George Andrew Reisner

George Andrew Reisner ( born November 5, 1867 in Indianapolis, Indiana, † June 6, 1942 in Giza, Egypt), also known as " Papa George ", was an American Egyptologist.

Life

The Reisner family comes from Worms in Germany, his grandparents immigrated to the United States at that time. 1893 George Reisner studied at Harvard University law, but changed shortly after the study and then studied Semitic languages. He then studied in Germany first cuneiform at the University of Göttingen, then Egyptology at the Friedrich- Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin, the "Berlin School" under Adolf Erman and Kurt Sethe.

In 1896 he returned to the U.S. and taught Semitic Studies at Harvard University. In 1897 he took a job at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where he worked in the International Catalogue Commission two years.

In 1899 he directed his first expedition to Egypt, and was accompanied by the wizard Arthur C. Mace and FW Green. During this time, his excavations focused on the necropolis of Naga - ed- Deir. On behalf of Harvard University, he headed from 1905 to 1907 excavations at Giza and 1907-1909 in Nubia. Unlike many colleagues of his time Reisner documented his excavations very accurate and made ​​for it also produced many sketches and photos. In 1936, Reisner discovered during an expedition Inscription plate from the grave of the ancient Egyptian dog Abutiu.

Works (selection)

• The Early Dynastic Cemeteries of Naga ed- Der ( 1908)
• The Egyptian Concept of Immortality (1912 )
• A History of the Giza Necropolis. II: The Tomb of Hetep - heres the Mother of Cheops (1942-1955)