David M. Wilson

For other people named David Wilson, see David Wilson (disambiguation).

David Wilson
Born	David Mackenzie Wilson (1931-10-30) 30 October 1931 Dacre Banks, England
Education	Kingswood School, Bath
Alma mater	St John's College University of Lund
Occupation(s)	Art historian and museum director
Parent(s)	Joseph Wilson Nora Wilson

Sir David Mackenzie Wilson (born 30 October 1931) is a British archaeologist, art historian, and museum curator, specialising in Anglo-Saxon art and the Viking Age. He is the former Director of the British Museum (1977 – 1992).

Education

Wilson was born on 30 October 1931 in Dacre Banks, England. He was the son of Joseph, a minister, and Nora, a lecturer. From 1941 to 1950, Wilson was educated at Kingswood School, a boarding independent school for boys (now co-educational) in Bath, followed by St John's College at the University of Cambridge, from where he obtained a Master of Arts. In 1955 he obtained a graduate degree from the University of Lund in Sweden.

Life and career

Sea-faring Danes depicted invading England.

Wilson served as the Director of the British Museum from 1977 to 1992. He had previously worked there from 1955 to 1964 as an assistant keeper, after which he worked at the University of London. There he was a reader from 1964 to 1971, and a professor of medieval archaeology from 1971 to 1976; from 1973 he was also the joint head of the department of Scandinavian studies at University College London.

During his time as Director, from 1985 to 1986 Wilson was Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge. He was a member of the Ancient Monuments Board for England from 1976 to 1984, the Nottingham University Council from 1988 to 1984, and the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission from 1990 to 1998. From 1976 to 1981 he was a member of the board of governors for the Museum of London; he was also a trustee, of the National Museums of Scotland from 1985 to 1987, and of the National Museums of Merseyside from 1986 to 2001.

Wilson has written extensively on the subject of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, as well as the British Museum itself. In 1960 he published The Anglo-Saxons, and in 1970 was praised for The Viking Achievement, written with Peter Foote and focused on the daily life, social customs, religion, art, trade, law, and poetry of Scandinavian society from 800 to 1200 AD. He also published Viking Art in 1966, The Vikings and Their Origins in 1970, and Anglo-Saxon Art: From the Seventh Century to the Norman Conquest in 1984.

Personal life

Wilson lives on the Isle of Man. He married Eva Sjoegren, an author and artist, in 1955, and has two children, Simon and Kate.

See also

• List of directors of the British Museum

Works

• 1964. Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork 700–1100, in the British Museum, British Museum Press.
• 1970. The Vikings and their Origins: Scandinavia in the first millennium, Thames and Hudson.
• Wilson, David M. (1983). "Sweden — England". In Lamm, Jan Peder; Nordstrom, Hans-Åke (eds.). Vendel Period Studies: transactions of the Boat-Grave Symposium in Stockholm, February 2–3, 1981. Studies – The Museum of National Antiquities, Stockholm. Vol. 2. Stockholm: Statens Historiska Museum. pp. 163–166. ISBN 978-91-7192-547-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
• Wilson, David M. (1984). Anglo-Saxon Art: From the Seventh Century to the Norman Conquest. London: Thames and Hudson. (US edition: Overlook Press)
• Wilson, David M. (1986). "England and the Continent in the Eighth Century — An Archaeological Viewpoint". Angli e Sassoni al di qua e al di là del mare: 26 aprile-lo maggio 1984. Settimane di studio del Centro italiano di studi sull'alto Medioevo. Vol. XXXII. Spoleto: Centro italiano di studi sull'alto Medioevo. pp. 219–244.
• 1992. Anglo-Saxon Paganism, Routledge.

Bibliography

• "David Mackenzie Wilson". Contemporary Authors Online. Gale Cengage. 16 March 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
• "Sir David Mackenzie Wilson". Marquis Who's Who. Gale Cengage. Retrieved 7 January 2018.