Donald John Logan Bennet, (born 1957), known as John Bennet, is a British

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

classicist Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

, and academic, who specialises in the Aegean civilisations. He has been Professor of Aegean Archaeology at the

University of Sheffield , mottoeng = To discover the causes of things , established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions: – Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield , type = Pu ...

since 2004, and Director of the

British School at Athens , image = Image-Bsa athens library.jpg , image_size = 300px , image_upright= , alt= , caption = The library of the BSA , latin_name= , motto= , founder = The Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, called the foundation meeti ...

since 2015. He previously taught at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

and the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

Early life and education

Bennet was born in Singapore and was brought up in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, England. He studied the

Classical Tripos The Classical Tripos is the taught course in classics at the Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge. It is equivalent to Literae Humaniores at Oxford. It is traditionally a three-year degree, but for those who have not previously studied ...

at the

, graduating with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1980. He remained at Cambridge to undertake

postgraduate research Postgraduate research represents a formal area of study that is recognized by a university or institute of higher learning. By definition, the notion of “postgraduate” (United States) carries the implication that the candidate undertaking such ...

on "The administrative organization of

Late Minoan The Minoan chronology dating system is a measure of the phases of the Minoan civilization. Initially established as a relative dating system by English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans between 1900 and 1903 based on his analysis of Minoan pottery ...

II–IIIB Crete based on archaeological and textual (

Linear B Linear B was a syllabic script used for writing in Mycenaean Greek, the earliest attested form of Greek. The script predates the Greek alphabet by several centuries. The oldest Mycenaean writing dates to about 1400 BC. It is descended from ...

) evidence": his supervisor was

John F. Cherry John F. Cherry is a British-American prehistorian and archaeologist, specialising in Aegean prehistory and Survey (archaeology), survey archaeology. He is Joukowsky Family Professor in Archaeology and Professor of Classics at the Joukowsky Institut ...

. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1986.

Academic career

Bennet began his academic career as a

Junior Research Fellow A research fellow is an academic research position at a university or a similar research institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a ...

at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge from 1983 to 1986. In 1986, after completing his doctorate, he moved to the United States and joined the Department of Classics of the

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

. He was a Visiting assistant professor of Classics for the first year, an Assistant Professor of Classics from 1987 to 1991, and achieved

tenure Tenure is a category of academic appointment existing in some countries. A tenured post is an indefinite academic appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances, such as financial exigency or program disco ...

as an

Associate Professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...

of Classics from 1991 to 1995. In 1995, he was appointed a professor of Classics. In 1998, Bennet returned to England and joined the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

as the Sinclair & Rachel Hood Lecturer in Aegean Prehistory. The lectureship was attached to

Keble College, Oxford Keble College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to th ...

, and so he was elected a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the college upon taking up the appointment. In April 2004, he gave the Marett Memorial Lecture at

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth-oldest college of the un ...

; this lecture was titled "Archaeologies of Homer". In January 2004, Bennet was appointed Professor of Aegean Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. He has served as Director of the Sheffield Centre for Aegean Archaeology since 2004, and was Head of Department of Archaeology between 2006 and 2010. On 1 October 2015, he was appointed the Director of the

, in succession to

Catherine Morgan Catherine Anne Morgan, (born 1961) is a British academic specialising in the history and archaeology of Early Iron Age and Archaic Greece. Since 2015, she has been a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. She was Professor of Cla ...

. In addition to directing the School's operation in Greece, he is also co-editor of the BSA Annual and Editor of its publication series.

Personal life

Bennet is married to Deborah.

Honours

On 19 November 2015, Bennet was elected a

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

(FSA).

Selected work

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennet, John British archaeologists Directors of the British School at Athens 20th-century archaeologists 21st-century archaeologists Mycenaean archaeologists Minoan archaeologists Academics of the University of Sheffield Singaporean emigrants to the United Kingdom Living people Alumni of the University of Cambridge Classical scholars of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Fellows of Keble College, Oxford Classical scholars of the University of Cambridge Classical scholars of the University of Oxford Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London Archaeologists of the Bronze Age Aegean 1957 births