Glyn Daniel

Glyn Daniel

Glyn Edmund Daniel (23 April 1914–13 December 1986) was a Welsh scientist and archaeologist whose academic career at Cambridge University specialised in the European Neolithic period. He edited the academic journal Antiquity from 1958–1985. In addition to early efforts to popularise archaeological study and antiquity on radio and television, he edited several popular studies of the fields. He also published mysteries under the pseudonym Dilwyn Rees.

Contents

Early life and education

Daniel was born in Barry in south Wales. He studied geology at University College, Cardiff before transferring to St John's College, Cambridge to read archaeology and anthropology.

World War II

During the Second World War, Daniel applied his talents at interpreting archaeological sites through aerial photography by working for the RAF's air photo unit. He analysed and examined photos of enemy territory.

Career

After the war Daniel returned to Cambridge, where he worked as an academic. He became Disney Professor of Archaeology in 1974. From 1958–1985, he was editor of the academic journal Antiquity. His main subject of study was Neolithic chamber tombs, although he also wrote books on the history of archaeology and archaeological thought.

Daniel appeared on television. He was a host, often with Sir Mortimer Wheeler as a guest, on the game show Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?.[1] He edited numerous popular studies of archaeological sites and cultures.

Academic works

  • The Prehistoric Chamber Tombs of France (1960),
  • The Megalith Builders of Western Europe (1963),
  • 150 Years of Archaeology (1976), and
  • a number of articles in archaeological journals.
  • His most accessible work for the general public is The Idea of Prehistory (1962), later updated in collaboration with Colin Renfrew, Edinburgh University Press, 1988.

Detective fiction

Daniel wrote detective fiction under the pseudonym Dilwyn Rees. His novels The Cambridge Murders (1945) (later (1965) published by Penguin under his own name) and Welcome Death (originally published under his own name in 1954) feature Sir Richard Cherrington, an eminent but slightly eccentric archaeologist who is the Vice-President of Fisher College – a character based on the author.[2]

References

  1. ^ Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
  2. ^ "Dilwyn Rees", Detective Fiction Website



Academic offices
Preceded by
Grahame Clark		 Disney Professor of Archaeology, Cambridge University
1974–1981		 Succeeded by
Colin Renfrew

External links


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