Philip Rahtz obituary

practice

archaeologist who helped transform the region during the 1960's and 70

Rahtz Felipe, who died at age 90, was one of those who have transformed the practice of archeology in Britain in the 1960s and 70s. A founding member of the rescue, the group formed to fight against the destruction of archaeological lines as part of urban development, which led to the current system of developer-funded archeology.

Philippe is best known for his contributions to our understanding of medieval archeology, through his relentless digging in places like Saxon palaces in Cheddar, Somerset, Tamworth Bordesley Abbey mill, in Worcestershire (now open to the public), and many "dark years" of sites in the southwest, and contribute to projects in Repton, Derbyshire, Wharram Percy in North Yorkshire and Sutton Hoo, Suffolk. It was reported the results of excavations in a series of conferences and publications, both full of good pictures and bad jokes.

Felipe was born in Bristol, the youngest son of a teacher. He had a conventional career, leaving Bristol primary school to train early, improbable as an accountant, married 18 years (less likely), and serving in the RAF during World War II, followed by relay as a photographer and teacher, before he took charge of archeology.

dig himself taught, first as an amateur, then as an itinerant ministry shovel public buildings and public works, the predecessor of English Heritage finally got his first permanent job as professor at the University of Birmingham in the year 1963 at the age of 42 years. He became the first teacher of a new Department of Archaeology at the University of York in 1978.

Philippe

developed this service based on their own ideas of what the study should include archeology, rather than following a course of an academic discipline. His course was a strong emphasis on archeology practice and communication skills Philip own key. The students were digging, they also learned to present their results with mini-lectures are part of the final exam. York became a department of archeology of the large and very successful.

in the 1960s as a student I was digging in the excavation of the chapel Beckery Felipe at Glastonbury. Long before Glastonbury has become synonymous with music and mud, which was a strange place where ideas and people prospered. Some believed that zodiac signs can be read through the Somerset countryside - and that ancient man could levitate to see them. A man sitting Trowell one day and asked if I had noticed that Glastonbury Tor and Wells Cathedral were straight. Philip was glad to hear, and explore these ideas through the excavations, but in general showed no rose - the Chalice Well water was part of the monastery (not flowing waters of the Holy Grail) and finding, although Philippe does "King Arthur" period ceramics at the top of the Tor, Tomb of King Arthur does not appear, despite the advice of the queen of witches and others as the place where it could be .

Philippe was an archaeologist

more practical than theoretical. All excavation work was in search of knowledge, asking what the evidence tells us what happened in this place, when and why, and what he told us about the past and present. He writes: "Archaeology is not only fun, very informative and intellectually satisfying, it is also crucial for human survival," and has inspired many children and students with the same conviction

Philip was a great communicator as a teacher and a writer with a force rather than elegant. He was very active and energetic, physically participate in all the excavations that direct or work. When not digging, he gave a lecture, write, visit the excavations of other people, swimming pool - and have adventures

• His private life has raised eyebrows. He was a naturalist and professor at New York, students came to visit her apartment with a large portrait of Philip without clothes. A colleague told Philip to go to his home in Haro, North Yorkshire, on a misty day, getting lost and falling into an open grave in the cemetery behind the house before knocking on the door to be greeted by a nude Felipe . Your beliefs about sex were reminiscent of DH Lawrence - that it was "imperative"

He married twice but had multiple affairs. Their wives and long-term couples can not have found this simple, but there was nothing secret or operation of their behavior. Libertarian Customs 60 and 70 years, I feel better than the modern mix of lust and Puritanism.

As his strength declined, Philippe continues to read a lot, playing classical music, very strong, and could still be brought to a good argument about some aspects of archeology - or almost all the rest

survived by his wife, Lorna, and son, Matthew, and five children from his first marriage gentian, Nicolas, Diane, David and Sebastian.

Find best price for : --Birmingham----Philip----Somerset----North----Wharram----Worcestershire----Bordesley--