www.centuries.co.uk

The Authors of Centuries of Darkness

The authors of Centuries of Darkness, after nearly ten years delay, pose at last for a joint photo - at the launch party of Robert’s new book in the Museum Bookshop, London (see Recent Developments). Left to right - John, Nikos, Nick, Robert; middle - Peter. (1st March 2000)

Peter James is a professional writer who describes himself as a 'generalist' in the study of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean. He graduated in Ancient History and Archaeology at Birmingham University and pursued postgraduate research in Ancient History at London University. Peter has published numerous articles on ancient chronology, technology and the history of science, in both academic and popular journals. He is the principal author of Centuries of Darkness, author of The Sunken Kingdom (1995) and co-author (with Nick Thorpe) of Ancient Inventions (1994) and Ancient Mysteries (1999). Dr I. J. [Nick] Thorpe is an archaeologist specialising in European prehistory. He studied at Reading and London Universities, and is now Senior Lecturer at King Alfred’s University College, Winchester. Nick has contributed articles on prehistoric burial practices, warfare, agriculture, metalworking, astronomy and chronology to many books and journals. He directs fieldwork in Britain and Denmark, and is an adviser to the international research project on prehistoric warfare in Europe, Civilization and War. Nick is a co-author of Centuries of Darkness, Ancient Inventions (1994) and Ancient Mysteries (1999), and the author of The Origins of Agriculture in Europe (1996). For further information on Nick’s research go to King Alfred’s College. Dr Nikos Kokkinos graduated at the Institute of Archaeology, London, in the Archaeology of Greece and the Near East and went on to study Ancient History at Oxford, where he was the Dorothea Gray Senior Scholar at St Hugh’s College. After completing his thesis, he continued research as a Fellow in the Greek and Roman Department, University College London. Nikos has written articles on ancient coins, inscriptions, religion and chronology for many academic journals and anthologies. As well as being a co-author of Centuries of Darkness he has published three other books: The Enigma of Jesus the Galilaean (1980), Antonia Augusta (1992) and The Herodian Dynasty (1998). For further information on his research go to the Kokkinos Archaeological Homepage. Dr Robert Morkot graduated in Ancient History and Egyptology at University College London and continued his studies in Nubian and Sudanese Archaeology at the Humboldt University Berlin. After completing his thesis at UCL he was the G. A. Wainwright Research Fellow in Near Eastern Archaeology at Oxford University. Robert was Course Director for the Ancient Nubia Summer School held at the Institute of Archaeology and Birkbeck College London, is currently a part-time Lecturer in Egyptology (DLL) at the University of Exeter, and is a regular lecturer for Christie's Education on Egyptian Art and Architecture. As well as articles in academic journals Robert is a co-author of Centuries of Darkness and author of The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece (1996), the guidebook Egypt (1997) and The Black Pharaohs (2000). [Web site] John Frankish graduated at Liverpool University in Archaeology of the East Mediterranean, before taking up research into Early Bronze Age Crete at University College London. Between 1987 and 1989 he received a scholarship from the Greek Government for fieldwork in Crete and was a member of the British School at Athens. With the publication of Centuries of Darkness, John decided to rest on his laurels, retired from archaeology and took up a new career in the National Health Service as a nurse. He is now a manager of renal services at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff and keeps his interest in archaeology alive from a safe distance.