Mortimer Wheeler

Mortimer Wheeler (1890-1976), British archaeologist who made major contributions to the development of excavation and recording techniques, and also did much to popularize the study of prehistory. From 1943 to 1947 he was Director-General of the Archaeological Survey in India, where he also carried out many of his best-known excavations, including the reinvestigation of Mohenjo-Daro (which had originally been excavated in 1922). He adopted and further developed the methods of General Pitt-Rivers, and maintained that “excavation is destruction”, a belief that underpinned his emphasis on the importance of meticulous and detailed record-keeping. He believed in the importance of preserving as much as possible of the evidence of the vertical site record, that is the succeeding layers of deposition, and believed that as many vertical sections as possible should be left standing. To this end he advocated an excavation technique based on a grid of small squares, with vertical baulks left standing in between. Apart from his work at Mohenjo-Daro, he is also known for his excavations at Maiden Castle, Stanwick, Verulamium, Arikamedu, Taxila, and Charsada. He was the founder of the Institute of Archaeology at London University, and also did much to popularize the study of archaeology through his books, articles in the press, and television appearances.