Alan Wace

Alan Wace
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Name	Alan Wace
Birth date	1879
Birth place	Cambridge, England
Death date	1957
Death place	Athens, Greece
Nationality	British
Fields	Archaeology, Classics

Alan Wace was a renowned British archaeologist and classicist who made significant contributions to the field of Mycenaean studies, working closely with Arthur Evans and Harriet Boyd Hawes. His work took him to various parts of the world, including Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, where he collaborated with other notable archaeologists such as Howard Carter and Flinders Petrie. Wace's research focused on the Mycenaean civilization, and he was particularly interested in the Palace of Knossos and the Lion Gate at Mycenae. He also worked with the British School at Athens and the Archaeological Society of Athens.

● Early Life and Education

Alan Wace was born in Cambridge, England, to a family of academics, and his early life was influenced by the intellectual atmosphere of Cambridge University. He studied Classics at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was taught by esteemed scholars such as Jane Ellen Harrison and Francis Macdonald Cornford. Wace's education also took him to Germany, where he studied at the University of Berlin and worked with Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff. During his time in Germany, he became acquainted with the work of Heinrich Schliemann and his excavations at Troy and Mycenae. Wace's interest in archaeology was further sparked by the discoveries of Arthur Evans at Knossos and the Palace of Minos.

● Career

Wace's career as an archaeologist began when he joined the British School at Athens as a student, where he worked under the direction of Raleigh Radford and David George Hogarth. He participated in excavations at various sites, including Sparta and Corinth, and collaborated with other notable archaeologists such as Carl Blegen and Hector Catling. Wace's work took him to Turkey, where he excavated at Troy and Pergamon, and he also worked in Egypt with Flinders Petrie at Abydos and Thebes. He was appointed as the director of the British School at Athens and played a significant role in promoting British interests in Greek archaeology, working closely with the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Acropolis Museum.

● Archaeological Work

Wace's archaeological work focused on the Mycenaean civilization, and he made significant contributions to the field, particularly in the areas of Mycenaean pottery and Mycenaean architecture. He excavated at several important sites, including Mycenae and Tiryns, and worked with other notable archaeologists such as George Mylonas and Spyridon Marinatos. Wace's research also took him to Crete, where he studied the Palace of Knossos and the Minoan civilization, and he collaborated with Arthur Evans and Duncan Mackenzie. He was also interested in the Dorians and their role in the development of Greek civilization, and he worked with Nicholas Hammond and Robert Graves on this topic.

● Personal Life

Wace's personal life was marked by his dedication to his work, and he spent most of his life in Greece and Turkey, where he was involved in various archaeological projects. He was married to Helen Winifred and had two children, and his family often accompanied him on his archaeological expeditions. Wace was also a fellow of the British Academy and a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, and he received several awards for his contributions to archaeology, including the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the Kenyon Medal from the British Academy. He died in Athens, Greece, in 1957, and his legacy continues to be felt in the field of Mycenaean studies, with his work influencing scholars such as John Chadwick and Michael Ventris. Category:Archaeologists