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Results
We had a fantastic selection of entries sent in for this year’s photo competition, with images that took us all over the world, and back in time. Subjects range from famous monuments and spectacular heritage sites to places of hidden archaeological importance, with the impressive array of photos submitted for this year’s competition highlighting the many different ways we encounter and explore the past. Archaeological photographer Adam Stanford, of SUMO Services, served as our judge and cast his expert eye over the entries. The results were announced at the Current Archaeology Awards ceremony in February.
This year’s overall winner is Rafael Ruiz Fuente’s photo of the Neolithic Dolmen of Guadalperal in Cáceres, Spain. Adam commented on his choice for CWA Photo of the Year 2024, ‘This photograph tells a story of archaeology and climate change, from the construction of a burial monument thousands of years ago to then being submerged by a reservoir in the 1960s, and then revealed again due to severe droughts. The story of how humans affect landscapes and later the planet, with a celestial view. Rafael had to go to extremes to capture all of this and therefore is a very worthy winner.’
The winning photo was on display at the CA Live! 2024 conference at the UCL Institute of Education in London, alongside our three runners-up (presented here in alphabetical order).
First, we have Andrew Smith’s photo of Castle Tioram, a dramatic ancient fortress in the Scottish Highlands. About this image, Adam said, ‘A romantic ruin on a tidal island in Loch Moidart, west of Fort William: this photograph captures the beauty of the landscape with the reflections of the sky and hints of archaeological features in the immediate surroundings of the castle.’
Another of the runners-up is Dmitry Skvortsov, with a photo of Isla del Sol, in the southern part of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. Like all of the winning images, this picture was chosen by Adam for both its aesthetic qualities and the subject depicted: ‘The island is home to many archaeological ruins, mostly dating back to the 15th century. Here, Dmitry has captured a sacrificial table where the Inca may have sacrificed animals, food and, in some cases, people.’
Our third runner-up is Engr Asmar Hussain, whose photo shows the Makli Graveyard in Sindh, Pakistan, one of the largest funerary sites in the world. Adam commented, ‘Dating back to the 14th century, Makli Graveyard is a captivating testament to the diverse cultural and artistic influences that have shaped the region over centuries. The site boasts an impressive array of intricately designed tombs and mausoleums, reflecting a fusion of Islamic and indigenous architectural styles. The magnificent golden light makes this a wonderful runner-up.’
Well done to the winners, and thank you to all who entered; we’ve loved seeing your work. Keep an eye out for details about the CWA Photo Competition 2025 in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. We look forward to your entries!
To see the overall winner, turn to ‘Horizon’ here.
