The Channel 4 series Great Excavations told the story of the fascinating and often eccentric science of archaeology, from its beginnings in the 18th century to the present. It is a tale of chance finds and clever deduction, of private enterprise and national plunder, of romantic adventures and sheer cunning, of the hunt for mysterious ancient civilisations and the desire for invaluable objects. Today, archaeology is a serious academic discipline, but it is still motivated by the same passion that drove the earliest mavericks to excavate ancient ruins: an insatiable curiosity about our ancestors. Although barely 250 years old, archaeology is a science which aims to answer some of the basic questions of human life: who are we and where do we come from? This six-part series was written and presented by archaeologist John Romer (who has also made the programmes Byzantium, Seven Wonders, Ancient Lives, and Testament). This time, he travelled to major archaeological sites in Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Turkey and the UK.
	Past master A brief life of John Romer Born in 1941 in Surrey, John Romer came to archaeology through an unusual route. He studied painting and drawing at the Royal College of Art in London before working as an artist in Persepolis in Iran, and Cairo, Egypt, drawing and studying ancient inscriptions. He began his archaeological work in 1966 by participating in the University of Chicago’s survey at the ancient Egyptian site of Thebes (modern-day Luxor). For the past 25 years, he has combined professional archaeology with an international career as an author of several bestselling books about ancient history. He has also presented many critically acclaimed TV series. In 1979, John Romer and his wife, Elizabeth Romer, an archaeologist and designer, founded The Theban Foundation, in Berkeley, California, a body dedicated to the conservation and documentation of the royal tombs of Thebes. (The Foundation can be contacted at 2134 Allston Way, Berkeley, California 94704, USA.) Since 1979, John Romer has dedicated his life to writing books and making TV programmes in order to raise public awareness of the importance of the past and to remind people of the fragility of its remains. His books (some co-written with Elizabeth Romer) include Valley of the Kings, Ancient Lives, Testament, The Seven Wonders of the World, many of which were televised. John and Elizabeth Romer live in Tuscany, Italy.
	Great Excavations: John Romer’s History of Archaeology by John Romer (with Elizabeth Romer), published in June 2000 by Cassell, £18.99 In his new book, John Romer traces the history of the science of archaeology from its inception in the 18th century to the present day. He describes the major inspirations and scientific advances of key figures in this fascinating subject. Great Excavations tells an extraordinary story of pioneers, scientists, adventurers and dreamers – and features some of the great personalities of archaeology. John Romer delves into the minds of archaeologists, exploring the inspirations behind their work, such as the desire to know about the origins of the human race, and the need to prove that the stories of the Bible are true. He also shows how governments have used archaeology to support their own versions of the past. John Romer’s personal viewpoint and clear exposition, combined with wonderful photographs by Elizabeth Romer, plus engravings of locations and artefacts, bring the world of archaeology compellingly alive.