Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Short biography of William Flinders Petrie

Humanities blog

Is there any well known archaeologist who hasn't been compared to Indiana Jones? Sigh.

The exhibition "Egypt excavations" will be presented at the Institute in Flint Flint, Michigan until January 2007. The show will be about 200 of the most significant finds of archaeologist Sir William Petrie display. . . .

William Matthew Flinders Petrie was born in Charlton, Kent in 1853. His father was a surveyor and engineer, his mother was interested in fossils and other scientific topics. Both parents encouraged young William to interests that would eventually flourish to pursue a successful career. It is interesting that because of his poor health he was educated at home and received no formal schooling.

As a child he was fascinated and interested to measure things. Hemeasured buildings, churches, ruins and even as Stonehenge. Because his father was a surveyor William learned about the importance of accuracy in measurements. When he was thirteen years old, he declared that he would one day visit to the Pyramids. He was at the time, inspired by reading our heritage to the Great Pyramids of Piazzi Smyth.

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