The Institute of Archaeology is an

academic department An academic department is a division of a university or school faculty devoted to a particular academic discipline. This article covers United States usage at the university level. In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, univers ...

of 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 ...

devoted to the teaching and research of

archaeology 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 ...

. Together with the

Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art The Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA) is a laboratory at the University of Oxford, England which develops and applies scientific methods to the study of the past. It was established in 1955 and its first director wa ...

, it forms part of the

School of Archaeology The School of Archaeology is an academic department of the University of Oxford comprising the Institute of Archaeology and the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA), and is part of Oxford's Social Sciences Division. ...

. Its current director is

Chris Gosden Christopher Hugh Gosden (born 6 September 1955) is a British and Australian Archaeology, archaeologist specialising in the archaeology of Identity (social science), identity, particularly English national identity, English identity. He is Profes ...

History

The origins of the Institute go back to 1946, when

Christopher Hawkes Charles Francis Christopher Hawkes, FBA, FSA (5 June 1905 – 29 March 1992) was an English archaeologist specialising in European prehistory. He was Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford from 1946 to 1972. He was e ...

was appointed Oxford's first Professor of European Prehistory and

Ian Richmond Sir Ian Archibald Richmond, (10 May 1902 – 5 October 1965) was a British archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at the University of Oxford. In addition, he was Director of the British School at Rom ...

the first Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire. Teaching facilities were set up for them at 36 Beaumont Street, which grew into the Institute. It was formally founded in 1961, with Hawkes as its first director. Richmond and Hawkes were succeeded by

Sheppard Frere Sheppard Sunderland Frere, CBE, FSA, FBA (23 August 1916 – 26 February 2015) was a British historian and archaeologist who studied the Roman Empire. He was a fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Biography The son of Noel Gray Frere, of the ...

and

Barry Cunliffe Sir Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, (born 10 December 1939), known as Barry Cunliffe, is a British archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford from 1972 to 2007. Since 2007, he has been an Emeri ...

, in respectively 1965 and 1972, who oversaw and expansion of the Institute's research and fieldwork facilities in the 1970s. Starting in 1992, Oxford introduced a bachelor's degree in anthropology and archaeology and the Institute became the focal point for undergraduate teaching in archaeology. The following year

Margareta Steinby Eva Margareta Steinby FSA (born 21 November 1938; Wilén until 1961) is a Finnish classical archaeologist. She was the director of the Finnish Institute in Rome from 1979–1982 and 1992–1994, and Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire ...

succeeded Frere as Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire. The

Sackler Library The Sackler Library holds a large portion of the classical, art historical, and archaeological works belonging to the University of Oxford, England. History The Sackler Library building was completed in 2001 and opened on 24 September of tha ...

, situated behind the Institute, was opened in 2001. During its construction a

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

ring ditch In archaeology, a ring ditch is a trench of circular or penannular plan, cut into bedrock. They are usually identified through aerial photography either as soil marks or cropmarks. When excavated, ring ditches are usually found to be the ploughed� ...

es and a medieval

orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of larg ...

and

Carmelite , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Car ...

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or nuns (such as the Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, and Carmelites), or monasteries of mon ...

were discovered under the foundations. Andrew Wilson has been the Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire since 2004.

Research centres

The institute houses three research centres:

Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology The Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology (OCMA) is a specialist research group within the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford in England. Overview Established in 2003 with the ongoing support of the Hilti Foundation, the OCMA is d ...

, Oxford Centre for Asian Archaeology, Art & Culture and Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit.

Notable people

Professor of European Archaeology (formerly Professor of European Prehistory) * 1946–1972:

* 1972–2006:

Sir Barry Cunliffe Sir Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, (born 10 December 1939), known as Barry Cunliffe, is a British archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford from 1972 to 2007. Since 2007, he has been an Emeri ...

* 2006–present:

Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire * 1956–1965:

Sir Ian Richmond Sir Ian Archibald Richmond, (10 May 1902 – 5 October 1965) was a British archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empire at the University of Oxford. In addition, he was Director of the British School at Rom ...

* 1966–1983:

* 1985–1992: Martin Harrison * 1994–2004:

Eva Margareta Steinby Eva Margareta Steinby FSA (born 21 November 1938; Wilén until 1961) is a Finnish classical archaeologist. She was the director of the Finnish Institute in Rome from 1979–1982 and 1992–1994, and Professor of the Archaeology of the Roman Empir ...

* 2004–present: Andrew Wilson Other * John Lloyd

References

External links

School of Archaeology website

Archaeology Archives Oxford
{{authority control Departments of the University of Oxford Archaeological research institutes 1961 establishments in the United Kingdom

History

Research centres

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

External links