Thomas George Eyre Powell (13 January 1916 – 8 July 1975) was a British archaeologist who specialised in the study of theNeolithic British Isles and theCelts.
Thomas George Eyre Powell was born in 1916.[1] He was a great-nephew ofantiquary George Eyre Evans, and descended fromWelsh settlers inIreland. While studying archaeology at theUniversity of Cambridge, Powell received the nickname Terence, which stuck with him throughout his life.[2] Powell worked inair photographic intelligence for the British inDelhi, India duringWorld War II.
After the war, Powell continued his work with archaeology. In 1948, he was appointed to the Rankin lectureship in Prehistoric Archaeology in the School of Archaeological and Oriental Studies at theUniversity of Liverpool. In March 1948, Powell was elected a Fellow of theSociety of Antiquaries of London.[3] Powell specialised in the archaeology of ancientWestern Europe, particularly theNeolithic British Isles and theCelts.[2] Along withGlyn Daniel, he conducted pioneering excavations atBarclodiad y Gawres in modern-day Wales.[4] His 1958 bookThe Celts won him wide renown.[4] Powell (along with Glyn Daniel) excavated the Neolithic passage grave of Barclodiad y Gawres onAnglesey (Ynys Môn), between 1952 and 1953. Barclodiad y Gawres is the only attested example of a cruciform type in North Wales. The monument is one of the most impressive decorated megalithic monuments in north-western Europe. The passage, measuring approximately 6m and leads to a cruciform passage which has a series of uprights decorated with chevrons, lozenges, spirals and zigzag designs. Powell and Daniel excavated much of the passage and chamber areas, along with sections of the mound. The chamber area was once covered by at least several enormous capstones. The chamber and passage architecture prior to excavation was not covered. The forecourt area opens out onto views across the western coast of Anglesey. Within the central chamber was discovered a hearth approximately 1m in diameter which contained a mixture of charcoal and stone chips. A collection of shells, fish bones, and the bones of tiny animals, reptiles, and amphibians were also found.
Powell also excavated Dyffryn Ardudwy in 1973.
From 1970 to 1974, Powell was President ofThe Prehistoric Society. In 1971, he was appointed Rankin Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Liverpool.[3] Powell died on 8 July 1975.[1]
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