Graeme William Walter Barker (born 23 October 1946) is a British archaeologist. He was Disney Professor of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge from 2004 to 2014, having previously taught at the University of Sheffield and the University of Leicester. His research has covered the Italian Bronze Age, the Roman occupation of Libya, and landscape archaeology.

Barker has led excavations at Shanidar Cave in Iraq since 2015. In news coverage of the discovery of a partial Neanderthal skeleton at the site, named Shanidar A and dated to about 75,000 years ago, Barker commented on the likely cause of a penetrating wound to the individual’s left shoulder blade. He said interpersonal violence, either from members of the same Neanderthal group or rival groups, was the likeliest explanation.

Research context

The Shanidar A remains include a left shoulder blade with a 1.5 cm wound suggestive of a stab from a sharpened wooden spear. The individual, estimated to have been in their mid-40s, also showed evidence of a healed facial injury. Researchers said the bones provide evidence of both care and violence in Neanderthal behaviour.