John Evans

author

John Evans

1823–1908

A leading Victorian antiquarian, he helped turn the study of prehistory into a serious scientific field. His work on ancient stone tools and coins made him one of the most respected scholars of his time.

2 Audiobooks

The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland.

by John Evans

The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain Second Edition, Revised

The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain Second Edition, Revised

by John Evans

About the author

Born in Buckinghamshire in 1823, Sir John Evans built a successful career in the paper industry while also becoming a major figure in archaeology, geology, and numismatics. He is widely described as one of the founders of prehistoric archaeology, especially for his work studying stone tools and helping confirm the great antiquity of humankind.

Evans wrote influential books on ancient stone implements, bronze objects, and coins, and he was active in many learned societies, including the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries. Museums and reference works still note the scale of his collections and the lasting value of his careful, systematic research.

He died in 1908, but his legacy continued through both his publications and the collections he assembled. He is also remembered as the father of the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who later became famous for excavations at Knossos.