author

R. N. (Richard Nicklin) Hall

1853–1914

Best known for his books on Great Zimbabwe and the ruins of southern Africa, this journalist-turned-curator wrote vivid, often strongly argued accounts that helped shape early popular interest in the region’s archaeology. His work is also part of the larger story of how colonial-era ideas influenced the interpretation of African history.

1 Audiobook

Great Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, Rhodesia An account of two years' examination work in 1902-4 on behalf of the government of Rhodesia

Great Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, Rhodesia An account of two years' examination work in 1902-4 on behalf of the government of Rhodesia

by R. N. (Richard Nicklin) Hall

About the author

Born in 1853, Richard Nicklin Hall was a British solicitor who later emigrated to Rhodesia, where he worked as a journalist, editor, and public figure before becoming closely associated with the study of ancient sites in southern Africa.

He is best remembered for books including The Ancient Ruins of Rhodesia (1902), Great Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, Rhodesia (1905), and Prehistoric Rhodesia (1910). In 1902 he was appointed curator of Great Zimbabwe after new protections were introduced for ancient monuments, and he spent years writing about the site and other ruins across the region.

Hall died in 1914. Today, his books remain of interest not only for their descriptions of Great Zimbabwe and related sites, but also as historical documents that reflect the assumptions and debates of archaeology in his time.