Patrick Hunt (born 1951 in California) is an American archeologist and author.
Patrick Hunt earned his Ph.D. in Archaeology in 1991 from the Institute of Archaeology University College London (UCL), [1] with a specialization in Archaeological Science. His dissertation, titled “Provenance, Weathering and Technology of Selected Archaeological Basalts and Andesites” [2] , examined stone use in both Old World (Mesopotamian, Roman, Greek, Assyrian, Canaanite, Egyptian) and New World (Olmec, Aztec, Wari, Inca) contexts [2] .
He also studied papyrology and numismatics at the Institute of Classical Studies, University of London (1988–89) [3] , and completed two graduate internships at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park (1987–88), working in the radiocarbon laboratory and in petrography/optical petrology [4] .
Earlier academic experiences include a summer session at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens (1984) [5] , where he studied Greek archaeology and historical topography. At the University of California, Berkeley Hunt studied Classics (1983–84), and returned there as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Near Eastern Studies (1994-95) [6] .
Dr. Patrick Hunt’s research combines archaeological science, historical topography, and classical studies, with a particular focus on ancient technology, material culture, and geoarchaeology. His doctoral dissertation [2] at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, examined the provenance and weathering of archaeological basalts and andesites, comparing their use across both Old World and New World civilizations [2] . His primary material of focus is stone across the world from prehistory onward. [2]
Hunt has conducted field research in Europe, Western Asia, Northern Africa and the Americas, and was awarded a National Geographic Society Expedition Council Grant [7] in 2007–2008 for research related to Hannibal. He has been affiliated with National Geographic as an Explorer since that time. [7]
Dr. Patrick Hunt directed the Stanford University Alpine Archaeology Project from 1994 to 2012 [1] . The project involved leading a team of researchers and students to the Swiss, Italian, and French Alps for various archaeological projects [8] . He served as President of the Stanford Society of the Archaeological Institute of America (1995–2024) [9] and has been a National Lecturer for the AIA since 2009, including being awarded the Norton Lectureship 2022-2023. [9]
In one project, Hunt researches the history of Celtic and Roman presence in the region of the Great St Bernard Pass. [10] In 1996 he discovered the quarry for a temple of Jupiter in the region of the pass. [10] In 2003 he directed a team of researchers and students that discovered a hoard of Roman silver coins at an archaeological site in the Swiss Alps. [11] [12]
In the Hannibal Expedition 2007-2008 sponsored by National Geographic Society, Hunt searched for artifacts of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps in 218 BC [7] , during the Second Punic War. Hunt has investigated 25 alpine passes and is favoring Col de Clapier as the most likely route. [13] In 2011, he was the expert on the Hannibal team for Spike's TV show Deadliest Warrior. [14]
He has been a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society since 1989. [7]
His publication record includes peer-reviewed articles, encyclopedia entries, and book chapters on topics such as stone research in antiquity [2] , plant technology, lichenometry in the Alps [15] , paleopathology [16] , and the iconography of classical myths and biblical texts in art [17] . He has contributed to journals and books including World Archaeology [18] , BICS, Studia Phoenicia [18] , Journal of Roman Archaeology [18] , African Archaeology Review [19] ,Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases [20] , Wiley-Blackwell’s Encyclopedia of Ancient History [18] , the Bloomsbury Cultural History [21] , Encyclopedia Britannica [22] , and the Acta Antiqua series [23] .
Hunt has authored and edited various books, ranging from general works such as Ten Discoveries That Rewrote History (2007) [24] , Hannibal (2017) [25] , Dante’s Inferno (2011) [26] , to textbooks and monographs on subjects including ancient warfare [16] , biblical archaeology [4] , and the intersection of mythology and art [27] . His output also includes creative works such as poetry, aphorisms [28] , and essays.
His academic service includes participation in national and institutional committees for AIA [29] and judging for the Saroyan International Writing Prize [30] at Stanford University.
Hunt has taught at Stanford University for over 30 years [1] and is and is an Associate at UCLA CMRS [31] . He has also lectured at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich [32] , University of Toronto [33] , Alexander von Humboldt University Berlin [34] , UCLA [31] , College de France Sorbonne [35] , among others. He has presented invited talks at a number of global museums, including the British Museum [36] and Liechtensteines LandesMuseum [37] .
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