Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Collector · Consul / diplomat

William Rex Crawford Jr.

1928–2002 · United States

US diplomat who collected Cypriot pottery in 1968-72, later served as Ambassador to Cyprus (1974-78) and backed the American research institute that became CAARI.

Biography

William Rex Crawford Jr. collected Cypriot pottery in Cyprus between 1968 and 1972 and later served as the United States Ambassador in Nicosia. He was born in Philadelphia in 1928, took a Harvard BA in 1949 and a Pennsylvania MA in 1950, and spent 1950 to 1980 in the Foreign Service. His postings included Jeddah, Venice, Beirut, Aden and Morocco, and a post as deputy ambassador to Cyprus. He was Ambassador to Yemen from 1972 to 19741.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University holds objects whose credit lines read "Collected by Ambassador William R. Crawford (1928-2002), Cyprus, 1968-1972. Thence by descent." They include a Late Cypriot flattened bottle (2004.054.021) and two Middle Cypriot jugs with an incised zig-zag on the body (2004.054.009 and 2004.054.010)2.

Rodger Davies was assassinated in 1974, and Crawford became Ambassador to Cyprus that year, serving until 19781. As ambassador he strongly supported the proposal by the American Schools of Oriental Research for a research institute in Cyprus; the institute was named CAARI in 19783.

He died on 4 August 2002 in Greensboro, Vermont1.

Life and work

  1. 1974
    Appointed US Ambassador to Cyprus after Rodger Davies was assassinated; served to 1978.

    NicosiaWilliam R. Crawford Jr.

  2. 1978
    CAARI formally named; Crawford's strong support as ambassador is credited in Rupp's chapter for the ASOR approach to the Cyprus government.

    NicosiaStewart et al. 2014

Connections

1 person

Colleagues & contacts

Objects

  • Flattened bottle, Late Cypriot

    Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University 2004.054.021c. 2004Michael C. Carlos Museum…

  • Jug with incised zig-zag on body, Middle Cypriot

    Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University 2004.054.009Michael C. Carlos Museum…

  • Jug with incised zig-zag on body, Middle Cypriot

    Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University 2004.054.010Michael C. Carlos Museum…

  • Large Red Polished jug, 60 cm, formerly in the 'Fondation Crawford' in Washington, now on permanent loan to the Cyprus Museum

    Cyprus Museum, Nicosia 1983/X-11/11983Karageorghis 1984

Sources

  1. 1.“William R. Crawford Jr.”. Wikipedia (English). Wikimedia Foundation. Online
  2. 2.Michael C. Carlos Museum (Emory) online collection records 2004.054.009, .010, .021, .038.
  3. 3.C. A. Stewart (ed.), T. W. Davis (ed.), A. Weyl Carr (ed.) (2014). Cyprus and the Balance of Empires: Art and Archaeology from Justinian I to the Coeur de Lion. CAARI / ASOR.
  4. 4.V. Karageorghis (1984). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1983”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 108.
  5. 5. (2023). Christie's sale 21709, lot 168.