Kenneth Brophy

Dr Kenneth Brophy is a Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Glasgow, based in the Department of Archaeology. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in contemporary archaeology of prehistory, Neolithic/Bronze Age Scotland, and public engagement. His research explores how prehistoric sites are used in modern society and political discourse.

Research interests include:

• The contemporary relevance of prehistoric sites and their political interpretations
• Community co-production in archaeology through projects like Build N Burn festivals
• Neolithic monumentality and settlement patterns in Scotland
• Rock art documentation and conservation, particularly at the Cochno Stone site
• Analysis of archaeological archives from key Scottish researchers

His publications demonstrate strong trends in contemporary archaeology, political uses of prehistory, and innovative public engagement methods. Recent work critically examines how archaeological narratives intersect with modern identity politics and nationalism.

Honors include being elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. He serves on editorial boards for the Scottish Archaeological Journal and Journal of Skyscape Archaeology.

He currently supervises PhD students researching soil archaeology, early medieval monuments, and Caithness prehistory. Major grants include the £325,000+ SERF Project (Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot) and RSE-funded workshops. He co-directs excavations at Forteviot and leads community archaeology initiatives in Faifley.

He coordinates the European Network for Archaeology & Integrated Landscape Research and co-founded the #3M_DO contemporary archaeology collective. He teaches courses on archaeological theory, contemporary archaeology, and landscape heritage.