author
John Garstang
1876–1956
A pioneering archaeologist of the ancient Near East, he helped bring Egypt, Sudan, Anatolia, and the southern Levant into sharper historical focus through energetic fieldwork and careful record-keeping. His excavations and teaching also helped shape archaeology as a modern academic discipline in Britain.
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About the author
After studying mathematics at Jesus College, Oxford, he turned toward archaeology and joined excavations in Egypt at the end of the nineteenth century. He went on to build a remarkable career exploring sites across Egypt, Nubia, Anatolia, and Palestine, becoming known for both his wide range of interests and his habit of keeping unusually detailed excavation records.
He served as professor of archaeology at the University of Liverpool for many years and played an important role in developing the university's archaeological collections and teaching. His work at places such as Meroë and Jericho made him a prominent figure in the study of the ancient Near East, and he is often remembered as one of the early archaeologists who helped push the field toward more systematic methods.
Born in Blackburn on May 5, 1876, he died in Beirut on September 12, 1956. Today he is remembered not only for the sites he excavated, but also for the institutions he helped build and the example he set for later generations of field archaeologists.