According to the EAA Statutes (Article XI), the Association "shall institute the European Archaeological Heritage Prize."

In 1996, Anna Maria Bietti Sestieri (Italy) and Øivind Lunde (Norway) made a preliminary report on how to realise this objective. In 1997 the Executive Board set up a working group consisting of Henry Cleere, Elin Dalen, Harald K Hermansen, and Øivind Lunde. The working group made a proposal which was taken up again in 1998 when English Heritage (represented by Geoffrey Wainwright) gave £5000 to the Association to establish the Prize. In 1999, the European Archaeological Heritage Prize Committee was appointed by the Executive Board and a board member (Elin Dalen) was appointed to monitor all activities in connection with the prize. An international competition was held for the design of the prize, with professional advice from the sculptor Anthony Gormley. The winning entry was a silver statuette from the Polish artists Mariola Pruska and Jaroslaw Strobin. Together with a diploma, designed by Lena Troedson from Sweden, this will constitute the prize. In 1999, the prize was awarded for the first time and statutes for the committee were approved at the Annual Business Meeting of the Association held in Bournemouth, UK, on 16 September 1999.
 

Terms of reference

The Prize shall be awarded annually to an individual, institution, or to a local or regional government for an outstanding contribution to the protection and presentation of the European archaeological heritage. 
This should be interpreted as the promotion of archaeology and the archaeological heritage as part of the Association's vision of the unity of the European heritage.
Every effort should be made to ensure that all three potential categories are covered over time.
 

Funding

All of the funds dedicated to the Prize will be managed in an account that is distinct from the Association's general funds. Sufficient capital should be collected to enable it to be invested so that the annual expenses connected with the Prize can be met from interest on capital.
 

Committee for the Prize

There will be an independent committee of no more than five people that is responsible for the administration of the Prize;
Members will be appointed by the Executive Board and serve terms of three years, with the possibility of re-appointment for no more than one further term;
Committee members shall not be members of the Executive Board;
The Committee shall elect its own chairperson and secretary;
The chairperson shall provide reports on the Committee's work annually to the Executive Board; The Treasurer shall be an ex officio non-voting member of the Committee;
The EAA Secretariat shall provide secretarial services to the Committee.

The EAA Committee for the European Heritage Prize:

Willem Willems (chair)
Lubos Jiran
Romuald Schild
Anastasia Tourta
Paula Purhonen
 

Nominations

Nominations may be made by any of the following:

- Members of the Association (all grades of membership);
- Professors and heads of departments of archaeology in European universities and institutes;
- Directors of governmental heritage management organisations and agencies in European countries (members of the Council of Europe);
- Non-governmental archaeological, heritage, and professional organisations in European countries.
 

Timetable

Nominations, with full citations, must be received by the EAA Secretariat by not later than 1 May each year.
The Committee will discuss the nominations and decide upon the recipient of the Prize. If the committee meets in person, minutes of meetings will be made available to the Executive Committee, but will otherwise remain confidential.
The presentation of the Prize will form part of the Annual Business Meeting of the Association in September each year.
 

The Prize

The prize shall consist of a work of art and a diploma, without any monetary payment. For 1999-2009, the work of art shall be a silver statuette from the Polish artists Mariola Pruska and Jaroslaw Strobin, suitably inscribed with the year of the award and the name of the recipient, who shall retain it.
 

Recipients

2008: Jean-Paul Demoule, France  (PDF)

2007: Prof. Siegmar von Schnurbein, Germany (PDF)

2006: John Coles, UK (WORD | PDF)

2005: Kristian Kristiansen, Sweden (WORD | PDF)

2004: Illicit Antiquities Research Centre at the McDonald Institute at 
University of Cambridge (WORD | PDF)

2003: Dr. Viktor Trifonov, Institute of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences in   St.Petersburg. (WORD | PDF)

2002: Dr. Henry Cleere, ICOMOS Paris (WORD | PDF)

2001: Dr. Otto Braasch, member of the Aerial Archaeological Group (AARG), Germany 
(WORD | PDF)

2000: Dr Margareta Biörnstad, former state antiquarian, Sweden (WORD | PDF)

1999: Prof. dr. M.M. Carrilho, Minister of Culture from Portugal. (WORD | PDF)
 
 

Call for Nominations

You are invited to use the attached form to nominate a person, institution, or a (local or regional) government. 

NOMINATIONS, WITH FULL CITATIONS, SHOULD BE SENT TO THE EAA SECRETARIAT, 
C/O INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY CAS, LETENSKA 4, 
118 01 PRAHA 1, CZECH REPUBLIC 

OR BY E-MAIL TO eaa@arup.cas.cz

THE CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS IS  MAY 01, 2009.