Brian Hartley (archaeologist)

Hartley was born in Chester in 1929 and won a scholarship to the King's School Chester. While still at school he took part in his first excavation, at Heronbridge, Cheshire. In 1948 he heard a lecture by Sir Ian Richmond who became a great influence on him. After national service in the RAF, he studied natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He then gained a diploma in prehistory and became research assistant to Grahame Clark. He also attended the archaeological summer school at Great Casterton run by Graham Webster. Here he met Philip Corder and John Gillam whose knowledge of Roman pottery encouraged his study of samian ware. == Archaeological career ==

In 1957 he was appointed as a lecturer in Roman-British archaeology at the University of Leeds, becoming a Reader in 1967. He remained at Leeds until his retirement in 1995. In 1960 an inscription was discovered which showed the name of a previously unknown governor of Britain C. Valerius Pudens. Hartley also directed other major excavations in Yorkshire, at the forts of Ilkley, Bowes (with Sheppard Frere), Slack, Lease Rigg and the villa at Kirk Sink, Gargrave. == Samian pottery ==

Brian Hartley became the leading expert on the type of Roman pottery known as samian ware or Terra sigillata. In 1962 he, along with his colleges Sheppard Frere and Hugues Vertet, began excavating kilns that made samian in Lezoux (Puy-de-Dôme, France). and The Brigantes (1988, with Leon Fitts),. == Honours and awards ==

He became a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on London in 1957. == Personal life ==

Brian Hartley was married twice, first to Katherine F. Kaine, also a specialist in Roman pottery, marriage dissolved in 1973, and then to Elizabeth Blank, a museum curator. == References ==