Clark, (John) Grahame (Douglas) (1907–1995)

British archaeologist. He excavated a Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) hunting settlement discovered at Star Carr, near Scarborough, Yorkshire, 1949–1951. Waterlogged materials were recovered, as well as stone tools and food remains, and he enlisted the help of palaeobotanists and zoologists in interpreting the site, which was inhabited around 7500 BC.

Clark encouraged the discipline of environmental archaeology, favouring reconstruction of prehistoric social and economic systems as a means of understanding how different aspects of culture relate as functioning systems. He noted the limitations of archaeological data in the study of prehistoric life.

He published a number of books, many of which are considered pioneering in their studies, including Prehistoric Europe, the Economic Basis 1952, World Prehistory, a New Outline 1969, Excavations at Star Carr with others 1971, and The Earlier Stone Age Settlement of Scandinavia 1975.

Clark became a fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, 1950, master 1973, and was professor of archaeology at Cambridge 1952–74, head of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology 1956–61 and 1968–71, and president of the Prehistoric Society 1958–62.