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About Us

 

Archaeology has been taught and studied at Durham University since 1931, which makes our staff and students part of a long tradition of learning.  

We count ourselves lucky to be based here, surrounded by incredible examples of medieval architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and so close to some of the country’s premier archaeological sites, such as Hadrian’s Wall and the Saxon monastery at Jarrow.  

Throughout the years, the department has grown to become what it is today: one of the largest departments in the world and a national leader for archaeological research 

Although we spend so much of our time focused on the past, we are keenly aware of our future and as a community we share some common goals: 

  • To continually improve upon and develop the student experience, in a respectful environment.  
  • To build upon our global reputation as one of the best archaeological research departments. 

Our reputation as one of the best centres for archaeology in the country means that we can employ some of the top names in the fieldsuch as Graham Philip, Rebecca Gowland and Chris Gerrard. It also means that we attract students of the highest calibre from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

We know that, for students, flexibility and choice are key components of a positive university experience. This is why we offer a varied range of single and joint honoursundergraduatedegrees andpostgraduateprogrammes that can be tailored to your interests. 

 

We are home to excellent facilities, including research laboratories in DNA, conservation, isotope analysis, environmental archaeology, luminescence dating, paleopathology and bone chemistry.

Our department also hosts Archaeological Services Durham University, a leading commercial archaeological fieldwork unit. This means that we can provide expert training on up-to-date fieldwork techniques from professional archaeologists, including at our large-scale research excavations at Auckland Castle.
Find out about our Facilities and equipment
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Get in touch

Contact us to find out more about the exciting things our students do, research breakthroughs, and life at the cutting edge of Archaeology.

Dept of Archaeology
Durham University
South Road
Durham
DH1 3LE