Morphy named 2013 Huxley Medallist

Professor Howard Morphy of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences has been named as the 2013 Huxley Memorial Medallist by the Royal Anthropological Institute. The international award is the highest honour bestowed by the prestigious British institute. The award was established in 1900 in memory of Thomas Henry Huxley - the celebrated English biologist and advocate of Darwinian evolution theory - and is awarded annually to an internationally renowned anthropologist. Professor Morphy, Director of the Research School of Humanities and the Arts says he views the honour as recognition of the importance of his field - the anthropology of art. "I was somewhat stunned to hear that I had been awarded the Huxley Medal. In particular, it was also a shock to realise that I had reached the age that is a partial qualification!" he said. "The award straddles the range of anthropology, from biological anthropology through social anthropology to archaeology and material culture.