John Grahame Douglas Clark
Encyclopedia
Sir John Grahame Douglas Clark, CBE FBA (28 July 1907–12 September 1995) was a British
archaeologist most notable for his work on the Mesolithic
and his theories on palaeoeconomy.
(at the time part of the English
county of Kent
but now part of London
) and educated at Marlborough
and Peterhouse, Cambridge
. He spent his entire working career at Peterhouse save for his work in air photo interpretation for the RAF
during the Second World War. For this period, he served as a Squadron Leader
.
He became a fellow of the British Academy
in 1950, Disney Professor of Archaeology two years later, head of the archaeology and anthropology department in 1956 and Master of Peterhouse from 1973 until 1980. The college has a rowing coxed four named in his honour.
During his career he most famously studied the Mesolithic of northern Europe, excavating at Star Carr
between 1949 and 1951, work which remains highly significant in our understanding of the period. He also wrote general works on world prehistory intended for a wide audience and encouraged archaeologists to more closely examine the economic factors relevant to past societies, characterised in his book Prehistoric Europe: the economic basis (1952).
He was also editor of the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society and its President between 1958 and 1962. He was made a CBE
in 1971 and knighted in 1992. He was awarded the Erasmus Prize for Prehistory in 1990.
In 1990 he received a $120,000 Dutch award, the Erasmus Prize of the Netherlands Foundation, for increasing knowledge of prehistoric Europe through "opening new methods in his field by integrating ecology, anthropology and economics in the classic study of prehistory."
The Times of London said on Thursday that Sir Grahame, an expert on the Mesolithic period, "helped to develop European archeology away from a preoccupation with stone-tool typology and toward a broader understanding of how early societies exploited their environment."
The Mesolithic period, or Middle Stone Age, began when the last glacial period ended more than 10,000 years ago. In Europe, Mesolithic cultures lived on almost until 3,000 B.C.
Sir Grahame's books ranged from "The Mesolithic Settlement of Northern Europe" (1936) to "Aspects of Prehistory" (California, 1970), "Symbols of Excellence: Precious Materials as Expressions of Status" (Cambridge, 1986), "Economic Prehistory" (Cambridge, 1989) and "Space, Time and Man: A Prehistorian's View" (1992).
Sir Grahame Clark, an archeologist and authority on prehistoric Europe, died on Tuesday at his home in Cambridge, England. He was 88.
Sir Grahame, born in the county of Kent, received a doctorate and two other degrees at Cambridge.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, the former Gwladys Maude White; a son, Philip, of Trumpington, and six grandchildren.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
archaeologist most notable for his work on the Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
and his theories on palaeoeconomy.
Biography
Clark was born in BromleyBromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
(at the time part of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
but now part of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) and educated at Marlborough
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
. He spent his entire working career at Peterhouse save for his work in air photo interpretation for the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War. For this period, he served as a Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
.
He became a fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The 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...
in 1950, Disney Professor of Archaeology two years later, head of the archaeology and anthropology department in 1956 and Master of Peterhouse from 1973 until 1980. The college has a rowing coxed four named in his honour.
During his career he most famously studied the Mesolithic of northern Europe, excavating at Star Carr
Star Carr
Star Carr is a Mesolithic archaeological site in North Yorkshire, England. It is around five miles south of Scarborough.It is generally regarded as the most important and informative Mesolithic site in Great Britain...
between 1949 and 1951, work which remains highly significant in our understanding of the period. He also wrote general works on world prehistory intended for a wide audience and encouraged archaeologists to more closely examine the economic factors relevant to past societies, characterised in his book Prehistoric Europe: the economic basis (1952).
He was also editor of the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society and its President between 1958 and 1962. He was made a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1971 and knighted in 1992. He was awarded the Erasmus Prize for Prehistory in 1990.
Fenland Research Committee
In 1932 Clark founded the Fenland Research Committee, or F.R.C. This institution was committed to the study of the fenland area, by promoting a methodology of palaeo-economy. The F.R.C., organised via Cambridge University, was instrumental in accumulating data through excavations within the Fens; this data was geological, environmental, and material, providing the means for the research team to understand the relationship between society and the environment.Later life
Sir Grahame was knighted for his work in 1992. He was master of Peterhouse College at Cambridge University from 1973 to 1980; Disney Professor of Archeology at Cambridge from 1952 to 1974, and head of the department of archeology and anthropology there from 1956 to 1961 and from 1968 to 1971.In 1990 he received a $120,000 Dutch award, the Erasmus Prize of the Netherlands Foundation, for increasing knowledge of prehistoric Europe through "opening new methods in his field by integrating ecology, anthropology and economics in the classic study of prehistory."
The Times of London said on Thursday that Sir Grahame, an expert on the Mesolithic period, "helped to develop European archeology away from a preoccupation with stone-tool typology and toward a broader understanding of how early societies exploited their environment."
The Mesolithic period, or Middle Stone Age, began when the last glacial period ended more than 10,000 years ago. In Europe, Mesolithic cultures lived on almost until 3,000 B.C.
Sir Grahame's books ranged from "The Mesolithic Settlement of Northern Europe" (1936) to "Aspects of Prehistory" (California, 1970), "Symbols of Excellence: Precious Materials as Expressions of Status" (Cambridge, 1986), "Economic Prehistory" (Cambridge, 1989) and "Space, Time and Man: A Prehistorian's View" (1992).
Sir Grahame Clark, an archeologist and authority on prehistoric Europe, died on Tuesday at his home in Cambridge, England. He was 88.
Sir Grahame, born in the county of Kent, received a doctorate and two other degrees at Cambridge.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, the former Gwladys Maude White; a son, Philip, of Trumpington, and six grandchildren.
Further reading
- Fagan, Brian. Grahame Clark: An Intellectual Biography of an Archaeologist. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2001 (hardcover, ISBN 0-8133-3602-3); 2003 (paperback, ISBN 0-8133-4113-2).
- Arkadiusz Marciniak and John Coles (eds.): Grahame Clark and his legacy. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010 (hardcover, ISBN 1-4438-2222-1).