Seventy Years in Archaeology

Abstract

Among the leading Egyptologists of his day, Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853–1942) excavated over fifty sites and trained a generation of archaeologists. He is credited with bringing his subject to a much wider audience, and his talent for exposition is reflected in this accessible autobiography, first published in 1931 and illustrated throughout. It describes life on digs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, providing rich insights into developing archaeological methods. Petrie's most important discoveries are recounted, including his unearthing of the Merneptah Stele, some of the earliest evidence of mummification, and elements of Greek and Roman cultural influence in Egypt. Furthermore, he reflects here on his innovative practice of recording and preserving every artefact, not just obvious museum pieces. Petrie wrote prolifically throughout his long career, and a great many of his other publications are also reissued in this series.

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