Andrew Birley

Andrew is the third generation of Birleys to work as the director of excavations on Hadrian’s Wall, after his father Robin and grandfather Eric. He obtained his Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Leicester. Andrew became the Vindolanda Trust’s Director of Excavations in 2005 and CEO in 2015; during that time, he has enabled more than 7,000 volunteers to take part in research excavations on Hadrian’s Wall. Andrew is the chair of the Writing Tablet Research Committee, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of England and Scotland, and currently directs two research excavations on Hadrian’s Wall, at the fort of Magna and Vindolanda. His research specializes in the archaeology of Roman frontiers and nature and function of extramural communities.