The 2023 President’s Lecture

Robin Densem

A Career in Ruins

The lecture will be on April 28 2023
following the EMAS AGM
in the Fenner Brockway Room, Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL.

Robin has been involved in archaeology since 1970 in a wide variety of roles. In this wide-ranging talk he will reflect, from the perspective of his career, on how archaeology in the UK has changed over the past half century.

In doing so, he expects to touch upon some or all of the following

  • Archaeological Societies
  • Growth of archaeological activity from the mid-20th century
  •  Development of rescue archaeology in England.
  • The coming of archaeological units
  • The use of earthmoving machinery
  • The coming of archaeological recording systems,
  • The early public funding model
  • Institute of Field Archaeologists
  • Developer funding,
  • Getting archaeology into the planning system, commercialisation
  • Planning archaeologists, archaeological contractors and consultants
  • Academia
  • Modern commercial archaeology and practice
  • Community Archaeology
  • The possible future of archaeology in England
  • Archaeology as a profession or an industry.