[1] He is noted for his work on the evolution of language, music and intelligence, prehistoric hunter-gatherers, and the origins of farming.
He is professor of early prehistory at the University of Reading.
[2] Mithen began his academic career as a research fellow in archaeology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge from 1987 to 1990.
[2] In 2004, Mithen was elected a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA), the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and social sciences.
[3] He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (FSA Scot) in 1993 and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) in 1998.