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GC Gertrude Caton-Thompson (1888-1985), Archaeologist

Gertrude Caton-Thompson was born in London, 1 February 1888. She was educated privately in Eastbourne and Paris. She visited Egypt with her mother, 1911, and became interested in Egyptology. She worked in the Ministry of Shipping, 1915-19, and at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. She studied with Flinders Petrie at University College, London, and the British School of Archaeology, Egypt, 1921-6. She took part in excavations at Abydos and Oxyrhynchus, 1921-2, and excavated in Malta, 1921 and 1924. She was a research fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge, 1923. She worked at Qau and Badari, 1924-5, where she discovered the predynastic village at Hammamia. She initiated a survey of the northern Fayum, with Elinor Gardner, under the auspices of the British School of Archaeology and the Royal Anthropological Institute, 1925-8. She excavated in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), 1929; Kharga Oasis, Egypt, 1930-2; and Yemen, 1937-8. She returned to Newnham College as research fellow, 1934-45; associate fellow, 1942-52; associate, 1934-61; and a member of the Governing Body, 1935-45. She was also a governor of Bedford College, London, and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. She lived in Cambridge and Broadway, Worcestershire, with Toty and Dorothy de Navarro. She died in Broadway, 18 April 1985

Correspondence and papers, 1937-65

The collection mainly comprises notebooks, correspondence and a map relating to the excavation at Hureidha, in the Hadhramaut, Yemen, 1937-8

1 box

The Library also holds a collection of Caton-Thompson's photographs of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, comprising 6 boxes (uncatalogued)

index of people, places and institutions

GC/1 Notebook on Hureidha, in the Hadhramaut, Yemen
7 Nov 1937-4 Mar 1938
1 vol
Gertrude Caton-Thompson worked with Elinor Gardner and Freya Stark on an excavation of the Moon Temple and adjacent tombs at Hureidha, 1937-8
Mainly comprises geological notes, with sketches and cross sections

GC/2 List of finds from an unidentified site sent to the Coryndon Museum, Nairobi
Aug 1946
1 item

GC/3 Letters from Gonzague Ryckmans
1938-40, 1946
19 items
French

GC/4 Miscellaneous letters
1937-65
40 items, ms and typescript
Many of these letters concern the destruction and export of antiquities from Yemen
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent

GC/5 Elinor Gardner
Notebooks on Hureidha, in the Hadhramaut, Yemen
27 Dec 1937-7 Feb 1938
2 vols
Contains cartographic measurements

GC/5/1
27 Dec 1937-22 Jan 1938

GC/5/2
21 Jan 1937-7 Feb 1938

GC/6 Elinor Gardner
Sketch map of Hureidha, in the Hadhramaut, Yemen
undated [1937-8]
1 sheet, folded
1:12,500

GC/7 Kaiky Muncherjee
Sale catalogue of a collection of antiquities in Aden
1 Jan 1925
1 pamphlet, printed
Titled 'A Marvellous Collection of Rare, Authentic, Genuine, Ancient, Hymarites and Sabeans Antiques, of Ancient Southern Arabia. Consisting of Gold Ornaments, Coins, Silver and Bronze Coins, Marble and Alabaster Statues, Bronze Plates, Busts with Deities Heads and Monuments and Manuscripts and Blocks, with Bold Legible Hymarite and Sebean Inscriptions. 2400 Years Old. In the Possession of Kaiky Muncherjee, Steamer Point, Aden'

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Page date: 25 October, 2007