Scholar · Archaeologist · Patron
George Ernest Wright
1909–1974 · United States
Harvard biblical scholar and ASOR president who took on the American Expedition to Idalion in 1971 and directed it until his death in 1974.
Biography
George Ernest Wright (1909 to 1974) took over the American Expedition to Idalion at Dhali after the man chosen to open it had died. Paul W. Lapp, who was to start excavation there for the Institute for Cypriot Studies at SUNY Albany, drowned a few days before digging was to begin in 1970. In January 1971 the US State Department's Bureau of Cultural Affairs asked the American Schools of Oriental Research to revive the project1. Wright, ASOR's president from 1966 and Parkman Professor at Harvard since 19594, writes that he had given up field archaeology after starting Gezer in 1965, but no one else in ASOR could direct or obtain a permit from the Department of Antiquities, so he did it himself1.
A month-long pilot season in August 1971 was paid for by a consortium of SUNY Albany, Boston University, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Harvard's Semitic Museum. In 1972 a National Endowment for the Humanities matching grant of about 60,000 dollars and Milton Fund grants supported a longer season, with about 40 staff and volunteers1. He is recorded as director for 1971 to 19737,8. After Idalion he drew up a proposal for an American research school in Cyprus on the model of ACOR, the American school in Jordan, and declined a suggestion that it be named for him6.
Wright died in August 1974, and Lawrence E. Stager and Anita Walker became co-directors of the Idalion project3.
Life and work
- 1970Paul W. Lapp, asked to open excavation at Idalion for the SUNY Albany Institute for Cypriot Studies, drowned a few days before digging was to begin.
Kyrenia coastStager et al. 1974, pp. xv-xvii
- January 1971The US State Department's Bureau of Cultural Affairs asked ASOR to revive the Idalion project; Wright, having no other ASOR member willing or able to serve as director or to secure a permit from the Department of Antiquities, took it on.
- August 1971One-month pilot campaign at Idalion, funded by a consortium (SUNY Albany, Boston University, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Harvard's Semitic Museum).
- 1972Two-month campaign with a National Endowment for the Humanities matching grant (budget about 60,000 dollars) and Milton Fund research grants.
- 1973Third campaign, 'under the direction of M. G. E. Wright' in the Chronique's wording.
IdalionKarageorghis 1974
- 1974Planned an American research school in Cyprus on the ACOR model (the later CAARI) and declined the suggestion to name it for himself.
- August 1974Died in August 1974; Stager and Walker became co-directors of the Idalion project.
Connections
11 peopleFieldwork & employment
- Had digging done by Anita Walker1971–1974
- Employed Anita Walker1971–1974
- Employed Lawrence E. Stager1971–1974
- Had digging done by O. Elmo Scogginprobably1971–1972
- Had digging done by Ralph W. Doermannprobably1972
- Had digging done by Yechiel M. Lehavy1972–1974
Scholarship
- Teacher of Anita Walker1969
- Teacher of Lawrence E. Stager1969–1974
- Material published by Frank Cross1972
- Wrote with Anita Walker1974
- Wrote with Lawrence E. Stager1974
Colleagues & contacts
- Connected with W. F. Albrightpossibly1953–1965
- Succeeded Paul W. Lapp1970–1971
- Worked with Mary Gogginprobably1971
- Worked with Per Alin1971–1972
- Worked with Vassos Karageorghis1971–1974
- Succeeded by Lawrence E. Stager1974
Sources
- 1.L. E. Stager (ed.), A. Walker (ed.), G. E. Wright (ed.) (1974). American Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus: First Preliminary Report, Seasons of 1971 and 1972. American Schools of Oriental Research.
- 2.L. E. Stager (ed.), A. Walker (ed.), G. E. Wright (ed.) (1974). American Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus: First Preliminary Report, Seasons of 1971 and 1972. American Schools of Oriental Research.
- 3.Lawrence E. Stager (ed.), Anne M. Walker (ed.) (1989). American Expedition to Idalion, Cyprus, 1973-1980. Chicago, Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
- 4.Eric M. Meyers (ed.) (1997). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Archaeology in the Near East. New York, Oxford University Press.
- 5.Pamela Gaber (2008). “The History of History: Excavations at Idalion and the Changing History of a City-Kingdom”. Near Eastern Archaeology 71. Online
- 6.Thomas W. Davis (1989). “A History of American Archaeology on Cyprus”. The Biblical Archaeologist 52, 163-169. Online
- 7.V. Karageorghis (1972). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1971”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 96.
- 8.V. Karageorghis (1974). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1973”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 98.
- 9.M. K. Toumazou (ed.), P. N. Kardulias (ed.), D. B. Counts (ed.) (2011). Crossroads and Boundaries: The Archaeology of Past and Present in the Malloura Valley, Cyprus.