R. N. (Richard Nicklin) Hall

Born in 1853, Richard Nicklin Hall was an English solicitor who later made his name as a writer and amateur archaeologist in southern Africa. He became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and his published work shows a strong interest in the history, landscapes, and ruins of the region.

Hall is especially remembered for his connection with Great Zimbabwe. His book Great Zimbabwe, Mashonaland, Rhodesia grew out of examination work he carried out there in 1902–1904 on behalf of the government of Rhodesia, and it helped shape how many readers of the time understood the site.

He also wrote other works on the region, including Life among the Matabele Kopjes and Prehistoric Rhodesia. Hall died in 1914. Today he remains a notable, if controversial, figure in the early written history of Great Zimbabwe and colonial-era archaeology.