MACKAY, Ernest John Henry. Bristol 5.7.1880 — London 2.10.1943. British Archaeologist. Son of Richard Cockrill Mackay and Mary Dermott Thomas, educated at Bristol Grammar School and Bristol University. M.A. D.Litt. Assisted excavations in Egypt in 1907-12, trained by Petrie. In 1913-16 conducted excavations and photographic survey of the Theban Tombs in Egypt, in 1916-19 served as Captain in the R.A.S.C. in Egypt and Palestine. In 1919-20 member of Army Commission for Survey of Ancient Monuments in Palestine and Syria, in 1919-22 Custodian of Antiquities, Palestine Government. In 1922-26 Field Director of the Oxford University and the Field Museum (Chicago) Archaeological Expedition to Mesopotamia, in 1925 conducted excavations in Bahrain. In 1926-31 Special Officer for Exploration for A.S.I., excavated at Mohenjo-Daro. In 1935-36 Director of the Expedition of American School of Indic and Iranian Studies and Boston Museum of Fine Arts to Chanhu-daro, India. Married 1912 Dorothy Mary Simmons (1881–1953), an anthropologist who then participated in his work, two sons.
Though originally a Near Eastern archaeologist, EM has an important place in Indian archaeology, too, because of his excavations at Mohenjo-daro and Chanhu-daro.
Publications: With Petrie: Heliopolis. L. 1915; The City of Shepherd Kings and Ancient Gaza. L. 1952; with others: The ‘A’ Cemetery at Kish. Chicago 1925; A Sumerian Palace and the A’ Cemetery at Kish. Chicago 1926; Excavations at Jemdet Nasr, Iraq. Chicago 1930; further books and articles.
– “Painted Pottery in Modern Sind: A Survival of an Ancient Industry”, JRAnthrInst 60, 1930, 127-135.
– With J. Marshall and others: Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization. 1-3. 25+716+11 p. 164 pl. L. 1931.
– The Indus Civilization. 8+210 p. L. 1935; Further excavations at Mohenjo-daro (1927–31). 1-2. Delhi 1938.
– Chanhu-daro excavations, 1935–1936. 338 p. 96 pl. A.O.S. 20. New Haven 1943.
Sources: Dawson & Uphill, Who Was Who in Egyptology. 2nd rev. ed. L. 1972; Wikipedia with photo.
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