Max Mallowan (1904-1978) was a British archaeologist specializing in the ancient Near East. He directed major excavations in Iraq and Syria, notably at Nimrud. He was the husband of the novelist Agatha Christie.
Max Mallowan(1904 — 1978)
Max Mallowan
Royaume-Uni
5 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born in 1904 in London and died in 1978
- From 1925, took part in the excavations at Ur in Mesopotamia under the direction of Leonard Woolley
- Married the novelist Agatha Christie in 1930, who accompanied him on his digs
- Directed the excavations of the Assyrian site of Nimrud (Iraq) in the 1950s
- Knighted in 1968 for his contributions to archaeology
Works & Achievements
The first major excavation directed by Mallowan, which revealed a rich prehistoric site in northern Mesopotamia and its beautiful painted pottery.
Excavations in northern Syria that brought to light the “Eye Temple” of Tell Brak and shed light on the beginnings of the Mesopotamian civilizations.
His most famous achievement: the uncovering of the Assyrian palaces and hundreds of carved ivories, major treasures of ancient art.
An accessible overview of the great archaeological discoveries made in Mesopotamia during the twentieth century.
A landmark scholarly publication presenting in detail the results of his excavations at Nimrud.
An autobiography tracing his career as an archaeologist and his life alongside Agatha Christie.
Anecdotes
In 1930, during an excavation at Ur in Iraq, the young Max Mallowan met Agatha Christie, already a famous novelist. She was fourteen years older than him, but they married a few months later and stayed together until the novelist's death in 1976.
Agatha Christie often accompanied her husband to excavation sites in the Near East. She delicately cleaned the ivory objects discovered at Nimrud with her face cream and a small stick, a homespun method that greatly amused the team.
Mallowan is credited with this humorous line often attributed to his wife: an archaeologist would be the best husband a woman could have, because the older she gets, the more interested he becomes in her. The quip slyly captured Max's passion for ancient things.
At Nimrud, the ancient Assyrian capital, Mallowan uncovered hundreds of finely carved ivory plaques in the 1950s, among the most beautiful treasures of ancient Near Eastern art. One of them, nicknamed “the Mona Lisa of Nimrud,” depicts a smiling woman's face.
A novelist working behind the scenes, Agatha Christie drew on her time at archaeological sites for the setting of several novels, such as *Murder in Mesopotamia*. She also published an affectionate account of life on the digs titled *Come, Tell Me How You Live*.
Primary Sources
Mallowan's major scientific report presenting the results of his excavations at Nimrud, where he describes the discovery of the ivories and the layout of the Assyrian palace.
In his memoirs, Mallowan looks back on his career, his excavations in Iraq and Syria, and his life alongside Agatha Christie.
Agatha Christie's autobiographical account of everyday life during her husband's excavation campaigns in Syria, blending domestic anecdotes with archaeological observations.
Key Places
Birthplace of Max Mallowan, where he was born in 1904 and where he later pursued an academic career.
Sumerian city where Mallowan began his career as assistant to Leonard Woolley, and where he met Agatha Christie in 1930.
Ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire, the site of Mallowan's most famous excavations in the 1950s, which yielded the celebrated ivories.
An important site in northern Mesopotamia, on the Khabur River, where Mallowan carried out excavations in the 1930s and discovered the “Eye Temple”.
Home of Mallowan and Agatha Christie, Winterbrook House, where the couple lived much of their lives and where Max died in 1978.
City where Mallowan pursued his higher education at New College, University of Oxford, before turning to fieldwork archaeology.
Typical Objects
Finely carved ivory plaques and figurines discovered in the Assyrian palaces of Nimrud, often of Phoenician inspiration. They rank among the finest works of art of the ancient Near East.
A small tool with a triangular blade used to clear away soil with precision around remains. It is the emblematic instrument of the field excavator.
A clay tablet engraved with cuneiform signs, the medium of Mesopotamian writing. Mallowan's excavations yielded many of them, invaluable for understanding the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations.
A register in which the archaeologist methodically notes the position, depth and nature of each object discovered. It guarantees the scientific rigour of the dig.
A camera used to document remains in situ before they are removed. Photography became an essential tool of scientific archaeology in the 20th century.
A frame fitted with mesh used to sift the extracted soil in order to recover small objects: beads, fragments, bones. Indispensable so that nothing is lost from the archaeological layers.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Tags
Daily Life
Morning
On the dig site, Mallowan rose at dawn to make the most of the cool air. He assigned the teams of local workmen and supervised the clearing of the layers of earth, notebook in hand.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, under a crushing heat, he recorded, drew and photographed every object discovered. The work of cataloguing and surveying filled long, patient hours.
Evening
When evening came, the team gathered around a simple meal. Agatha Christie would sometimes clean the fragile objects while Max recorded the day's results and prepared the next day's work.
Food
On the dig sites, meals were frugal and local: flatbread, rice, mutton, dates, tea and seasonal fruit. At the English house, the cooking was more classically British.
Clothing
During excavations, Mallowan wore light, practical clothing suited to the arid climate: a shirt, canvas trousers and a hat to shield himself from the sun. In England, he donned the academic dress of the day.
Housing
During the campaigns, the team lodged in mud-brick houses or basic excavation camps near the sites. In England, the couple lived in comfortable country homes such as Winterbrook House.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Fouilles d'Arpachiyah
1933
Campagnes du Khabour (Chagar Bazar et Tell Brak)
1934-1938
Fouilles de Nimroud
1949-1960
Twenty-Five Years of Mesopotamian Discovery
1956
Nimrud and Its Remains
1966
Mallowan's Memoirs
1977
