Famous archaeologists of the 20th century
Archaeology has been romanticized in the movies, but even though it is a field that offers a lot less adrenaline rush in real life, it still attracts a lot of brilliant minds. They get a different kind of rush from the archaeological work that they do especially when on the field. If you are interested in this field then you might want to know some of the more famous names connected with it. Here are some of the more famous archaeologists of the 20th Century:
Leakey Family- This is a family of scientists now based in Kenya. Their field of expertise not only extends to archaeology but to anthropology as well. They have made tremendous contributions to science especially in the study of early man. They also play an active part when it comes to Kenyan politics.
Howard Carter- He is responsible for what is rightfully considered to be one of the most spectacular achievements in the history of the field, the discovery of the grave of the Egyptian king Tutankhamun. This discovery caught the imagination of the world and started a craze for ancient Egypt in the United States and Europe. He had to overcome great odds in order to reach this achievement.
Mortimer Wheeler- He developed a system for excavating sites that is still being used today. It was his idea to divide the site into grids so that artefacts could be monitored and marked more easily. It also made the division of work a lot easier. He was responsible for a string of notable discoveries in the Indian subcontinent. He was also probably the most famous archaeologist of his time because he hosted several shows that popularized the field.
Shinichi Fujimura- He is one of the leading names when it comes to archaeology in Japan and what is remarkable is that he is largely a self-thought expert. His interest in only started out as a hobby, but as he started working on some sites he was able to uncover some astonishing finds that were missed by professional archaeologists. He is credited with finding the oldest piece of stoneware to have been discovered in Japan
William Albright- Albright is a pioneer archaeologist and also the founder of the field known as Biblical Archaeology. He is also a first class linguist and Bible scholar. For a time he was considered to be the leading authority in America when it comes to Oriental studies.
These are just some of the more famous names when it comes to archaeology in the 20th Century.