Martin Carver facts for kids

Martin Carver is a famous archaeologist. He was born on July 8, 1941. He is known for his amazing discoveries at Sutton Hoo in England. He also worked at a Pictish monastery in Portmahomack, Scotland. Martin Carver is an expert in the archaeology of early Medieval Europe. He has done archaeological research in many countries. These include England, Scotland, France, Italy, and Algeria.

Early Life and Education

Martin Carver grew up in England. He went to Ladycross School, which was a Catholic preparatory school. Later, he attended Wellington College. This was a private school in Berkshire.

Time in the Army

After finishing school, Martin Carver joined the British Army. He trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He became an officer in the Royal Tank Regiment. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1963. By 1967, he had become a captain. He left the army in 1972.

Archaeology Career

After his military service, Martin Carver became a freelance archaeologist. This means he worked on different projects for various groups. He helped start the Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit. This group did archaeological work for hire. He also chairs FAS Heritage, a company that does archaeological research.

In 1986, he became a professor at the University of York. He taught courses about archaeology from around the world. He also led important digs at Sutton Hoo and Portmahomack. His work helped us understand early Medieval Britain, from the 5th to the 11th centuries. He wrote a big book about his findings called Formative Britain.

Since retiring, he has continued his research. He has been studying early medieval Sicily. From 2002 to 2012, Martin Carver was the editor of Antiquity. This is a very important journal for archaeologists worldwide. He edited about 800 articles during his time there.

He is also involved with The Sutton Hoo Ship's Company. This group plans to build a full-size replica of the Anglo-Saxon ship found at Sutton Hoo.

On Television

Martin Carver appeared on the BBC 2 TV show Chronicle (British TV programme). He presented four episodes starting in 1986. These shows looked at his work at Sutton Hoo. They also explained new technologies in archaeology. In one episode, he went on a replica Viking ship called Edda. The ship sank, which became a funny story he often shared in his talks.

Special Recognitions

Martin Carver has received several important honors. In 1981, he became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. This is a special title for people who have done great work in archaeology. In 2011, he became an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. In 2020, he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. This is the UK's top group for people studying humanities and social sciences.