Michael Shanks (archaeologist)
Encyclopedia
Michael Shanks is a British
archaeologist who has specialized in Classical archaeology and archaeological theory
. He received his BA and PhD from Cambridge University, and was a lecturer at the University of Wales, Lampeter
before moving to the United States of America in 1999 to take up a Chair in Classics
at Stanford University
. He also taught Latin, Greek and Classical Studies at Whiltey Bay High School from 1983-88 and was well known by pupils for his hippy length hair and recitation of the Odyssey
in Greek without translation whilst sat cross legged on the teacher's desk.
Shanks was a key figure in the development of post-processualism and interpretive archaeology during the 1980s, especially through his collaboration with Christopher Tilley
which led to the publication of two influential books: 'Re-Constructing Archaeology' and 'Social Theory and Archaeology' (both 1987). Shanks' first single-authored book, 'Experiencing the Past' (1992), considered the character of archaeological thinking, drawing examples form a wide range of British and European archaeology. During the 1990s, two further monographs - Classical Archaeology of Greece: Experiences of the Discipline (1996) and Art and the Early Greek City State (1999) applied aspects of post-processual thinking to Classical archaeology. He co-authored 'Theatre/Archaeology' (2001) with performance researcher Mike Pearson. Shanks has also authored and co-authored a range of journal articles, including an influential paper on 'the craft of archaeology' in 1996, published in American Antiquity
(with Randall McGuire).
. The Metamedia Lab and the Stanford Humanities Lab, both related to the emerging field of Media studies
(which includes such theorists as Lev Manovich
and Marshall McLuhan
), are pioneering digital arts and human sciences research projects dedicated to promoting cocreation, building large-scale digital collaborative architectures, and experimenting with new approaches to archival practice and visual media.
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 who has specialized in Classical archaeology and archaeological theory
Archaeological theory
Archaeological theory refers to the various intellectual frameworks through which archaeologists interpret archaeological data. There is no one singular theory of archaeology, but many, with different archaeologists believing that information should be interpreted in different ways...
. He received his BA and PhD from Cambridge University, and was a lecturer at the University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
before moving to the United States of America in 1999 to take up a Chair in Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He also taught Latin, Greek and Classical Studies at Whiltey Bay High School from 1983-88 and was well known by pupils for his hippy length hair and recitation of the Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
in Greek without translation whilst sat cross legged on the teacher's desk.
Shanks was a key figure in the development of post-processualism and interpretive archaeology during the 1980s, especially through his collaboration with Christopher Tilley
Christopher Tilley
Chris Tilley is a British archaeologist known for his contributions to postprocessualist archaeological theory. He is currently Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at University College London....
which led to the publication of two influential books: 'Re-Constructing Archaeology' and 'Social Theory and Archaeology' (both 1987). Shanks' first single-authored book, 'Experiencing the Past' (1992), considered the character of archaeological thinking, drawing examples form a wide range of British and European archaeology. During the 1990s, two further monographs - Classical Archaeology of Greece: Experiences of the Discipline (1996) and Art and the Early Greek City State (1999) applied aspects of post-processual thinking to Classical archaeology. He co-authored 'Theatre/Archaeology' (2001) with performance researcher Mike Pearson. Shanks has also authored and co-authored a range of journal articles, including an influential paper on 'the craft of archaeology' in 1996, published in American Antiquity
American Antiquity
The professional journal American Antiquity is published by the Society for American Archaeology, the largest organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas in the world. The journal is considered to be the flagship journal of American archaeology.American Antiquity is a quarterly...
(with Randall McGuire).
Current Research Activities
Shanks is director of the MetaMedia Lab and co-directs the Stanford Humanities Lab at Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. The Metamedia Lab and the Stanford Humanities Lab, both related to the emerging field of Media studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
(which includes such theorists as Lev Manovich
Lev Manovich
Lev Manovich is an author of new media books, professor of Visual Arts, University of California, San Diego, U.S. and European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, where he teaches new media art and theory, software studies, and digital humanities...
and Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
), are pioneering digital arts and human sciences research projects dedicated to promoting cocreation, building large-scale digital collaborative architectures, and experimenting with new approaches to archival practice and visual media.