George Reisner

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File:Papyrus reisner.jpg
George Reisner with ceramic vessel (March 29,1929)


George Andrew Reisner (November 5, 1867 - June 6, 1942) was an American archaeologist of Ancient Egypt. He was best-known for his methodlological excavations of pyramids and other Eqyptian sites in the early 1900s. Through his expeditions, Reisner discovered thousands of artifacts, including the tombs of ancient Egyptian roayalty, papyri, and other items of historical significance. He was famous for his meticulous approach to archeological excavations, keeping good records, and the preservation of artifacts. As a result, he earned the reputation for being the "Father of Modern Scientific Archaeology."

Life

George Andrew Reisner was born on November 5, 1867 in Indianapolis, Indiana to George Andrew Reisner and Mary Elizabeth Mason. His father's parents were of German decent. In 1892 he married Mary Putnam Bronson and then left for an excavation in the Middle East.

He studied at Jebel Barkal (The Holy Mountain), in Nubia.

Education

George Reisner recieved his undergraduate degree at Cambridge University graduating in the class of 1889. Then he went on to study at Harvard University recieving his A.B. in 1889 and A.M. in 1891. He recieved his Ph.D. in 1893 and wrote his dissertation on Semitic languages. His specialty was Assyriology and Semitic languages.At Harvard, he recieved a study grant to research cuneiform at the University in Göttingen where he studied under the egyptologist Adolf Erman(1845-1937)and Kurt Sethe(1869-1934) in Berlin, Germany. Sethe taught Reisner hieroglyphs, that supplemented his already extensive knowledge of Arabic, Cuneiform and various other ancient modern languages.


Work

  • 1895-1896: Assistant of Egyptology(Berlin)
  • 1897–1899: Classified Egyptology collection of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo
  • 1899-1905: Led the Hearst Expedition of the University of California to explore burial grounds at and around Qift
  • 1905-1914: Assistant professor of Egyptology at Harvard University
  • 1907-1909: Directed archaeological survey of Nubia (Nilotic Sudan) for Egyptian government
  • 1908-1910: Directed excavations of Samaria in Palestine
  • 1910-1942: Curator of Egyptian collections at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
  • 1914-1942: Professor of Egyptology at Harvard University
  • 1916–1923: Explored pyramids of Meroë, dug out temple at Napata

Death

During this time he also explored mastabas. Even in his old age, despite suffering from progressive blindness, he worked on dictating manucripts. He died in his sleep on June 6, 1942 in Giza, Egypt and is buried in the American cemetery(protestant) in Mari Girgis, Cairo, Egypt. Then the Harvard camp was closed in 1947 and the Egyptian government awarded one half of the objects found by Reisner to the excavation sponsor-the Hearst Museum at University of Calfornia, Berkeley, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.


Legacy

Reisner uncovered the fact that the Nubian kings were not buried in the pyramids but outside of them. He also found the skull of a Nubian female (whom he thought was a king) which is now displayed in the Peabody Museum at Harvard. Reisner believed that Kerma was originally the base of an Egyptian governor and that these Egyptian rulers evolved into the independent monarchs of Kerma. He also created a list of Egyptian viceroys of Kush. He gained notoriety for finding the tomb of Queen Hetepheres the mother of King Khufu (Cheops in Greek) who built the Great Pyramid at Giza. Reisner rewrote the history of Nubia, and explored the world-famous Giza Pyramids. Through his methological approach, George Reisner has earned the reputation for being the father of modern scientific archeology.

George Reisner, an experienced egyptologist, is ranked among the most important archaeologists of the twentieth centure. he worked duringa apart of the greate era of American museum-sponsored expeditions. As methods began to take on a more scientific perspective. Reisner developed a new method of documentation that proved to be more elaborate and methodical than that of Sir Flinders Petrie(1853-1942), making it the most methodical procedure used in egyptian excavations. Reisner was well-known for his humor and intelligence, even leading to the nickname "Papa George" used by his students. Reisner had excavated one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, the Giza pyramids, not to mention thousands of ancient artifcacts and hundreds of art masterpieces, rewritten Egypto-Nubian history, and changed the course of modern scientific archaeology.

Publications

  • 1896: Wrote articles on cuneiform hyms
  • 1899: Published artcle on canopic jars that was important to theZeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache
  • 1901: Documented his research of the temple documetns of Telloh
  • 1905: Edited The Hearst Medical Papyrus, today at UC Berkeley
  • 1907: Wrote Amulets, 1st section of the important catalogue gènèral for the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt.
  • 1913:Wrote Models of Ships and Boats -2nd section of catalogue gènèral
  • 1931: Wrote Mycerinus (alternative name of Menkaure)
  • 1936: The Development of the Egyptian Tomb down to the Accession of Cheops
  • 1942: Published final work, A History of the Giza Necropolis
  • 2004: The Egyptian Concept of Immortality" realeased

References
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External links

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