John Barry Mercer (1934 –July 1982) was a British archaeologist, author, weaver, and human rights advocate.
Born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to British parents, he was educated in Spain and England.[1] Having qualified as a chartered accountant by the age of 21, he worked for Price Waterhouse in Paris for a couple of years and then dropped out, first to Ibiza and then Menorca. Following his passion for islands, he subsequently moved to Lealt, a remote house on the Scottish island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides where, in the 1960s and 70s with his partner Susan Searight, he researched and painstakingly excavated numerous coastal sites. His many papers have established Jura as a significant Mesolithic area.[2][3] Whilst at Lealt, as well as his archaeological work, he lived off-grid, built his own loom from driftwood, invented a spinning wheel from recycled parts, and established a workshop to spin, dye and weave the local blackface wool into rugs.
He was a committed human rights researcher and activist, particularly in the Western Sahara and Mauritania, contributing influential research reports to the Minority Rights Group and also the Anti-Slavery Society. His report on slavery in Mauritania has been widely cited. The John Mercer Human Rights Trust, set up after his death, commemorates this strand of his life.
Mercer's first books were for young people, Lizard Island Expedition and The Cormorant and the Stranger, drawing on his own experiences in the Balearics. He wrote an illustrated guidebook to the islands of Colonsay, Gigha and Jura and several books on the Canary Islands. An independent thinker with eclectic interests, he also wrote about, amongst other topics, hand-spinning, communes, and Scottish devolution.
He was a Fellow of the Institute of Linguists, of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
John Mercer died from motor neurone disease at Lealt at the age of 48.
Scotland: the Devolution of Power, Platform Books, Calder, 1978
The Sahwaris of Western Sahara, Minority Rights Group, 1979
The Canary Islanders: their prehistory, conquest, and survival, Collings, 1980
Slavery in Mauritania Today, Anti-Slavery Society, 1981, and also Edinburgh Human Rights Group 1982
Communes: a Social History and Guide, Prism, 1984
Academic papersedit
"Stone tools from a washing-limit deposit of the highest postglacial transgression, Lealt Bay, Isle of Jura", Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (Proc Soc Antiq Scot), 100 (1967–8), 1–46.
"Flint tools from the present tidal zone, Lussa Bay, Isle of Jura, Argyll", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 102, (1969–70), 1–30.
"A regression-time stone-workers' camp, 33 ft OD, Lussa River, Isle of Jura", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 103 (1970-1), 1–32.
"Roomed and Roomless Grain-Drying Kilns: the Hebridean Boundary?", Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society (Trans Ancient Mon Soc), New Series, 19 (1972), 27–36.
"Microlithic and Bronze Age camps, 75–26 ft OD, N Cam, Isle of Jura", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 104 (1971–2), 1–22.
"Glenbatrick Waterhole, a microlithic site on the Isle of Jura", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 105 (1972-4), 9–32.
"Lussa Wood I: the late-glacial and early post-glacial occupation of Jura", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 110 (1979–80), 1–31.
(with S. Searight) "Glengarrisdale: confirmation of Jura's third microlithic phase", Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 116 (1986), 41–55.
^. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
^. Archived from the original on 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
December 20, 2023
john, mercer, archaeologist, john, barry, mercer, 1934, july, 1982, british, archaeologist, author, weaver, human, rights, advocate, born, palmas, canary, islands, british, parents, educated, spain, england, having, qualified, chartered, accountant, worked, pr. John Barry Mercer 1934 July 1982 was a British archaeologist author weaver and human rights advocate Born in Las Palmas Canary Islands to British parents he was educated in Spain and England 1 Having qualified as a chartered accountant by the age of 21 he worked for Price Waterhouse in Paris for a couple of years and then dropped out first to Ibiza and then Menorca Following his passion for islands he subsequently moved to Lealt a remote house on the Scottish island of Jura in the Inner Hebrides where in the 1960s and 70s with his partner Susan Searight he researched and painstakingly excavated numerous coastal sites His many papers have established Jura as a significant Mesolithic area 2 3 Whilst at Lealt as well as his archaeological work he lived off grid built his own loom from driftwood invented a spinning wheel from recycled parts and established a workshop to spin dye and weave the local blackface wool into rugs He was a committed human rights researcher and activist particularly in the Western Sahara and Mauritania contributing influential research reports to the Minority Rights Group and also the Anti Slavery Society His report on slavery in Mauritania has been widely cited The John Mercer Human Rights Trust set up after his death commemorates this strand of his life Mercer s first books were for young people Lizard Island Expedition and The Cormorant and the Stranger drawing on his own experiences in the Balearics He wrote an illustrated guidebook to the islands of Colonsay Gigha and Jura and several books on the Canary Islands An independent thinker with eclectic interests he also wrote about amongst other topics hand spinning communes and Scottish devolution He was a Fellow of the Institute of Linguists of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland John Mercer died from motor neurone disease at Lealt at the age of 48 Contents 1 Selected bibliography 1 1 Books 1 2 Academic papers 2 ReferencesSelected bibliography editBooks edit Lizard Island Expedition Oliver and Boyd 1965 The Cormorant and the Stranger Deutsch 1971 Canary Islands Fuerteventura David amp Charles 1973 Hebridean Islands Colonsay Gigha Jura Blackie 1974 Spanish Sahara Allen amp Unwin 1976 The Spinner s Workshop Prism Press 1978 Scotland the Devolution of Power Platform Books Calder 1978 The Sahwaris of Western Sahara Minority Rights Group 1979 The Canary Islanders their prehistory conquest and survival Collings 1980 Slavery in Mauritania Today Anti Slavery Society 1981 and also Edinburgh Human Rights Group 1982 Communes a Social History and Guide Prism 1984Academic papers edit Stone tools from a washing limit deposit of the highest postglacial transgression Lealt Bay Isle of Jura Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Proc Soc Antiq Scot 100 1967 8 1 46 Flint tools from the present tidal zone Lussa Bay Isle of Jura Argyll Proc Soc Antiq Scot 102 1969 70 1 30 A regression time stone workers camp 33 ft OD Lussa River Isle of Jura Proc Soc Antiq Scot 103 1970 1 1 32 Roomed and Roomless Grain Drying Kilns the Hebridean Boundary Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society Trans Ancient Mon Soc New Series 19 1972 27 36 Microlithic and Bronze Age camps 75 26 ft OD N Cam Isle of Jura Proc Soc Antiq Scot 104 1971 2 1 22 Glenbatrick Waterhole a microlithic site on the Isle of Jura Proc Soc Antiq Scot 105 1972 4 9 32 Lussa Wood I the late glacial and early post glacial occupation of Jura Proc Soc Antiq Scot 110 1979 80 1 31 with S Searight Glengarrisdale confirmation of Jura s third microlithic phase Proc Soc Antiq Scot 116 1986 41 55 References edit Books on Ibiza Ibiza History amp Culture Camas a Bhuailte The bay of threshing Archived from the original on 2012 03 23 Retrieved 2011 04 25 History of Jura Part 1 Archived from the original on 2010 11 24 Retrieved 2011 04 25 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Mercer archaeologist amp oldid 1106029595, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
