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We have had a brilliant selection of entries for this year’s photo competition, with images that have taken us on a journey through history and around the world. From new perspectives on famous heritage sites to lesser-known archaeological gems, the impressive array of photos submitted highlights the many different ways we experience and explore the past. Archaeological photographer Adam Stanford of AS Geospatial Surveys (http://www.adam-stanford.co.uk) served as our judge and cast his expert eye over the entries. The results were announced at the Current Archaeology Awards ceremony on 1 March.
This year’s overall winner is Pawel Zygmunt’s photograph ‘The Ancient World’, which shows the Hill of Tara, in County Meath, Ireland. Adam commented on his choice for CWA Photo of the Year 2025, ‘This aerial photo shows the Hill of Tara and the Mound of the Hostages passage tomb at a golden hour moment. The raking sunlight, meteorological conditions, and Pawel’s fantastic perspective have captured the landscape and earthworks in a beautiful and informative way.’
The winning picture was on display at the CA Live! 2025 conference at the UCL Institute of Education in London, alongside our three runners-up (presented here in alphabetical order).
First, we have Greg Metro’s photograph of the Meroë Pyramids in Sudan. This image combines a set of photos taken over the course of an hour at around 4am, placing the famous Kushite burial sites against the backdrop of the night sky, showing the rotation of the Earth. About this image, Adam said, ‘The technique used by Greg to capture these pyramids in the early hours of the morning and create the trails of starlight involves hundreds of photographs stacked to create one awe-inspiring image.’
Another of the runners-up is Mathew Browne, with a photo of the prehistoric chambered tomb of Pentre Ifan in Pembrokeshire, UK. Adam commented, ‘Colourful skies above a Neolithic burial chamber during the geomagnetic storm of May 2024: a rare moment at a well-known and much photographed monument, captured beautifully by Mathew.’
The third runner-up is Rashi Mehrotra, whose photo shows a location rich in history: the Ponte Sant’Angelo crossing the River Tiber in Rome, with St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City beyond it. Adam said of this photo, ‘Rashi had wonderful conditions and magical light along with steady support of the camera during a long exposure to create this scene at sunset.’
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 2026, coming later this year. We look forward to seeing your entries!
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