Arthur John Evans – författare

Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941), the pioneer of ancient Cretan archaeology, most famously excavated the ruins of Knossos and uncovered the remains of its Bronze Age Minoan civilisation (as detailed in The Palace of Minos at Knossos, also reissued in this series). In this highly illustrated work, first published in 1901, Evans surveys the recent archaeological evidence from his dig at Knossos as well as from other locations around the Mediterranean. He describes a variety of religious objects and symbols, especially those concerned with sacred stones, pillars and trees, which Evans argues are characteristic of religious worship in the Mycenaean period. He considers in particular the importance of the Cretan double-axe symbol, the labrys, its close link with depictions of bulls and its association with the labyrinth of Knossos. Elsewhere he examines the symbolism of the Lion Gate at Mycenae and finds parallels with similar artefacts found in Crete and Egypt.

Although remembered today chiefly for his archaeological discoveries in Crete, Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941) became Britain's leading expert on Balkan affairs after publishing his account of travelling through Bosnia in 1875 (also reissued in this series). In 1877 he returned to the region as a correspondent for the Manchester Guardian, reporting on the continuing insurrection against Ottoman rule. Evans is at pains to point out that he does not regard himself as a war correspondent, but wishes to introduce 'in a tolerably peaceful fashion the insurgents and their little mountain territory to the English public'. Published in 1878, these letters offer historical, social and religious background to the insurrection. In so doing, they provide a valuable insight into the genesis of more recent conflicts in a region that has always been a melting pot of peoples and cultures.

Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941) famously excavated the ruins of Knossos on Crete and uncovered the remains of its Bronze Age Minoan civilisation (as described in his multi-volume work The Palace of Minos at Knossos, also reissued in this series). But he had already visited the island prior to this: in 1894, during his first trip, he found examples of an ancient pictographic writing system that pre-dated the Phoenician alphabet later adapted by the Greeks. First published in 1895, this work, illustrated with examples throughout, documents and describes these discoveries, and demonstrates that the earliest finds date from a period before even the most ancient known Semitic scripts. Evans also records evidence of later scripts which were subsequently categorised as Linear A and Linear B (only the latter has been deciphered since his death). The final section of the book describes in detail the pottery and other finds from the Hagios Onuphrios deposit.

Remembered chiefly for his archaeological discoveries in Crete, Sir Arthur John Evans (1851-1941) was also highly respected as an expert on the Balkans, an area then little known. Evans describes 'a land and people among the most interesting in Europe', and in 1875 he was visiting for the third time. This trip found him witnessing the outbreak of the revolt that saw Austria-Hungary take control of Bosnia. Here, however, Evans explores Bosnia's rich heritage with detailed ethnographic and anthropological observations, alongside descriptive impressions of its people and natural beauty. He returned in 1877 as a correspondent for the Manchester Guardian, which resulted in his Illyrian Letters (also reissued in this series). First published in 1876 and reprinted the following year, the present work offers background not only to the revolt in that country, but also to the later deadly conflicts that would shake all of Europe.