A PIONEERING professor from the University of Bradford is among the nominees for a coveted national archaeology award.

Prof Vince Gaffney, 58, chair in landscape archaeology at the university, has been shortlisted for the Archaeologist of the Year at the Current Archaeology Awards 2016.

His work has included being the UK lead in the Anglo-Austria 'Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project'.

Prof Gaffney was part of a team that used cutting-edge sensory technology, which uncovered evidence of what they believed was a ritual arena of up to 90 standing stones buried beneath the bank of the Durrington Walls 'super henge'.

The group's findings were announced at the British Science Festival held in Bradford in September this year.

Their latest surveys now offer evidence that Stonehenge's largest neighbour, Durrington Walls, had an earlier phase which included a large row of standing stones, with the preservation of the stones said to be unique to British archaeology.

He was also part of a research team that used cutting edge technology to discover that wheat arrived in Britain almost 2,000 years before history records farming as beginning.

This discovery means Britons from that time must have had social ties with Europeans.

Prof Gaffney received the European Archaeology Heritage Award for his contribution to global heritage after his pioneering work exploring lost lands under the North Sea.

An online public vote has now opened to find out the winners and will close on February 8 next year.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on February 26 at the Current Archaeology Live show in London.

Prof Gaffney said: "It's a great pleasure to be recognised by your peers but also by the larger public.

"It is a vote and people have the opportunity to say if they like my work or not.

"I have absolutely no idea how this will go. This year has been pretty exceptional for archaeology at Bradford.

"It's not about one person. Archaeology is about a big team. Working as I do at Stonehenge is about working as part of an international team.

Meanwhile, the University of Bradford's Dr Steve Dockrill and Dr Julie Bond, have been nominated for Research Project of the Year.

This is for their work on exploring fortifications and farming at Old Scatness, an archaeological site in the south mainland of Shetland.

Prof Gaffney added: "For two projects from the University of Bradford to be taken forward is remarkable.

"Archaeology at Bradford is doing very well at an international level."

Professor Richard Greene, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, said: "To have two University of Bradford entries shortlisted in these prestigious awards is a great achievement and highlights the impressive quality of research taking place in our School of Archaeological Sciences.

"I wish Vince, Steve and Julie the best of luck and encourage everyone to vote for them."

Go to archaeology.co.uk/vote to cast an online vote.