About us

Source: https://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/about/ Parent: https://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/study/undergraduate/

We're a vibrant department, highly regarded for the advanced study of archaeology and heritage.

Archaeology at York is a world-leading department for both teaching and research. Through our exceptional research, we inspire people through the excitement of discovery. The breadth of our coverage and the diversity of periods, themes and approaches bridges the arts and humanities, sciences and social sciences.

We carry out impact-oriented, interdisciplinary and international research which informs our teaching and builds a strong network of local and international partnerships. We offer a number of resources for schools and wider learning.

Our values

We're a friendly and collegial community of scholars with a core belief that staff happiness, wellbeing and inclusivity is key to enabling teaching and research excellence:

Equality, diversity and inclusion are at our core
We believe in creating the right structures to facilitate wellbeing.
We want everyone to feel supported and valued.
We strive to empower everyone to achieve their full potential.
We are enthusiastic, proactive and innovative.
We aim for a sustainable future.

We are one of the top-rated archaeology departments in the world. Our mission is to engage and inspire students, the broader academic community, partners and the public through the discovery of the human past, and relating this to the present and future.

Stephanie Wynne-Jones, Head of Department

8th in the UK

for Archaeology and Forensic Sciences in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Rankings, 2025.

5th in the UK and 25th in the world

according to the QS World Rankings by Subject, 2025.

Our research

Our research tackles challenging issues from the origins of human behaviour to contemporary heritage management.

Our core strengths in human evolution and prehistory, Roman, medieval, historical and field archaeology are complemented by our specialisms in bioarchaeology, digital archaeology, African archaeology, buildings conservation and heritage, and experimental archaeology and artefact studies.

Explore our research centres

Our facilities

We're home to an exceptional range of facilities encouraging independent and collaborative study and research across the University and with key partners across the globe. We have bespoke laboratories, teaching and study spaces, and specialist equipment to enhance students' learning.

We host research centres offering practical spaces for teaching and research.

Explore our facilities

A historic city

York is a contemporary, student-friendly city with inspiration around every corner. Rich in history and heritage, it's one of the best places to study and research archaeology and conservation of buildings.

Our collaborations and partnerships with historical and heritage organisations across York offers students a range of opportunities to gain practical experience.

The city is also a pioneer in the arts and media, industry, and social reform. York is a hub of independent business from shops to live music venues, with green spaces for relaxation and reflection.

Explore York

An environment of inclusion

Understanding the role of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class in history, from the medieval era to the present day, is integral to our learning and teaching.

Recruitment, career development and promotion are key in ensuring fairness for our staff, and we hold an Athena Swan Bronze Award in recognition of our commitment to gender equality.

Find out more about our commitment to inclusion

Resources for schools

We offer a range of resources for schools and wider learning.

From school visits to interactive quizzes, articles and video content, we aim to open up archaeology and heritage to all and encourage the study of the human past.

View our resources