Congratulations to Professor Lord Colin Renfrew and Dr Michael Boyd who have been awarded a 2019 Field Discovery Award by the Shanghai Archaeology Forum of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Commenting on the prestigious award, Boyd said, "We are delighted that our work on Keros in the Cycladic islands of Greece, now recognised as the world's oldest maritime sanctuary, has been recognised by a Field Discovery award at the 2019 Shanghai Archaeology Forum, which is now one of the most international of archaeological meetings."

Prof Lord Colin Renfrew and Dr Michael Boyd receive a Field Discovery Award at the 4th Shanghai Archaeology Forum

"The award is an encouragement to our entire Keros team, and will be welcomed also by our Cycladic colleagues in Greece at the Ephorate of Antiquities for the Cyclades. We are particularly grateful to the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research for hosting the project, and to our many sponsors for their support, in particular the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the A.G. Leventis Foundation, the Institute for Aegean Prehistory, and the Cyprus Institute."

Founded in 2013, the Shanghai Archaeology Forum is a global initiative dedicated to promoting the investigation, protection and utilisation of the world’s archaeological resources and heritage.

The biennial SAF Awards “recognise individuals and organizations that have achieved distinction through innovative, creative, and rigorous works relating to our human past, and have generated new knowledge that has particular relevance to the contemporary world and our common future.

Its aims include promoting excellence and innovation in archaeological research, advancing public awareness and appreciation of archaeology, fostering the protection and conservation of the world’s archaeological resources and heritage, and encouraging international collaboration and partnerships between scholars and others from different countries."

The Discovery Award, in particular, is made for archaeological excavations or surveys that have yielded major discoveries significantly furthering or even altering our knowledge of the human past, locally and globally.

The 4th Shanghai Archaeology Forum was held 14-17 December, 2019