Lesley Fitton

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Lesley Fitton
FSA
Born1953 (age 7172)
Academic work
Discipline Classical archaeology
Institutions British Museum
Notable worksMinoans, Cycladic Art

Josephine Lesley Fitton OBE (born 1953) is a British classical archaeologist and from 2007 to 2023 the Keeper of the Department of Greece and Rome at the British Museum. She is particularly known for her work on the Minoans, the Cyclades, and the Greek Bronze Age.

Contents

Education and career

Fitton was born in Rochdale in 1953 [1] and attended Bury Grammar School for Girls where she was friends with Victoria Wood. [2] [3]

Fitton has spent her career working at the British Museum. She started as a research assistant in the Department of Greece and Rome, and then progressed to become the Assistant Keeper responsible for the Greek Bronze Age collections. Since 2007, Fitton has been the Keeper (Head of Department). [4]

She was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on 29 April 1999. [5]

Fitton's current work includes the digitisation of the collection of Cypriot antiquities at the British Museum. [6] [7] She also works on Troy. [8]

Fitton has written a number of books to make her subject matter accessible to undergraduates and general readers. Her 2002 book Minoans was pitched to make the latest archaeological information accessible and affordable to students. [9]

She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to museums and the arts. [10]

Television and film

Fitton has appeared or consulted on several television series: [11]

Appearances

Consultant

Troy

Fitton also gave advice on historical accuracy to the producers and cast of Troy in 2004. [12] Fitton reflected on her experience in a 2009 volume on the film, [13] where she considered whether the film should have adhered more closely to historical facts. While Fitton believed that the film could have done more to reflect historical and archaeological realities, she concluded that:

Yet my personal view is that the story is not history, that Homer was not a historian, and that something of Homer would certainly have been lost in a purist archaeological approach. Ultimately, dramatic success matters more than the archaeological accuracy of Helen’s hairpins. It matters more for modern audiences to feel for Achilles in his progress from war machine to man, to sympathize with Hector in his efforts to defend all that was dear to him, and in the end to mourn for Priam and for Troy. [13]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegean civilization</span> Ancient Greek Bronze Age civilizations

Aegean civilization is a general term for the Bronze Age civilizations of Greece around the Aegean Sea. There are three distinct but communicating and interacting geographic regions covered by this term: Crete, the Cyclades and the Greek mainland. Crete is associated with the Minoan civilization from the Early Bronze Age. The Cycladic civilization converges with the mainland during the Early Helladic ("Minyan") period and with Crete in the Middle Minoan period. From c. 1450 BC, the Greek Mycenaean civilization spreads to Crete, probably by military conquest. The earlier Aegean farming populations of Neolithic Greece brought agriculture westward into Europe before 5000 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Cyprus</span>

Human habitation of Cyprus dates back to the Paleolithic era. Cyprus's geographic position has caused the island to be influenced by differing Eastern Mediterranean civilisations over the millennia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minoan civilization</span> Bronze Age civilization on Crete and other Aegean Islands

The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age culture which was centered on the island of Crete. Known for its monumental architecture and energetic art, it is often regarded as the first civilization in Europe. The ruins of the Minoan palaces at Knossos and Phaistos are popular tourist attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zakros</span> Minoan archaeological site in Eastern Crete, Greece

Zakros is a Minoan archaeological site on the eastern coast of Crete in Lasithi, Greece. It is regarded as one of the six Minoan palaces, and its protected harbor and strategic location made it an important commercial hub for trade to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mycenaean Greece</span> Late Bronze Age Greek civilization

Mycenaean Greece was the last phase of the Bronze Age in ancient Greece, spanning the period from approximately 1750 to 1050 BC. It represents the first advanced and distinctively Greek civilization in mainland Greece with its palatial states, urban organization, works of art, and writing system. The Mycenaeans were mainland Greek peoples who were likely stimulated by their contact with insular Minoan Crete and other Mediterranean cultures to develop a more sophisticated sociopolitical culture of their own. The most prominent site was Mycenae, after which the culture of this era is named. Other centers of power that emerged included Pylos, Tiryns, and Midea in the Peloponnese, Orchomenos, Thebes, and Athens in Central Greece, and Iolcos in Thessaly. Mycenaean settlements also appeared in Epirus, Macedonia, on islands in the Aegean Sea, on the south-west coast of Asia Minor, and on Cyprus, while Mycenaean-influenced settlements appeared in the Levant and Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypriot syllabary</span> Syllabic script used in Iron Age Cyprus

The Cypriot or Cypriote syllabary is a syllabic script used in Iron Age Cyprus, from about the 11th to the 4th centuries BCE, when it was replaced by the Greek alphabet. It has been suggested that the script remained in use as late as the 1st century BC. A pioneer of that change was King Evagoras of Salamis. It is thought to be descended from the Cypro-Minoan syllabary, itself a variant or derivative of Linear A. Most texts using the script are in the Arcadocypriot dialect of Greek, but also one bilingual inscription was found in Amathus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Ida (Crete)</span> Central mountain massif in Crete also called Psiloritis.

Mount Ida, known variously as Idha, Ídhi, Idi, and Ita, is the highest mountain on the island of Crete, with an elevation of 2,456 metres (8,058 ft). It has the highest topographic prominence of any mountain in Greece. A natural park which includes Mount Ida is a member of UNESCO's Global Geoparks Network.

The Cypro-Minoan syllabary (CM), more commonly called the Cypro-Minoan Script, is an undeciphered syllabary used on the island of Cyprus and at its trading partners during the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. The term "Cypro-Minoan" was coined by Arthur Evans in 1909 based on its visual similarity to Linear A on Minoan Crete, from which CM is thought to be derived. Approximately 250 objects—such as clay balls, cylinders, and tablets which bear Cypro-Minoan inscriptions, have been found. Discoveries have been made at various sites around Cyprus, as well as in the ancient city of Ugarit on the Syrian coast. It is thought to be somehow related to the later Cypriot syllabary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christos Tsountas</span> Greek classical archaeologist (1857–1934)

Christos Tsountas was a Greek classical archaeologist. He is considered a pioneer of Greek archaeology and has been called "the first and most eminent Greek prehistorian".

This is a timeline of Cypriot history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Cyprus. To read about the background to these events, see History of Cyprus. See also the list of presidents of Cyprus.

Malcolm H. Wiener is an American attorney, prehistorian and philanthropist. Most notably, Wiener has served as general counsel of the Archaeological Institute of America, as an advisor for the United States Department of State and as principal and chairman of The Millburn Ridgefield Corporation and ShareInVest, both asset management firms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phylakopi</span>

Phylakopi, located at the northern coast of the island of Milos, is one of the most important Bronze Age settlements in the Aegean and especially in the Cyclades. The importance of Phylakopi is in its continuity throughout the Bronze Age and because of this, it is the type-site for the investigation of several chronological periods of the Aegean Bronze Age.

Reynold Alleyne Higgins was a British Classical Archaeologist. He worked at the department of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum from 1947 to 1977, finishing his career as Acting Keeper. He was also Chairman of the Managing Committee of the British School at Athens from 1975 to 1979. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minoan Bull-leaper</span>

The Minoan bull leaper is a bronze group of a bull and leaper in the British Museum. It is the only known largely complete three-dimensional sculpture depicting Minoan bull-leaping. Although bull leaping certainly took place in Crete at this time, the leap depicted is practically impossible and it has therefore been speculated that the sculpture may be an exaggerated depiction. This speculation has been backed up by the testaments of modern-day bull leapers from France and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winifred Lamb</span> British art historian

Winifred Lamb was a British archaeologist, art historian, and museum curator who specialised in Greek, Roman, and Anatolian cultures and artefacts. The bulk of her career was spent as the honorary keeper (curator) of Greek antiquities at the University of Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum from 1920 to 1958, and the Fitzwilliam Museum states that she was a "generous benefactor ... raising the profile of the collections through groundbreaking research, acquisitions and publications."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegina Treasure</span> Minoan gold hoard

The Aegina Treasure or Aigina Treasure is an important Minoan gold hoard said to have been found on the island of Aegina, Greece. Since 1892, it has been part of the British Museum's collection. It is one of the most important groups of Minoan jewellery.

Dyfri Williams is a British classical archaeologist. Williams received his doctorate in 1978 from Oxford University, writing on the work of the Antiphon Painter. He joined the Department of Antiquities at the British Museum in 1979. From 1993 to 2007, he was the museum's Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Since December 2007 he has been the research Keeper.

Penelope Anne Mountjoy is an archaeologist from the United Kingdom who specializes in Mycenaean ceramics. Mountjoy has written several books and received numerous awards and fellowships to continue her research on Greek pottery.

Christine E. Morris is an Irish classical scholar, who is the Andrew A. David Professor in Greek Archaeology and History at Trinity College Dublin. An expert on religion in the Aegean Bronze Age, her work uses archaeological evidence to examine the practice and experience of belief. She is a member of the Standing Committee for Archaeology for the Royal Irish Academy.

Enkomi is a 2nd millennium BC archaeological site on the eastern coast of Cyprus some distance from the village of Enkomi. The site appears to currently be under disputed governance. A number of Cypro-Minoan Script inscriptions were found there including the longest known clay tablet. It has been suggested that this city was the Alashiya of the Amarna Letters and in texts from several areas of the ancient Near East. The site is known for the hundreds of rich tombs that have been excavated there and for exceptional metallurgic finds like the Ingot God and the Horned God.

References

  1. General Register Office; United Kingdom; Reference: Volume 10f. p. 457.
  2. Brandwood, Neil (31 March 2011). Victoria Wood: The Biography. Random House. ISBN   9780753546574.
  3. Best of British, Helen Atkinson Wood, Victoria Wood, Lesley Fitton, retrieved 22 June 2018{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. "J Lesley Fitton". British Museum. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  5. "Fellows Directory - Society of Antiquaries". www.sal.org.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  6. "Cyprus digitisation project". British Museum. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  7. "Cypriot Collections | Ancient Worlds". ancientworldsmanchester.wordpress.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  8. Bristol, University of. "November: Andrew Shapland and Lesley Fitton | Faculty of Arts | University of Bristol". www.bris.ac.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. 1 2 Muskett, Georgina (2003). "J. Lesley Fitton. Minoans. 224 pages, 111 figures, 8 colour plates, 1 table. 2002. London: British Museum; 0-7141-2140-1 hardback £29.99". Antiquity. 77 (297): 633–635. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00092784. ISSN   0003-598X. S2CID   161902903.
  10. "No. 63218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N11.
  11. "Lesley Fitton". IMDb. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  12. Reporter, By Jack Malvern, Arts (14 May 2004). "Producers turned to British Museum for help". The Times. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 22 June 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 Winkler, Martin M. (4 February 2009). Troy: From Homer's Iliad to Hollywood Epic. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   9781405178549.
  14. Fitton, J.L.; Villing, A.; Turner, V.; Shapland, A. (2019). Troy: myth and reality : the BP exhibition. London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN   0500480559 . Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  15. Younger, John G. (2010). "Review of: The Aigina Treasure: Aegean Bronze Age Jewelry and A Mystery Revisited". Bryn Mawr Classical Review. ISSN   1055-7660.