The Princess Royal visits UCL Institute of Archaeology

The 75th Anniversary of the UCL Institute of Archaeology has been marked by a visit this week from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Chancellor of the University of London. The Princess Royal toured the Institute and met a number of staff and students, learning about a variety of different research projects including ones focused on the terracotta army in China, in Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and in Ancient Merv (in modern-day Turkmenistan). She also looked round the conservation laboratories and was shown objects from the Institute's collections, as well as hearing about a youth outreach project run by Institute students called The Young Archaeologists' Club (YAC). At the end of the visit, a plaque commemorating her visit and the 75th anniversary was unveiled. Professor Stephen Shennan, Director of the UCL Institute of Archaeology, said: "We were delighted to welcome The Princess Royal and to tell her more about research projects currently being carried out by our staff around the world. She was very enthusiastic about the quality and diversity of research and teaching here and about the subject of archaeology as a whole." - We were delighted to welcome The Princess Royal and to tell her more about research projects currently being carried out by our staff around the world. Professor Stephen Shennan Those present at the event included staff and students from the Institute, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, Professor Paul Webley, Executive Dean of the UCL Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences, Professor Stephen Smith and UCL President and Provost, Professor Malcolm Grant.