Geoffrey Thorndike Martin
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Thorndike Martin (born 28 May 1934) is an egyptologist, Edwards Professor of Egyptian Archaeology and Philology Emeritus
, University College, London, Joint Field Director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project
and fellow commoner of Christ's College, Cambridge
.
. He attended school at Aveley
and then Palmer's School in Grays in London. Martin received a BA in Ancient History from University College London
in 1963. He obtained an MA from Cambridge University in 1966 and became a Lady Wallis Budge Research Fellow at Christ's College
, Cambridge, a post which he held until 1970.
After obtaining a PhD in 1969, Martin became a lecturer in Egyptology
at University College London
, a Reader from 1978 and Edwards Professor of Egyptology
from 1988 until retirement in 1993.
Martin's fieldwork includes numerous locations in Egypt
. He was exploring with the Egypt Exploration Society
at Buhen
in 1963. With the EES and Leiden Museum and University of Amsterdam he was exploring at Saqqara
from 1964-68, from 1970-1974 as Site Director, and from 1975 to 1998 as Field Director. He was Field Director for the Amarna Epigraphic Mission of the Egypt Exploration Society
in 1969 and 1980. From 1998 till present he acts as a Joint Field Director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project
.
, Tutankhamun
's treasurer and the private tomb of Horemheb
http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/saqqara/horemheb/e_horemheb_surface.htmhttp://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html but also more generally for his work in the Valley of the Kings
and Saqqara
.
The discoveries in Saqqara include Tia, Ramesses the Great's sister and other dignitaries.
Edwards Professor of Egyptian Archaeology and Philology
The Edwards Professor of Egyptian Archaeology and Philology is a university professorial chair held at University College London.-History:The Chair was founded on the death of Amelia Edwards of the Egyptian Exploration Fund in 1892, who bequeathing her collection of Egyptian antiquities to...
, University College, London, Joint Field Director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project
Amarna Royal Tombs Project
The Amarna Royal Tombs Project is an archaeological expedition set up in 1998 to investigate on the ground and in the records the fate of the missing Amarna royal dead transferred on the abandonment of El-Amarna to the Valley of the Kings during the reign of Tutankhamun. ARTP's director is...
and fellow commoner of Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
.
Biography
Martin was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He attended school at Aveley
Aveley
Aveley is a place in the Thurrock unitary authority in Essex, England and one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock. It is a suburban development located 16.3 miles east of Charing Cross in London and within the eastern bounds of the M25 motorway.-Location:Aveley is roughly bounded to the north...
and then Palmer's School in Grays in London. Martin received a BA in Ancient History from University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1963. He obtained an MA from Cambridge University in 1966 and became a Lady Wallis Budge Research Fellow at Christ's College
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, Cambridge, a post which he held until 1970.
After obtaining a PhD in 1969, Martin became a lecturer in Egyptology
Egyptology
Egyptology is the study of ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end of its native religious practices in the AD 4th century. A practitioner of the discipline is an “Egyptologist”...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, a Reader from 1978 and Edwards Professor of Egyptology
Edwards Professor of Egyptian Archaeology and Philology
The Edwards Professor of Egyptian Archaeology and Philology is a university professorial chair held at University College London.-History:The Chair was founded on the death of Amelia Edwards of the Egyptian Exploration Fund in 1892, who bequeathing her collection of Egyptian antiquities to...
from 1988 until retirement in 1993.
Martin's fieldwork includes numerous locations in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He was exploring with the Egypt Exploration Society
Egypt Exploration Society
The Egypt Exploration Society is the foremost learned society in the United Kingdom promoting the field of Egyptology....
at Buhen
Buhen
Buhen was an ancient Egyptian settlement situated on the West bank of the Nile below the Second Cataract. It is well known for its fortress, probably constructed during the rule of Senusret III, around the year 1860 BC . The site may have been first established as an outpost in Nubia during the...
in 1963. With the EES and Leiden Museum and University of Amsterdam he was exploring at Saqqara
Saqqara
Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids, including the world famous Step pyramid of Djoser, sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb due to its rectangular base, as well as a number of...
from 1964-68, from 1970-1974 as Site Director, and from 1975 to 1998 as Field Director. He was Field Director for the Amarna Epigraphic Mission of the Egypt Exploration Society
Egypt Exploration Society
The Egypt Exploration Society is the foremost learned society in the United Kingdom promoting the field of Egyptology....
in 1969 and 1980. From 1998 till present he acts as a Joint Field Director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project
Amarna Royal Tombs Project
The Amarna Royal Tombs Project is an archaeological expedition set up in 1998 to investigate on the ground and in the records the fate of the missing Amarna royal dead transferred on the abandonment of El-Amarna to the Valley of the Kings during the reign of Tutankhamun. ARTP's director is...
.
Work
Martin is most famous for his discoveries of the tomb of MayaMaya (Egyptian)
Maya was the Overseer of the Treasury during the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, Ay and Horemheb of the eighteenth dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He was also an important official and was noted for restoring the burials of several earlier Pharaohs in the Royal Necropolis in the years following the deaths...
, Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
's treasurer and the private tomb of Horemheb
Horemheb
Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty from either 1319 BC to late 1292 BC, or 1306 to late 1292 BC although he was not related to the preceding royal family and is believed to have been of common birth.Before he became pharaoh, Horemheb was the commander in chief...
http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/saqqara/horemheb/e_horemheb_surface.htmhttp://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html but also more generally for his work in the Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings , less often called the Valley of the Gates of the Kings , is a valley in Egypt where, for a period of nearly 500 years from the 16th to 11th century BC, tombs were constructed for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom .The valley stands on the west bank of...
and Saqqara
Saqqara
Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Saqqara features numerous pyramids, including the world famous Step pyramid of Djoser, sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb due to its rectangular base, as well as a number of...
.
The discoveries in Saqqara include Tia, Ramesses the Great's sister and other dignitaries.
Main Publications
- 'Egyptian Administrative and Private-name Seals' (Oxford, 1971)
- 'The Royal Tomb at El-Amarna', I-II (London, 1974, 1989)
- 'The Tomb of Hetepka' (London, 1979)
- 'The Sacred Animal Necropolis at North Saqqara' (London, 1981)
- 'Canopic Equipment in the Petrie Museum' (Warminster, 1984) (with Vivien Raisman)
- 'Scarabs, Cylinders and other Egyptian Seals' (Warminster, 1985)
- 'The Tomb Chapels of Paser and Raia' (London, 1985)
- 'Corpus of Reliefs of the New Kingdom', I (London, 1987)
- 'Excavations in the Royal Necropolis at El-Amarna' (Cairo, 1987) (with Aly El-Khouly)
- 'The Memphite Tomb of Horemheb', I, (London, 1989)
- 'The Hidden Tombs of Memphis' (London, 1991)http://www.jstor.org/view/00222968/ap020218/02a00040/0
- 'Bibliography of the Amarna Period and its Aftermath' (London, 1991)
- 'The Tomb of Tia and Tia' (London, 1997)
- 'Stelae from Egypt and Nubia in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, C. 3000 BC-AD 1150' (Fitzwilliam Museum Publications, 2005)