Martin Aitken Explained

Martin Jim Aitken FRS (11 March 1922^[1] – 13 June 2017^[2]) was a British archaeometrist.^[3]

Aitken was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and studied physics at Wadham College, Oxford. He was a fellow of Linacre College, Oxford.^[4] He was Professor of Archaeometry at the University of Oxford from 1985 until he retired in 1989.^[5]

Aitken organised annual meetings which became the Symposium on Archaeometry and Archaeological Prospection".^[6] He had an interest in absolute dating: radiocarbon dating from 1957, thermoluminescence dating from the 1960s, and later helped develop optically stimulated luminescence as a dating method dating.

He died in June 2017 at the age of 95.^[7]

Bibliography

• Book: Handbook of Archaeological Sciences. D. R. Brothwell . A. M. Pollard. Introduction. 978-0-470-01476-9. Wiley. 782 . March 2005.

Notes and References

1. Book: Ellis, Linda. Archaeological Method and Theory: An Encyclopedia. 2000. Garland Publishing. New York. 978-0815313052. 10.
2. Martin Aitken: A personal recollection . 10.1016/j.quageo.2018.09.004 . Quaternary Geochronology. 48. 145 . 2018. 240138096 .
3. Web site: Jubilee Aitken - an eightieth birthday celebration.
4. News: Aitken . Jessica . Martin Aitken obituary . 18 November 2021 . The Guardian . 24 August 2017 . en.
5. 10.1111/j.1475-4754.1990.tb01076.x . 32. Archaeometry. 3–6. 1990. Hall. E. T.. Aitken . M. J. . Sayre . E. V. . On the Retirement of Teddy Hall and Martin Aitken .
6. Web site: Research Laboratory for Archaeology & the History of Art. ox.ac.uk.
7. https://www.dansnoscoeurs.fr/martin-jim-aitken/2110971/avis Avis de décès