Richard Hodges

Richard Hodges OBE, FSA (born September 29, 1952) is a contemporary British archaeologist whose work primarily concerns trade and economics during the early part of the Middle Ages. He is a professor at the University of East Anglia. His earlier works include "Dark Age Economics" (1982), "Mohammed, Charlemagne and the Origins of Europe" (1983) and "Light in the Dark Ages: The Rise and Fall of San Vincenzo Al Volturno" (1997).

One of his more recent works, "Towns and Trade in the Age of Charlemagne" (2001), cited extensive archaeological evidence for a network of trade outposts called "emporia" that encircled the North Sea. These "emporia" rose and flourished between the 7th and 9th centuries, and varied from simple settlements of no more than a dock and several warehouses to complex settlements with gridded streets and permanent populations such as those found at Dorestad and Quentovic. After increased Viking activity in the later half of the 9th century, nearly all "emporia" were either absorbed into better-defended settlements nearby or abandoned. He has taught archaeology at University of Sheffield, the University of Siena (Italy), and the University of Copenhagen. From 1988-1995 he served as Director of the British School at Rome. He became head of the Prince of Wales' Institute of Architecture in 1996.

In 2007, Hodges was appointed Director of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Hodges has excavated in Italy, at San Vincenzo al Volturno, and in Albania, at Butrint.

Publications

* 1981. "The Hamwih Pottery: the local and imported wares from thirty years' excavations in Southampton and their European context". London: Council for British Archaeology Research Report.
* 1982. Edited (with G. Barker) "Archaeology and Italian Society". Oxford: British Archaeological Reports.
* 1982. "Dark Age Economics: The Origins of Town and Trade". London/New York : Duckworth / St Martins Press (new edition 1989).
* 1983. Edited (with P. Davey) "Ceramics and Trade". Sheffield: Department of Archaeology and Prehistory Sheffield University.
* 1983. (with D. Whitehouse). "Mohammed Charlemagne and the origins of Europe: Archaeology and Pirenne thesis". London / Ithaca: Duckworth / Cornell (new edition 1989). Revised French edition published as Mahomet, Charlemagne et les origines de l'Europe Paris: Pierre Zech.
* 1985. Edited (with J. Mitchell) "San Vincenzo al Volturno: the archaeology, art and territory of an early medieval monastery". Oxford: British Archaeological Reports
* 1988. "Primitive and Peasant Markets". Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
* 1988. Edited (with B. Hobley) "The Rebirth of Towns in the West AD 700-1050". London: Council for British Archaeology Research Report.
* 1989. "The Anglo-Saxon Achievement: Archaeology and the beginnings of English Society". London/Ithaca : Duckworth /Cornell.
* 1991. "Early Medieval archaeology in Western Europe: its history and development". Bangor: Headstart History
* 1991. "Wall-to-Wall History: The Story of Roystone Grange". London: Duckworth (Winner of British Archaeological book of the year 1992).
* 1991. Edited (with K. Smith) "Recent Developments in the Archaeology of the Peak District". Sheffield: Department of Archaeology and Prehistory Sheffield University.
* 1993. Edited "San Vincenzo al Volturno 1: the 1980-86 excavations". London: British School at Rome.
* 1995. Edited "San Vincenzo al Volturno 2: the 1980-86 excavations part 2". London: British School at Rome
* 1995. (with J. Mitchell). "La basilica di Giosue a San Vincenzo al Volturno". Montecassino: Edizione CEP. Revised English edition published in 1996 as "The Abbey of Abbot Joshua at San Vincenzo al Volturno".
* 1996. Edited (with G. Brogiolo, S. Gelichi, R. Francovich & H. Steuer) "Archaeology and History of the Middle Ages. XIII International Congress of Prehistoric & Protohistoric Sciences Forli".
* 1997. "Light in the Dark Ages. The Rise and Fall of San Vincenzo al Volturno". London / Ithaca: Duckworth / Cornell University Press.
* 1998. Edited (with W. Bowden) "The Sixth Century. Production, distribution and consumption". The Hague: E. J. Brill (Volume 2 in the European Science Foundation's Transformation of the Roman World project).
* 2000. "Towns and Trade in the Age Charlemagne". London: Duckworth.
* 2000. "Visions of Rome. Thomas Ashby, Archaeologist". London: British School at Rome.
* 2003. (with Riccardo Francovich) "Villa to Village". London: Duckworth.
* 2004. (with W. Bowden and K.Lako) "Byzantine Butrint" Oxford: Oxbow Books.