Edward Harris (archaeologist)

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Edward Cecil Harris, MBE, JP, FSA is a prominent Bermudian archaeologist. He is best known for the "Harris matrix", developed in February 1973 and considered by some to be the "industry standard" for stratigraphic archaeology.^{[citation needed]} This was followed by a five-year investigation into archaeological practices.^[1] He determined that the methods did not properly account for stratigraphy, and published his findings in 1979 as the Principles of Archaeological Stratigraphy.

While attending Columbia University School of General Studies in the United States^{[citation needed]}, Harris spent the summers assisting on archaeological digs in Winchester, England. After graduating, he continued his archaeological work, including in Bergen, Norway and along the Persian Gulf. In 1997 he worked towards a PhD through the University of London, while working on excavations in New Guinea. ^{[citation needed]}

In 1982, Harris became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, and in 1991 he became a Fellow at the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. Outside of academia, Harris has been awarded the Palmetto Award by the Bermuda National Trust, for his efforts in the historical preservation of several buildings in 1994. In Bermuda, Harris served as the executive director of the National Museum of Bermuda, and writes a history column, entitled "Heritage Matters", for the local newspaper. He is a frequent contributor to the annual Bermuda Journal of Archaeology and Maritime History, and has served as its editor. ^{[citation needed]}