Arthur Evans
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| Arthur Evans | |
 Bronze statue of Sir Arthur Evans at Palace of Knossos
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| Born | July 8, 1851 Nash Mills |
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| Died | July 11, 1941 Boars Hill |
| Nationality |  United Kingdom |
| Fields | archaeology |
| Alma mater | Oxford |
| Known for | Knossos |
Sir Arthur John Evans (Born July 8, 1851 in Nash Mills, England and died July 11, 1941) was a British archaeologist most famous for unearthing the palace of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete at Kephala Hill. Evans attended Harrow School, Brasenose College, Oxford, and the University of Göttingen.
[edit] Crete excavations
Before Evans began work in Crete, archaeologist Minos Kalokairinos unearthed two of the palace’s storerooms in 1878, but the Turkish government interrupted his work before he could complete excavations. Evans had been deciphering script on seal stones on Crete in 1894 and when the island was declared an independent state in 1900, he purchased the site and began his excavations of the palace ruins. Arthur Evans found 3,000 clay tablets during excavations and worked to transcribe them. From the transcriptions it was clear that the tablets bore traces of more than one script. Evans dated the Linear A Chariot Tablets at Knossos as immediately prior to the catastrophic Minoan civilisation collapse of the 15th century BC. (Hogan, 2007)
On the basis of the ceramic evidence and stratigraphy, Evans concluded that there was a civilization on Crete before the civilizations recently brought to light by the adventurer-archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann at Mycenae and Tiryns. The huge ruin of Knossos spanned five acres and had a maze-like quality to it that reminded Evans of the labyrinth described in Greek mythology as having been built by King Minos to hide his monstrous child. Thus, Evans dubbed the civilization once inhabiting this great palace the Minoans. By 1903, most of the palace was excavated, bringing to light an advanced city containing with artwork and many examples of writing. Painted on the walls of the palace were numerous scenes depicting bulls, leading Evans to conclude that the Minoans did indeed worship the bull.
[edit] Legacy
Evans was knighted in 1911 for his services to archaeology and is commemorated both at Knossos and at the Ashmolean Museum. In 1913 he paid out of his own pocket £100 to double the amount paid with the studentship established jointly by the University of London and the Society of Antiquaries in memory of Augustus Wollaston Franks, won that year by Mortimer Wheeler.
Evans should also be remembered for his own obstinate Creto-centrism which led to unfriendly debate between himself and the mainland archaeologists Carl Blegen and Alan Wace.
From 1894 until his death Evans lived on Boars Hill, near Oxford. His house, 'Youlbury', has since been demolished. He had Jarn Mound built (by hand), surrounded by a wild garden, to make work during the depression years. Evans left part of his estate to the Boy Scouts and Youlbury Camp is still available for their use.
[edit] References
- Evans, A.J. (1901). Scripta Minoa - Volume 1.
- Evans, A.J. (1952). Scripta Minoa - Volume 2.
- Evans, A.J. (1921-35). The Palace of Minos - Volumes 1-4.
- Evans, A.J. (1933). Jarn Mound.
- Hogan, C. Michael (2007} Knossos, The Modern Antiquarian [1]
- Powell, Dilys (1973). The Villa Ariadne. Originally published by Hodder & Stoughton, London. A very lively account of Evan's residence at Knossos and the house he build himself there, which he later willed to the British School of Archæology at Athens.
- Ross, J. (1990). Chronicle of the 20th Century. Chronicle Australia Pty Ltd. ISBN 1872031803.
- MacGillivray, J Alexander (2001). Minotaur - Sir Arthur Evans and the Archaeology of the Minoan Myth. Published by Pimlico, a division of Random House. (Originally published by Jonathan Cape in 2000). A fascinating critical biography by someone who was himself an archaeologist associated with the site at Knossos for several years, and who is able to place the remarkable story of Evans in the context of the scientific and sociopolitical environment in which he lived.
Arthur Evans - Ancient Illyria: An Archaeological Exploration (Hardcover)
