KITTOE, Markham Robinson. Woolwich, Kent 14.12.1808 — Bosmere, Suffolk 14.10.1853. British Colonial Officer and a Pioneer of Archaeology in India. Son of Robinson K. (1770–1827) and Harriet Eliza Dominicus. Came to India in 1825 as cadet. Because of his over-sensitiveness he had difficulties with his superiors and was even temporarily dismissed, but finally advanced to Major. He was befriended with Prinsep, who helped him. Back in the army, in the beginning of the 1840s he served several years as a Road Officer in Chota Nagpur. Studied on architecture and sculpture, also on inscriptions. In the late 1840s he was Archaeological Enquirer to the Government in the North-West. As an architect he draw the new building of Benares Sanskrit College and superintended its construction. In January 1853 his health broke and he was sent home, but the illness only worsened during the journey and he died in a few days after his arrival in England. He married 1835 Emily Chalmers (1815–1877) and had at least four daughters and five sons (captain Markham Robinson K., 1848–1871).

In 1837 Kittoe discovered the Aśoka pillars of Dhauli and Jaugada. Later he explored Kurkihar, Sarnath, etc.

Publications: Illustrations of Indian Architecture from the Muhammadan Conquest Downwards. 1-13. Calcutta 1838-42.

– Wrote 23 articles in JASB on archaeology and inscriptionsof northern Indiain the 1830s and 1840s.

Sources: Cunningham in preface to A.S.I. Report 1; stray notes in Internet. Not in the D.N.B., only his son in Br. Biogr. Arch.