We have now had word of the second passing of a major figure in Near Eastern and European archaeology in the past two days, after news of the death of Machteld Mellink (see Neolithic News.) Andrew Sherratt of Oxford University, an important source for the archaeological history sections of The Goddess and the Bull, has died unexpectedly of a heart attack. The details are provided by Near East expert David Lipovitch. I have fond memories of my "interview" with Andrew in Oxford several years ago, at a seafood restaurant where the sounds of cracking lobsters can be heard on the tape along with our sucking meat out of claws. The details can be found here from Near East expert David Lipovitch:


Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:52:40 -0000
From: "David R. Lipovitch"
Subject: Sad News: Andrew Sherratt

From Bernard Knapp (via ANE-2 and AGADE) comes sad news of Andrew
Sherratt's unexpected passing:

British prehistorian, Andrew Sherratt, died Friday afternoon (24 Feb). Andrew had a massive heart attack, and was alone, having just parked his car, when he died. He was apparently unaware of his illness. Plans for a memorial are pending.

Andrew was a student of David Clarke's at Peterhouse College, Cambridge and the long time Assistant Keeper of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. He recently had moved to the Department of Archaeology and Prehistory at the University of Sheffield where he held the post of Professor.

Andrew's research was remarkable for its scope. He was interested in the big questions of European prehistory and he addressed them on a continental scale. He is perhaps best known for the concept of a 'Secondary Products Revolution', which stressed the critical social and economic transformations that accompanied the exploitation of domestic animals not for meat but for the other products that derived from livestock, such as milk, wool, and traction. Andrew directed the first international collaborative field research project in eastern Hungary and his limitless enthusiasm inspired generations of students to work in East Europe.

The current blossoming of archaeological research in Hungary and Eastern Europe can trace its origins to Andrew's pioneering efforts.