British Collection Highlights:

Sir Arthur Evans Archive

Sir Arthur John Evans (1851–1941), archaeologist, numismatist and museum director, is perhaps best known as the excavator of Knossos, Crete (1900-1931), and for the discovery of the Minoan civilization. He also made important contributions across a range of fields including archaeology, anthropology, ethnology, numismatics and the arts, as well as Balkan politics. He was Keeper of the Ashmolean (1884-1908) and during his 25-year keepership he oversaw its transformation to a major museum of archaeology and art. He was also a meticulous recorder of his life's work, and bequeathed a vast documentary archive along with his object collections to the Ashmolean Museum after his death in 1941.

A full catalogue of the papers is in preparation by Dr Senta German, Montclair State University, and is expected to be completed by late 2018. This catalogue builds on previous work and maintains a full concordance with earlier referencing systems for the papers.

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Arthur Evans at Knossos

Sir Arthur Evans at Knossos

Further Information

Joan Evans, Time and Chance: The Story of Arthur Evans and His Forebears (1943).

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Alison Roberts, 2018