Andrew Selkirk
Andrew Selkirk is responsible for editing the magazines. He has always been interested in archaeology: he launched Current Archaeology in 1967. This was a success from the start, and has covered virtually all aspects of British archaeology. Andrew Selkirk is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and was Vice-President of the Royal Archaeological Institute, and has served on the councils of the Prehistoric Society, and the Roman Society. He has one of the co-founders of the British Archaeological Awards and is Chairman of the Council for Independent Archaeology
Ashmolean Museum
Written by Andrew Selkirk Monday, 09 November 2009 11:25
It is always a little dangerous to revisit old friends. What will they be like? Will you still like them when you have not seen them for a long time? It was with some trepidation that I returned to Oxford for the opening of the new Ashmolean Museum on 28th October after a major rebuilding campaign.
The Hadrian's Wall Pilgrimage - again
Written by Andrew Selkirk Friday, 04 September 2009 21:29
One should not start a project that one cannot complete. Having started writing a blog on the first day of my pilgrimage to Hadrian’s Wall I must confess that I failed to keep it up. It was not for lack of trying. Every night in my room I wrote up my diary, often over 2000 words long. I dictated it into my computer. I have a splendid new programme called Dragon Naturally Speaking which puts my words onto the screen, but it has its idiosyncrasies. It would call Hadrian’s Wall Hadrian’s War but I am gradually sorting out the results and I hope they will form the basis of a Hadrian’s Wall issue of Current Archaeology.
The Hadrian's Wall Pilgrimage
Written by Andrew Selkirk Monday, 10 August 2009 00:21
The Hadrian’s Wall pilgrimage is going well. The Pilgrimage is one of the great events of British archaeology. It began in 1849 when a group of young men decided they would ‘walk the wall’ and it has continued every 10 years since then except for the war years: this is now the 13th pilgrimage. For me it is my fourth. I did the first in 1969, I missed out the 1979, but I did the 1989 and the 1999 - all recorded in Current Archaeology. Indeed in looking up CA 15, which was devoted to the 1969 pilgrimage, I see there is a little note at the end apologising for the fact that the magazine was a little late, but this was due to the birth of our daughter Fiona. Well, this year we have just celebrated Fiona's 40th birthday!
Why does the Catholic church oppose suicide?
Written by Andrew Selkirk Friday, 31 July 2009 22:36
In view of the current debate about the rights and wrongs of suicide, Terry Jones in his recent book on ‘Barbarians’ provides some interesting background material.
The Christian doctrine about suicide, he argues, goes back to St Augustine’s attack on the Donatists: “In the early fifth century, very large numbers of poor African Romans converted to Christianity, but the Christianity they adopted had little in common with the religion of Ravenna and Constantinople. Instead, it drew directly on the buried traditions of Phoenician Carthage. Baal, their old god, was now understood to be the God of the Bible. The old religion had at its centre ritual and blood sacrifice; this one had ritual, penance and martyrdom...”
How to present your accounts
Written by Andrew Selkirk Tuesday, 14 July 2009 00:00
If your accounts for the year are not quite as good as you might wish— if, for instance, you make a loss of £2.5m on a turnover of £1.6m – how do you convey the news to your members?
The past year has been one when many organisations have had accounts that are less satisfactory than they might wish. The Society of Antiquaries of London has displayed a virtuoso performance in the art of presenting such accounts.
Hadrian
Written by Andrew Selkirk Sunday, 27 July 2008 23:00
A new exhibition on Hadrian has just opened at the British Museum. At the same time, an exhibition on Skeletons has opened at the Wellcome Collections. Current Archaeology has visited them both. We report back
Brading Roman Villa
Written by Andrew Selkirk Monday, 19 May 2008 18:43
At the Brading Roman Villa in the Isle of Wight, new excavations are being planned by Barry Cunliffe and Michael Fulford. As we were recently in the Isle of Wight, we went along to see what it was all about.
How popular is Archaeology?
Written by Andrew Selkirk Tuesday, 06 May 2008 11:56
Just how popular is archaeology? Over the May Day holiday, I took part in two very different events with two very different answers.
Bloody Old Britain
Written by Andrew Selkirk Monday, 14 April 2008 15:09
O G S Crawford was one of the greatest figures of 20th century Archaeology, but why did he fall in love with Marxism and spend the rest of his life in disillusionment? Here we review a major new biography which reveals the hidden story of his life.
Is Stonehenge Roman?
Written by Andrew Selkirk Thursday, 10 April 2008 15:43
After a gap of some forty four years, Stonehenge is once again being excavated. Admittedly, this time it is only a very small hole, and is only being dug for a fortnight, but it is a very important hole, and on April the 9th, we were invited down to Stonehenge to inspect it.
Monstrous Regiment of Women
Written by Andrew Selkirk Monday, 07 April 2008 17:51
A monstrous regiment of women is taking over. On Friday 3rd April the women held an all-day conference at the Antiquaries where over 100 women spent the day plotting. Your intrepid Editor-in-Chief gate-crashed the drinks party in the evening. Did he survive to tell the tale?
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