The academic community is set to honour Emili Junyent, a distinguished professor of prehistory at the Universitat de Lleida (UdL), in celebration of his 80th birthday. The tribute will occur on Friday at the Salón Víctor Siurana, located within the university's Rectorate building.
Junyent, who has been described by colleagues as committed, honest, direct, and affable, has made significant contributions to the field of archaeology and education. He served as a professor at the UdL for nearly 20 years and was the dean of the Faculty of Arts from 2001 to 2007.
As part of this recognition, the UdL has published a book titled Del Roser a la Fortalesa. Emili Junyent Sánchez, compromiso universitario y arqueología. This volume includes testimonies from colleagues, a selection of his scientific articles, opinion pieces, and a comprehensive bibliography of his work. Natàlia Alonso, the book's editor and a fellow professor at the UdL, expressed hope that the publication will serve as a significant legacy, highlighting a crucial period in both the university's history and Catalan archaeology.
Junyent began his academic career at the Estudio General de Lleida in 1975, when it was still affiliated with the Universitat de Barcelona. He became a tenured professor of prehistory in 1985 and a full professor in 1999, following the establishment of the UdL. He played a pivotal role in founding the university's Archaeology Laboratory, the Revista de Arqueología de Ponent, and the Prehistoric Research Group.
His doctoral thesis, titled La filiación cultural del Horizonte Ibérico Antiguo en tierras catalanas, re-evaluated the role of the Ilergets within the broader context of the Iberian world, according to his friend and fellow professor Joan B. López. One of his notable projects was the excavation of the Vilars de Arbeca fortress, which began in 1985. The findings from this site have contributed significantly to understanding the eastern Ilergècia region.
The tribute will feature speeches from various dignitaries, including Núria Casado, the UdL's vice-rector for culture; Isabel Santaulària, the current dean of the Faculty of Arts; and Imma Lorés, the head of the Department of Geography, History and Art History. Other notable participants include Arturo Ruiz from the University of Jaén, Gonzalo Ruiz Zapatero from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and Josep Pau, president of the Friends of the Vilars Association, alongside several colleagues from the UdL.
