Professor who unlocked the connections between the sky and ancient monuments honoured by University of Leicester

An academic who revolutionised the way we look at the connections between ancient monuments and the sky has been honoured by the University of Leicester.

Since becoming the world’s first Professor of Archaeoastronomy in 1999, at the University of Leicester, Professor Clive Ruggles has redefined the field, turning it from a somewhat esoteric, amateur pursuit into a serious academic discipline. Archaeoastronomy is defined as ‘the study of beliefs and practices relating to the sky in the past, especially in prehistory, and the uses to which people's knowledge of the skies was put’.

Today (Thursday 16 July) his achievements were recognised with an honorary Doctorate of Science, which Professor Ruggles accepted at a graduation ceremony held at De Montfort Hall, Leicester.

Professor Ruggles said: “Working in a highly interdisciplinary field, especially one that is new and developing, is challenging but can also be highly rewarding. For me, I have been spurred on throughout my career by knowing that what might seem an esoteric academic pursuit has real cultural value, whether it helps us better understand iconic ancient heritage such as Stonehenge, or supports living Indigenous traditions, such as modern Polynesians seeking to revive the skills of Pacific navigation.

“I am hugely grateful to the University of Leicester for supporting me throughout my often sinuous, and certainly unconventional, academic journey. When I set out on that journey over four decades ago I could never have imagined it would lead to an honour such as this."

Professor Ruggles came to Leicester in 1982 as a postdoctoral research assistant in the Department of Mathematics, applying statistical models to archaeological data. After a period lecturing in Computing Studies, he transferred to the School of Archaeology and Ancient History in 1990, becoming Professor in 1999 and Emeritus in 2007.

Focusing initially on Neolithic and Bronze Age Britain, Professor Ruggles’ work combines anthropology with ‘hard science’ to explore and explain astronomical heritage sites, not least Stonehenge, subject of his co-authored 2024 book Stonehenge: Sighting the Sun. In 2005, he identified the pre-Incan constructions at Chankillo, Peru, as an astronomical site which allowed the region’s inhabitants, 2,000 years ago, to determine precise dates through solar observation. Based on this research, Chankillo was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

For over two decades Professor Ruggles has worked with UNESCO and its advisory bodies to help recognise, promote and protect outstanding cultural heritage relating to astronomy as well as pristine dark skies. This work laid the foundations which have resulted in a number of astronomical heritage sites (both ancient and modern) being inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2019, including Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Professor Ruggles has served as President of the Prehistoric Society, the International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture and the International Astronomical Union’s Commission for the History of Astronomy. In 2017 he was the first recipient of the Royal Astronomical Society’s Agnes Mary Clerke Medal for Historical Research. His other awards include the Association of American Publishers Professional/Scholarly Publishing Award, the Antiquity Prize and the Ben Cullen Prize.

In 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May bestowed the Points of Light Award on Professor Ruggles and Dr Sue Hills for their work with the Alice Ruggles Trust, a charity named after their late daughter which seeks to tackle and address issues around stalking.

President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, Professor Nishan Canagarajah, said: “Professor Ruggles has revolutionised both the academic interpretation, and public awareness of, ancient and historic monuments connected with the night sky, the Sun, and the Moon.

“His tireless research, inspiring leadership, and boundless collegiality have turned archaeoastronomy into a mainstream discipline through the anthropological understanding of cultures, which has had a huge impact on the identification, interpretation, and protection of astronomical heritage worldwide.”