Gary Bankhead is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Archaeology at Durham University, where he coordinates the wider research of the Durham River Wear Assemblage. Alongside his own ongoing small finds research, Gary works closely with Durham University students on the MA in Museum and Artefact Studies and the MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects. Together, they analyse, research, and display artefacts recovered from the River Wear (see: student case studies). He also collaborates with specialists in traditional archaeological skills—from finds drawing to comparative analysis and typology development—ensuring the assemblage is studied and presented to the highest standards.

Gary is also an external specialist for the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). Most recently, he has undertaken research on two significant assemblages of sixteenth‑ and seventeenth‑century lead cloth seals discovered during MOLA excavations at the Crossrail Project (Liverpool Street) and at Tanner Street, Bermondsey.

 

In 2025, Gary published Pilgrim Souvenirs, Devotional and Other Objects of Faith..., a landmark study focusing on the religious and devotional artefacts recovered from the River Wear. This work highlights the spiritual and cultural dimensions of medieval Durham, complementing the broader assemblage of more than 14,500 artefacts recovered from the river. His discoveries have also been showcased in exhibitions such as Hidden Stories from the River Wear at Durham University’s Museum of Archaeology, which brought to light unusual, playful, and romantic artefacts spanning over 1,000 years of history.

As current President of the Vedra Hylton Community Association, a local community archaeology group based in Sunderland, Gary has led archaeological excavations that uncovered a significant and previously unknown Romano‑British site. These discoveries have reshaped understanding of the region’s ancient past and highlight the importance of community‑driven heritage projects in revealing new chapters of Sunderland’s history.

Beyond academia and community leadership, Gary is an amateur underwater archaeologist, small finds researcher, and illustrator. He lives in Pity Me, County Durham, with his wife Angela. A qualified BSAC Dive Leader and Level 3 water rescue technician, Gary has been a sub‑aqua diver for over 35 years, exploring UK inshore waters and the Egyptian Red Sea. He is a member of the Nautical Archaeology Society.

An accomplished public speaker, Gary has delivered more than 250 talks, papers, and lectures, sharing his expertise and passion for archaeology and adventure. His interests extend to long‑distance walking, mountain climbing (including a successful summit of Cerro Aconcagua, 6,960m, Argentina, in 2007), running (with over 20 full and half marathons completed), snowboarding, and snorkeling. In 2004, he co‑founded the Fire and Ice Expeditions team, which has since raised over £100,000 for local charities, combining exploration with community impact.

Gary also shares his work more widely through his YouTube/GaryBankhead channel, which showcases his underwater discoveries and provides audiences with unique insights into the River Wear Assemblage and his broader archaeological projects.