A University archaeologist has been recognised as one of the most promising of his generation. Dr Manuel Fernández-Götz was awarded the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for Archaeology. He is member of the Executive Board of the European Association of Archaeologists and has authored more than 130 publications. The £100,000 prize will support his pioneering research into the Iberian Peninsula and the Roman Conquest. Supporting promising researchers Awarded annually by the Leverhulme Trust, Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers – usually under the age of 38 – who have made an exceptional contribution to their area of study, and are expected to continue to do so. The funds can be used for any purpose which can advance the recipient’s research. Fresh insight The significant funding boost will allow Dr Fernández-Götz to utilise new technologies to help identify and study former battlefields, Roman military camps and indigenous settlements in northern Spain and beyond. The research will help shed light on the Roman conquest of north-western Europe between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. By using tools such as LiDAR – a detection system which uses light from a laser – and geophysics, he hopes to gain a better understanding of the strategies and the impact of Roman imperialism and the responses of the native populations. Although the main focus will be on Spain, the project will also include northern Iberia, northern Gaul and northern Britain within a comparative framework. I am delighted to have been awarded such a prestigious prize. Conflict archaeology is one of the most dynamic emerging topics in international archaeology, and the study of the materiality of the Roman conquest provides new insights into one of the key events in the history of Europe." Dr Fernández-GötzLecturer in the University’s School of History, Classics and Archaeology Leading debate The Philip Leverhulme Prize will also enable Dr Fernández-Götz to complete a book on the archaeology of the Iberian Peninsula for the Cambridge University Press World Archaeology Series. Archaeology of Iberia 1000 BC-AD 700: Colonial Encounters and Imperial Power will be the first single-authored publication covering the timespan from the Bronze Age to the Muslim conquest. The book is expected to spark debate among archaeologists and historians both internationally and within Spain. It will address many issues which are among the leading topics in current archaeological research. Related links Research profile: Dr Manuel Fernández-Götz Philip Leverhulme Prizes Research in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Publication date 24 Oct, 2016
