David Peacock was a distinguished archaeological scientist who came to understand the logistical achievements of the Romans through his study of their great quarries in the Egyptian desert — and how their output was distributed for use across the empire.
His work shed light on the ancient trade between Rome and India, the commercial life of Carthage, the reach of goods transported in clay pots made in Cornwall, and the importance to the Roman economy of transportable two-handled pots — the earthenware amphorae. He excelled in analysing the trade in Roman pottery and his books have become standard texts.
A growing interest in the exploitation and distribution of Roman decorative stone led Peacock to Egypt where, for well over a decade from 1987, he was
