The passing of a great archaeologist

With great shock and numbing sadness we learned today that archaeologist Caroline Wickham-Jones has passed away.

Caroline, a great supporter of the Ness and Orkney’s archaeology as a whole, will be sorely missed and our heartfelt condolences go to her family and her many friends.

A specialist in the Stone Age, Caroline studied archaeology at the University of Edinburgh before undertaking a second degree, in Heritage Management, at the University of Birmingham.

After a distinguished career in excavation, experimental archaeology and lecturing, which took her all over the world, she moved to Orkney.

Here, in the shadow of Wideford Hill, just outside Kirkwall, she worked as a consultant archaeologist as well as continuing her extensive research.

The author of a series of papers and books, Caroline was also involved in numerous projects and maintained a blog on matters archaeological.

Caroline was truly a grand doyenne of British archaeology. Always welcoming and always smiling, she was always up for a discussion or debate, over a cup of tea, by her fireside.

Her passing will be felt by all, in Orkney and beyond, and with a deep sorrow by the team at Ness of Brodgar HQ.

Her obituary in The Guardian is available here.