Peter Desmond Harbison (14 January 1939 – 30 May 2023)^[1][2] was an Irish archaeologist and author. Harbison was Professor of Archaeology and a member (elected in 1979) of the Royal Irish Academy (Arts division), and the academy's Honorary Academic Editor. He was also an honorary Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, an honorary member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and author of 36 books.^[3][4]

His main scientific work was the three-volume publication The High Crosses of Ireland from 1992. In addition to his monument guide, however, Harbison became widely known through numerous publications aimed at the general public, which provide an introduction to the early history of Ireland and its artistic monuments. ^{[citation needed]}

After the Austin Cooper (1759-1830) archive of archaeological and historical was given to the National Library of Ireland Harbison was encouraged by the Director to publish ' Cooper's Ireland: Drawings and Notes from an Eighteenth-Century Gentleman.' These drawings and diaries were considered by Harbison to be of importance because 'they add to the compendium of visual records of Ireland's historic monuments as they were in the late 18th Century.'

In 1978, together with Homan Potterton, director of the Irish National Gallery, and Jeanne Sheehy, he published his first art volume, "Irish Art and Architecture" (Thames & Hudson), where he surveyed Irish art up to 1600 AD. His 1988 book Pre-Christian Ireland won the British Archaeological Book Award in the same year. Other important art volumes include The Golden Age of Irish Art which covers Medieval art in the period between 600 and 1200 AD.^[5]