Sir Arthur Keith

author

Sir Arthur Keith

1866–1955

A Scottish anatomist and anthropologist, he became one of the best-known interpreters of human evolution in the early 20th century. His career combined museum work, medical anatomy, and widely read writing on fossil humans and Darwin’s legacy.

1 Audiobook

Nationality and Race from an Anthropologist's Point of View Being the Robert Boyle lecture delivered before the Oxford university junior scientific club on November 17, 1919

Nationality and Race from an Anthropologist's Point of View Being the Robert Boyle lecture delivered before the Oxford university junior scientific club on November 17, 1919

by Sir Arthur Keith

About the author

Born in Aberdeen on February 5, 1866, he built a long career in anatomy and physical anthropology and became especially known for studying fossil humans. He worked with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, where he served as conservator of the Hunterian Museum and later held the post of Hunterian Professor.

His research focused on human evolution, and he wrote extensively for both specialists and general readers. Reference works describe him as a leading figure in reconstructing early human forms from fossil evidence, including material from Europe, North Africa, and Mount Carmel.

His legacy is mixed. Alongside his influence as an anatomist and popular science writer, some of his views on race and nationalism were controversial in his own lifetime and are now discredited.