Simon Keay Award in Mediterranean Archaeology
The British School at Rome (BSR) is seeking support to raise funds to finance a new award in memory of Professor Simon Keay, celebrating his outstanding contribution to the field of Mediterranean Roman archaeology through the provision of an award in his area of research.
The new award will offer the opportunity of either a three-month residential stay at the BSR, or one month in residence at the BSR followed by two months of fieldwork supported by the award.
Simon Keay had a long and distinguished career, and for the past twenty years closely tied his research to the BSR. He is widely known for his ground-breaking work at Portus , the Imperial Port of Rome. Through years of leading surveys and excavations at the site, Simon was passionate about sharing his knowledge, regularly appearing on TV programmes and speaking at conferences throughout the world. One of his most significant outreach projects was the development of the free online Future Learn course on Portus, which is still running today.
More recently Simon led the ERC-funded ‘Rome’s Mediterranean Ports Project’ , drawing together colleagues from across the Mediterranean to work together for a better understanding of Rome’s trade network. It is the aim of the BSR, throughout the establishment of this award, to carry forward Simon’s research.
To learn more about Simon’s career and his important contribution to the field of archaeology, see his recent obituary in the Papers of the British School at Rome:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/papers-of-the-british-school-at-rome/article/simon-keay-19542021/B1A07C7315AC7170C2324DB5DF5E14F3
A shorter obituary was also published in The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/09/simon-keay-obituary
This new award will be aimed primarily at the young and early career scholars whom Simon himself supported through his career. We wish to continue his fine work. There will be no restrictions on the nationality of applicants, for Simon was engaged with so many places, and would not have wanted any.
Your support is extremely important. The BSR will seek funding for the award from multiple avenues, but every donation will make this opportunity happen and will have an impact on the research and careers of young scholars.
