Richard Avent (13 July 1948 – 2 August 2006) was 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 ...

, conservationist and civil servant. He was a leading authority on the history of medieval Welsh castles, particularly those constructed by the native Welsh princes.

Biography

Avent was the Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Builds at

Cadw (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...

, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government, and briefly led Cadw in 2005. He was also president of the Cambrian Archaeological Association. He was a pioneer of landscape archaeology in Wales, helping to create the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts. He promoted the study of native Welsh castles, largely overshadowed by the castles constructed by Edward I, and wrote ''Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd'' (1983). Avent also oversaw excavations and restoration work at Laugharne Castle. Avent died in a diving accident in

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

, Malta, in 2006.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avent, Ricahrd 1948 births 2006 deaths Historians of Wales Welsh archaeologists Members of the Cambrian Archaeological Association Castellologists Cadw 20th-century British archaeologists