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Prof Chris Scarre, MA PhD FSA

Professor in the Department of Archaeology

Contact (email at chris.scarre@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Chris Scarre is a specialist in the prehistory of western Europe, with a particular interest in the archaeology of the Atlantic façade (Portugal, France, Britain & Ireland). He took his MA and PhD at Cambridge, the latter a study of landscape change and archaeological sites in western France. From 1990-2005 he was editor of the Cambridge Archaeological Journal and Assistant (later Deputy) Director of the the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge. In January 2006 he took up the position of Professor of Prehistory at the Department of Archaeology at Durham.

Chris has participated in fieldwork projects in Britain, France and Greece and has directed excavations at Neolithic settlement and mortuary sites in Portugal and western France. His early work was published in "Ancient France" (Edinburgh University Press 1983). From 1995-2004 he directed (together with French colleagues) a major excavation of the Neolithic long cairn at Prissé-la-Charrière in western France, but in 2001 he took time out from his European research to study the 17th century burial monuments to British traders at Surat in western India, a study which was published (2005) in The Antiquaries Journal. His most recent field project (2006-8) is a study of landscape, visibility and materiality in Portugal. This has involved the excavation of two megalithic chambered tombs (Anta da Lajinha & Cabeço dos Pendentes) coupled with palaeoenvironmental analysis and field survey. He has also completed (2007) an archaeological evaluation of Jethou in the Channel Islands, and has recently been awarded £135K by AHRC for exploration of the buried prehistoric land surface associated with megalithic tombs on the neighbouring island of Herm. This three-year project began in summer 2008 with a combination of geophysics, auger survey and excavation. A second season of excavation is scheduled for summer 2009.

Chris’s key research interests are the relationship of prehistoric monuments to their landscape setting; the use of colour in prehistoric societies; and the development and character of early state societies. Recent papers have considered the meanings which prehistoric societies may have attached to natural landscape features in Brittany, and the manner in which those meanings were given material expression through the construction of burial mounds or settings of standing stones. The nature of early farming societies along the Atlantic façade in relation to theories of demographic displacement is reviewed in a number of articles published since 1992. He has also edited "Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe" (London: Routledge, 2002) which includes papers on this theme by British, Irish, French, Iberian and Scandinavian archaeologists. Most recently he has researched the nature of pre-megalithic landscapes and the sources from which the megalithic materials were derived. This was the subject of a special 'Megalithic quarrying' at the UISPP conference in 2006, the proceedings of which have recently been published (Scarre ed. 2009)

Chris has wide interests within archaeology and is editor of the leading textbook on world prehistory "The Human Past" (London: Thames & Hudson, 2005). He is author with Brian Fagan of the textbook "Ancient Civilizations" (revised third edition New York: Prentice Hall 2007). He has also (with his brother the philosopher Geoffrey Scarre) co-edited a series of essays on "The Ethics of Archaeology" (Cambridge: CUP, 2006). A further major interest is the auditory and acoustic environment of prehistoric sites and monuments (Scarre & Lawson eds. "Archaeoacoustics" 2006), and he is currently co-organiser of an AHRC Research Cluster on this theme.

In 2006 Chris was Professeur invité at the Collège de France and was also awarded the Felix Neuburgh Prize (University of Göteborg). In 2007 he was elected a Trustee of the Council for British Archaeology. He is currently one of two external members serving on the Expert Advisory Committee established by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in Dublin to review archaeological policy and practice in the Irish Republic. Chris is also convenor of the European Megalithic Studies Group which recently (November 2008) held its successful second meeting at Seville. He joined the AHRC Peer-Review College in April 2009.

Research Groups

Research Projects

Indicators of Esteem

  • 2009: : Fellow of AHRC Peer-Review College
  • 2008: : Member of Irish Government Expert Advisory Committee on Archaeological Policy and Practice
  • 2007: : Trustee, Council for British Archaeology
  • 2006: : Invited lecturer at Collège de France (February-March)
  • 2006: Felix Neubergh Prize: Felix Neubergh Prize and Lecture, University of Göteborg, September 2006
  • 2005: : Editor, Cambridge Archaeological Journal (1991-2005)
  • 2004: : Member of the Comité Scientifique du Congrès du Centenaire of the Société Préhistorique Française 2004
  • 2003: : Annual Taft Lecture, University of Cincinnati (April 2003)

Publications

Books: authored

  • Scarre, Chris 2007. The Megalithic Monuments of Britain and Ireland. London and New York: Thames & Hudson.
  • Scarre, Chris 2005. Les Monuments Mégalithiques de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande. Paris: Errance.
  • Scarre, Chris 2005. The Human Past: World Prehistory and the Development of Human Societies. London: Thames & Hudson. (Additional information) (View publication online)
  • Scarre, Chris & Fagan, Brian M. 2002. Ancient Civilizations. New York: Prentice Hall.
  • Mohen, Jean-Pierre & Scarre, Chris 2002. Les Tumulus de Bougon. Complexe mégalithique du Ve au IIIe millénaire. Paris: Errance.

Books: edited

  • Scarre, Chris 2009. Megalithic Quarrying: Sourcing, extracting and manipulating the stones. Oxford: Archaeopress. (Additional information)
  • Scarre, Chris & Lawson, Graeme 2006. Archaeoacoustics. McDonald Institute Monographs. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.
  • Laporte, Luc, Joussaume, Roger & Scarre, Chris 2006. Origin and Development of the Megalithic Monuments of Western Europe. Bougon: Musée des Tumulus de Bougon.
  • Scarre, Chris. & Scarre, Geoffrey. 2006. The ethics of archaeology philosophical perspectives on archaeological practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Additional information) (View publication online)
  • Cherry, John, Scarre, Chris & Shennan, Stephen 2004. Explaining Social Change: studies in honour of Colin Renfrew. McDonald Institute Monographs. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.
  • Scarre, Chris 2002. Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe. London and New York: Routledge.

Books: sections

  • Scarre, Chris 2007. Appendix A. Quantitative analysis of finds from the trenches. In Keros, Dhaskalio Kavos: the investigations of 1987-88. Renfrew, Colin, Doumas, Christos, Marangou, Lila & Gavalas, Giorgog Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 105-111.
  • Scarre, Chris 2007. Other finds of stone, B: stone and shell pestles. In Keros, Dhaskalio Kavos: the investigations of 1987-88. Renfrew, Colin, Doumas, Christos, Marangou, Lila & Gavalas, Giorgos Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 360-363.
  • Renfrew, Colin, Scarre, Chris, Whitelaw, Todd & Brodie, Neil 2007. The excavated areas. In Excavations at Phylakopi in Melos 1974-77. Renfrew, Colin London: British School at Athens. 19-90.
  • Scarre, Chris 2006. Stone vessels and implements. In Markiani, Amorgos. An Early Bronze Age fortified settlement. Overview of the 1985-1991 investigations. Marangou, Lila, Renfrew, Colin, Doumas, Christos & Gavalas, Giorgos London and New York: British School at Athens. 174-191.
  • Scarre, Chris 2005. Holocene Europe. In The Human Past: A Textbook of World Prehistory. Scarre, Chris London and New York: Thames & Hudson. 392-431.
  • Scarre, Chris 2005. The human past: retrospect and prospect. In The Human Past: A Textbook of World Prehistory. Scarre, Chris London and New York: Thames & Hudson. 716-720.
  • Scarre, Chris 2005. The world transformed: from foragers and farmers to states and empires. In The Human Past: A Textbook of World Prehistory. Scarre, Chris London and New York: Thames & Hudson. 176-199.

Essays in edited volumes

  • Scarre, Chris 2009. Stony ground: outcrops, rocks and quarries in the creation of megalithic monuments. In Megalithic Quarrying: Sourcing, extracting and manipulating the stones. Scarre, Chris Oxford: Archaeopress. 3-20. (Additional information)
  • Scarre, Chris 2008. Shrines of the land and places of power: religion and the transition to farming in western Europe. In Belief in the Past. Theoretical approaches to the archaeology of religion. Whitley, David S. & Hays-Gilpin, Kelley Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press. 209-226. (Additional information)
  • Scarre, Chris 2007. Changing places: monuments and the Neolithic transition in western France. In Going Over: The Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition in North-West Europe. Cummings, Vicki & Whittle, Alasdair London: The British Academy. 243-261.
  • Scarre, Chris 2007. Monuments and miniatures: representing humans in Neolithic Europe 5000-2000 BC. In Material Beginnings: a global prehistory of figurative representation. Renfrew, Colin & Morley, Iain Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 25-37.
  • Scarre, Chris 2006. Megalithic and non-megalithic burial mounds of southern Britain. In Origin and Development of the Megalithic Monuments of Western Europe. Laporte, Luc, Joussaume, Roger & Scarre, Chris Bougon: Musée des Tumulus de Bougon. 187-215.
  • Scarre, Chris 2006. Sound, place and space: towards an archaeology of acoustics. In Archaeoacoustics. Scarre, Chris & Lawson, Graeme Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 1-10.
  • Scarre, Chris 2004. Choosing stones, remembering places: geology and intention in the megalithic monuments of western Europe. In Soils, Stones and Symbols. Cultural perceptions of the mineral world. Boivin, Nicole & Owoc, Mary-Ann London: UCL Press. 187-202.
  • Scarre, Chris 2004. Displaying the stones: the materiality of 'megalithic' monuments. In Rethinking Materiality: the engagement of mind with the material world. DeMarrais, E., Gosden, C. & Renfrew, C. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 141-152. (Additional information)
  • Scarre, Chris 2003. Diverse inspirations: landscapes, longhouses and the Neolithic monument forms of northern France. In Stones and Bones. Formal disposal of the dead in Atlantic Europe during the Mesolithic-Neolithic interface 6000-3000 BC. Burenhult, Göran Oxford: Archaeopress. 39-52.
  • Soler, Ludovic, Joussaume, Roger, Laporte, Luc & Scarre, Chris 2003. Le tumulus néolithique C de Péré à Prissé-la-Charrière (Deux-Sèvres): le niveau funéraire de la chambre mégalithique 1 (phase II du monument). In Les pratiques funéraires néolithiques avant 3500 av. J.-C. en France et dans les régions limitrophes. Chambon, Philippe & Leclerc, Jean Paris: Société Préhistorique Française. 247-258.
  • Arias, Pablo, Burenhult, Göran, Fano, Miguel A., Oosterbeek, Luiz, Scarre, Chris, Schulting, Rick, Sheridan, Alison & Whittle, Alasdair 2003. Megalithic chronologies. In Stones and Bones. Formal disposal of the dead in Atlantic Europe during the Mesolithic-Neolithic interface 6000-3000 BC. Burenhult, Göran Oxford: Archaeopress. 65-111.
  • Scarre, Chris 2003. Pioneer farmers? The Neolithic transition in western Europe. In Examining the Language/Farming Dispersal Hypothesis. Bellwood, Peter & Renfrew, Colin Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. 395-407.
  • Scarre, Chris 2002. A place of special meaning: interpreting prehistoric monuments through landscape. In Inscribed Landscapes: marking and making place. David, Bruno & Wilson, Meredith Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 154-175.
  • Scarre, Chris 2002. Coast and cosmos: the Neolithic monuments of northern Brittany. In Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe. Scarre, Chris London: Routledge. 84-102.
  • Scarre, Chris 2002. Epilogue: Colour and materiality in prehistoric society. In Colouring the Past. Jones, Andrew & Macgregor, Gavin Oxford: Berg. 227-242.
  • Scarre, Chris 2002. Situating monuments: the dialogue between built form and landform in Atlantic Europe. In Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe. Scarre, Chris London: Routledge. 1-14.
  • Scarre, Chris 2001. Enclosures and related structures in Brittany and western France. In Neolithic Enclosures in Atlantic North-West Europe. Darvill, Timothy & Thomas, Julian Oxford: Oxbow Books. 24-42.

Journal papers: academic


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