Barry Cunliffe
Encyclopedia
Sir Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, CBE
, known professionally as Barry Cunliffe (born 10 December 1939) is a former Professor of European Archaeology
at the University of Oxford
, a position held from 1972 to 2007. He is now Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology.
Cunliffe's decision to become an archaeologist was sparked off at the age of nine by the discovery of Roman remains on his uncle's farm in Somerset
. After studying at Portsmouth Northern Grammar School (now the Mayfield School
) and reading archaeology
and anthropology
at the University of Cambridge
, he became a lecturer at the University of Bristol
in 1963. Fascinated by the Roman
remains in nearby Bath he threw himself into a programme of excavation and publication.
In 1966 he became an unusually young professor when he took the chair at the newly-founded Department of Archaeology at the University of Southampton
. There he became involved in the excavation (1961–68) of the Fishbourne Roman Palace
in Sussex
. Another site in southern England led him away from the Roman period. He began a long series of summer excavations (1969–88) of the Iron Age
hill fort
at Danebury
, Hampshire
and was subsequently involved in the Danebury Environs Programme (1989–95). His interest in Iron Age Britain and Europe generated a number of publications and he became an acknowledged authority on the Celts,
Other sites he has worked on include Hengistbury Head
in Dorset
, Mount Batten
in Devon
, Le Câtel in Jersey
, and Le Yaudet in Brittany
, reflecting his interest in the communities of Atlantic Europe
during the Iron Age. In his later works he sets out the thesis that Celtic culture originated along the length of the Atlantic seaboard before being taken inland, a rather dramatic reversal of previous assumptions. One of his most recent projects has been in the Najerilla valley
, La Rioja
, Spain, which straddles "the interface between the Celtiberian
heartland of central Iberia and the Atlantic zone of the Bay of Biscay".
Cunliffe lives with his wife in Oxford.
Cunliffe inspired the name for the character "Currant Bunliffe", an archaeologist in David Macaulay
's 1979 book, Motel of the Mysteries.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, known professionally as Barry Cunliffe (born 10 December 1939) is a former Professor of European Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, a position held from 1972 to 2007. He is now Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology.
Biography
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. After studying at Portsmouth Northern Grammar School (now the Mayfield School
Mayfield School (Portsmouth)
Mayfield School is a mixed comprehensive school in Mayfield Road, North End, Portsmouth.-Admissions:The School are currently Employing a new Headteacher. This is after former headteacher Derek Trimmer has taken up the heads job at Hove Park School in Brighton and Hove. The school is now an Arts...
) and reading archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, he became a lecturer at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
in 1963. Fascinated by the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
remains in nearby Bath he threw himself into a programme of excavation and publication.
In 1966 he became an unusually young professor when he took the chair at the newly-founded Department of Archaeology at the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
. There he became involved in the excavation (1961–68) of the Fishbourne Roman Palace
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Fishbourne Roman Palace is in the village of Fishbourne in West Sussex. The large palace was built in the 1st century AD, around thirty years after the Roman conquest of Britain on the site of a Roman army supply base established at the Claudian invasion in 43 AD. The rectangular palace surrounded...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. Another site in southern England led him away from the Roman period. He began a long series of summer excavations (1969–88) of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
at Danebury
Danebury
Danebury is an Iron Age hill fort in Hampshire in England, about north-west of Winchester . The site, covering , was excavated by Barry Cunliffe in the 1970s...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and was subsequently involved in the Danebury Environs Programme (1989–95). His interest in Iron Age Britain and Europe generated a number of publications and he became an acknowledged authority on the Celts,
Other sites he has worked on include Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head is a headland jutting into the English Channel between Bournemouth and Milford on Sea in the English county of Dorset.At the end is a spit which creates the narrow entrance to Christchurch Harbour.-Location:...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, Mount Batten
Mount Batten
Mount Batten is a 24-metre-tall outcrop of rock on a 600-metre peninsula in Plymouth Sound, Devon, England.After some redevelopment which started with the area coming under the control of the Plymouth Development Corporation for five years from 1993, the peninsula now has a marina and centre for...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Le Câtel in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, and Le Yaudet in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, reflecting his interest in the communities of Atlantic Europe
Atlantic Europe
Atlantic Europe is a geographical and anthropological term for the western portion of Europe which borders the Atlantic Ocean. The term may refer to the idea of Atlantic Europe as a cultural unit and/or as an biogeographical region....
during the Iron Age. In his later works he sets out the thesis that Celtic culture originated along the length of the Atlantic seaboard before being taken inland, a rather dramatic reversal of previous assumptions. One of his most recent projects has been in the Najerilla valley
Najerilla (river)
The river Najerilla is a tributary of the river Ebro, Spain's most voluminous river. The Najerilla rises in the province of Burgos and then flows through La Rioja....
, La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
, Spain, which straddles "the interface between the Celtiberian
Celtiberians
The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
heartland of central Iberia and the Atlantic zone of the Bay of Biscay".
Cunliffe lives with his wife in Oxford.
Cunliffe inspired the name for the character "Currant Bunliffe", an archaeologist in David Macaulay
David Macaulay
David Macaulay is an author and illustrator. Now a resident of Norwich, Vermont, United States, he is an alumnus and faculty member at the Rhode Island School of Design.- Biography :...
's 1979 book, Motel of the Mysteries.
Positions and honours
- President, Council for British ArchaeologyCouncil for British ArchaeologyEstablished in 1944, the is an educational charity working throughout the UK to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations...
(1976–79) - Fellow, British AcademyBritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(1979) - Member, Ancient Monuments Advisory Committee of English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, since 1984 - Member, Advisory Committee of The Discovery ProgrammeThe Discovery ProgrammeThe Discovery Programme a public institution for advanced research in Irish archaeology. As distinct from the other public bodies that deal with Irish archaeology, the Discovery Programme’s sole activity is to engage in full-time archaeological and related research, in order to enhance our...
(Ireland), since 1991 - Trustee of the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
- Governor, Museum of LondonMuseum of LondonThe Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre, as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960s and 70s as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged...
- Fellow, Society of Antiquaries of LondonSociety of Antiquaries of LondonThe Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
- Chair, Advisory Committee for the e-journal Internet ArchaeologyInternet Archaeologyis an international scholarly journal and one of the first fully peer-reviewed electronic journals for archaeology. It published its first issue in 1996. The journal was part of the eLIb project's electronic journals...
- Cunliffe was knightedKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
on 17 June 2006. - Cunliffe was appointed interim chair of English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
in September 2008 http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/media_releases/5476.aspx - Chairman, The British Museum FriendsThe British Museum FriendsThe British Museum Friends is a registered charitable organisation in the UK with close links to the British Museum, and was set up in 1968...
(-2009) - Founding Fellow, The Learned Society of WalesLearned Society of WalesThe Learned Society of Wales is a society that exists to “celebrate, recognise, preserve, protect and encourage excellence in all of the scholarly disciplines”.The society was launched on 25 May 2010 at the National Museum of Wales...
Selected publications
- Fishbourne: A Roman Palace and Its Garden (1971)
- Iron Age Communities in Britain (1974) ISBN 0-7100-8725-X (4th edition, Jan 2005)
- Danebury: Anatomy of an Iron Age Hillfort (1983)
- Roman Bath Discovered (1984)
- The Celtic World (1987)
- Greeks, Romans and Barbarians (1988)
- Wessex to AD 1000 (1993)
- The Ancient Celts (1997) ISBN 0-14-025422-6
- Facing the Ocean: The Atlantic and Its Peoples, 8000 BC to AD 1500 (2001, Oxford University Press)
- The Oxford Illustrated History of Prehistoric Europe (2001)
- The Extraordinary Voyage of Pytheas the Greek: The Man Who Discovered Britain (2001), Walker & Co; ISBN 0-8027-1393-9 (2002 Penguin ed. with new post-script: ISBN 0-14-200254-2)
- England's Landscape: The West (English Heritage 2006)
- Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC-AD 1000 (2008) ISBN 0300119232
- A Valley in La Rioja: The Najerilla Project, with Gary Lock (Oxford Univ School of Archaeology 2010)
External links
- Barry Cunliffe Institute of Archaeology, Oxford.
- Video interview Prof Cunliffe describes the East Gate at Danebury hillfort.