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School of Archaeology overlooking the Tigris in Baghdad, or standing in the heat of the Jordan Valley visiting Dame Kathleen Kenyon’s excavations at Jericho. British archaeology has in many ways led the world in technique and discovery over the previous half century and there is an air of both pride and expectation among the guests here today.

For me, everything is new and intimidating – the august assembly, the hallowed location and the ill-defined philosophy of archaeology. One can imagine the ‘Antiquaries’ still dominated by the Olympian 19th century founding fathers of British archaeology. Here might be General Pitt-Rivers, considered to be its initiator through his excavations at Cranborne Chase in Wiltshire. There is John Evans, whose work on the hand axes of the Somme gravels in northern France set the seal on World Prehistory. These Patriarchs of the Past defined the catechism of archaeology. As a student, new to the subject, I was not only in awe of the whole affair, but I was also desperately unsure of the nomenclature and the parameters, the finds and the artefacts.

Before us, in the flesh, stood one of the contemporary icons of world archaeology, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, who almost single-handedly through the newer medium of television had raised the subject to its now popular status. His white hair flowed in waves and curls behind his distinguished head, offset by his small moustache and shrewd, twinkling eyes. He was then at the peak of his illustrious career, a colossus among pygmies, in my case at least.

“And never forget,” he encouraged us that afternoon, in his stentorian, commanding voice. “You young students here, never forget, archaeology is about people. People, not things, d’you hear? Not pottery, or brooches, or villas or hill forts. It’s about people; the people of the past; the people of our past. Our own predecessors! Never lose sight of that truth!”

And with that he turned to glad-hand some aging knight of the realm who had been ‘Our Man’ in India or Iran, and merging with him, arm around his

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