author
Freiherr von Max Oppenheim
1860–1946
A diplomat, traveler, and self-funded archaeologist, he helped bring the ancient site of Tell Halaf to international attention. His life moved between German politics, Middle Eastern travel, and a lasting fascination with the history of the region.
1 Audiobook
Rabeh und das Tschadseegebiet
by Freiherr von Max Oppenheim
About the author
Born in Cologne in 1860 into the prominent Oppenheim banking family, Max von Oppenheim trained in law but became far better known for his work beyond the courtroom. He traveled widely in the Middle East, served in the German diplomatic world, and built a reputation as an expert on the region.
His name is especially linked with Tell Halaf in present-day Syria, a major archaeological site he identified in 1899 and later excavated in the years before and after World War I. He also published extensive studies of Bedouin life, reflecting a long-running interest in the peoples, cultures, and history of the Middle East.
Oppenheim died in 1946. Remembered as a complex and energetic figure, he left behind a career that combined diplomacy, scholarship, exploration, and archaeology in unusual ways.