Villain or Visionary?
Subtitle: R. A. S. Macalister and the Archaeology of Palestine
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 200
ISBN-13: 9781909662605
Subjects: Archaeology; Palestine, antiquities
Description: R. A. S. Macalister is an important but controversial figure in the history of Palestinian archaeology. This volume celebrates the centennial of the publication of his excavations at Tel Gezer (1912), conducted under the auspices of the PEF. This excavation was the most ambitious one of its time in the land, yielding important architectural remains and thousands of artefacts, including the well-known Gezer Calendar. The contributions of several eminent scholars reflect on the man and his work, and also report on how his work influenced the understanding of the sites he excavated in Palestine, All of which are currently being re-investigated. It is also richly illustrated with images from the PEF archives. Evaluations of Macalister's work vary tremendously and are reflected here. Many learnt from him, others deplored his methods and his recordkeeping. As one contributor puts it, #x91;an industrious archaeologist but an awful excavator', and a man who was both admired and intensely disliked: regarded as both a villain and a visionary. But it is generally agreed that he is a figure who cannot be ignored, and anyone interested in Palestinian archaeology will find a great deal to learn from this book.