Denys Spittle Explained

Stanley Denys Trevor Spittle OBE, MA, FSA, (Cambridge 1920  - 7 December 2003) was an English archaeologist.

Biography

Spittle studied architecture at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and in 1935[1] became a member of the “Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum”. Spittle was involved in the 1951 Samothrace Expedition of the New York University Institute of Fine Arts[2] which unearthed two ancient Greek structures - a hall for votive gifts of the sixth century B.C. and a great altar court. Spittle also contributed to the reports on the preceding excavations,[3] published in 1964 and 1982.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] He was Editor (in charge), Cambridge office, Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, involved in studying the wall paintings at Pembroke College,[10] of the archaeological sites of Cambridgeshire,[11] [12] the archaeological sites of Northamptonshire,[13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] as well as the historic town of Stamford, Lincolnshire.[19] [20] [21] He also produced illustrations.[22] He was made a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1956.[23] He served as president of the Royal Archaeological Institute, 1981–1984.

Spittle was an important collector of art with an extensive collection including 25 illuminated manuscripts; these manuscripts originally belonged to Sir Thomas Watson, and when Watson died in 1921 he left 25 volumes, which eventually ended up in the hands of Spittle. Shortly before his own death in 2003 Spittle helped devise the (2007) exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, entitled "Private Pleasures: Illuminated manuscripts from Persia to Paris", which showcased his collection of manuscripts dating from the 10th to the 20th centuries. Highlights included a Byzantine Gospel, a Flemish Book of Hours, an Ottoman Koran and a Venetian copy of Cicero.[24] Dr Stella Panayotova, Keeper of Manuscripts and Printed Books at the Fitzwilliam Museum and the curator of Private Pleasures, said "This exhibition celebrates the passion for medieval manuscripts, the pleasure of collecting them and the excitement of sharing them with others. We are delighted tohave the opportunity to display this selection of treasures from so personal a collection."[25]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2000-01/special/13/2.html Reporter Special 9/4/01: Annual Report of the Fitzwilliam Museum for the period January 1999 to July 2000
  2. New York Times Article Sept 30 1951 p.57
  3. [:fr:Sanctuaire des Grands Dieux de Samothrace]
  4. Lehman, P.; Spittle. D.; Williams Lehmann, P. (Ed) (1981) Samothrace: The Temenos v. 5 Princeton University Press
  5. Lehmann, K.; Spittle, D. (1964)The Altar Court / by Karl Lehmann and Denys Spittle (with contributions by Martha Leeb Hadzi, Elaine P. Loeffler and Iris C. Love) Pantheon Books
  6. [Karl Leo Heinrich Lehmann|Lehmann, K]
  7. Lehman K & Spittle D (1964) SAMOTHRACE: 4, II: THE ALTAR COURT. Pantheon (USA)
  8. Lehmann K & Spittle D (1964) Samothrace the Hall of Votive Gifts (Altar Court, Vol. 4) Princeton University Press
  9. Williams P & Spittle D (1983) Samothrace, Princeton University Press
  10. Spittle D (1969) 'Wall Paintings at Pembroke College, Cambridge' in Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society Volume 16
  11. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (date) An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in West Cambridgeshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  12. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (date) An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North East Cambridgeshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  13. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (1975) An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in North-East Northamptonshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  14. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (1979) An Inventory of Archaeological Sites in Central Northamptonshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  15. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (1983) Archaeological Sites In South West Northamptonshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  16. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (date) An Inventory Of Archaeological Sites In North West Northamptonshire Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  17. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (date) An Inventory Of Archaeological Sites And Churches In Northampton Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  18. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (1984) An Inventory Of Archaeological Sites And Churches In Northampton Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  19. Spittle S D T (Ed.) (date) An Inventory of The Town of Stamford Royal Commission on Historical Monuments
  20. Spittle D (1975) 'Browne's Hospital, Stamford' Archaeol J, 131, 1975, 351-2ISSN 0066-5983
  21. Spittle D (1975) 'Church of All Saints, Stamford' Archaeol J, 131, 1975, 350-1ISSN 0066-5983
  22. Ramage NH & Ramage A(2004)Paperback Roman Art: Romulus to Constantine, 4th Prentice Hall Edition - page 276: "... Leptis Magna, Libya. AD 203-204. Marble. Reconstructed and drawn by Denys Spittle ..."
  23. http://www.sal.org.uk/salon/sal73#6 Members of the Society are called Fellows and are known as Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA). To be elected persons shall be 'excelling in the knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other nations' and be 'desirous to promote the honour, business and emoluments of the Society'. Proposals for membership can only come from existing Fellows of the Society. The number of Fellows is limited by statute, and currently is around 2,300.
  24. http://www.bbchistorymagazine.com/exhibitiondetails.asp?id=35347 BBC History Magazine
  25. Web site: Archived copy . 2007-11-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080607102211/http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/documents/20071022_PrivatePleasures.pdf . 2008-06-07 . dead .

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