MALLOWAN, SIR MAX

(1904–1978)

British archaeologist, administrator, and writer. He gained his first experience as assistant to Sir Leonard Woolley at Ur(1923–1931) and went on to conduct a deep sounding at Nineveh (1931–1932) to establish the stratigraphic sequence for prehistoric levels. He subsequently worked on a number of prehistoric sites, such as Tell Arpachiya, Chaggar Bazar, and Tell Brak. After World War II, he taught Western Asiatic Archaeology at the University of London and directed the British School of Archaeology in Iraq, working at Nimrud (Kalhu) from 1949 to 1957. His first wife was the novelist Agatha Christie, who accompanied him to the field on several occasions.