange". "Z rozwoju przemysłu ceramicznego. Dwie fabryki Tow. Akc. Dziewulski i Lange." Świat, nr 1/1908. Tygodnik Opoczyński TOP nr 51 (650) weekly. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  13. ↑ OPOCZNO (2014). "125 Years of Tradition". Company website, Internet Archive. The OPOCZNO Ceramic Plant. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  14. 1 2 Ynetnews (3 March 2014). "Tiles found in Treblinka confirm existence of gas chambers". Israel Jewish Scene, Internet Archive. Ynet News. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  15. ↑ Boyle, Alan (29 March 2014). "Archaeologists Delicately Dig Up Nazi Death Camp Secrets at Treblinka". NBC. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  16. ↑ Pappas, Stephanie (31 March 2014). "First Excavation Of Nazi Death Camp Treblinka Reveals New Horrors". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
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