2017/04/13 by Mark Jackson · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Archaeological Research and Protection #Philosophy, History, and Historiography #Soviet and Russian History #Byzantine architecture #History #Minor (academic) #Archaeology #Order (exchange) #Classics #Ancient history #Art #Humanities
paper · doi:10.5871/bacad/9780197266076.003.0003
openalex publication_date 2017/04/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
This chapter considers the contribution made by Gertrude Bell to developing archaeological method in the early 20th century and its legacy. <italic>The Thousand and One Churches</italic>, written with Sir William Ramsay and published in 1909, remains the key study of Byzantine churches in central Anatolia. While it set high standards in the recording of buildings, it also served to reinforce the culture-historical approaches of the early 20th century. Left behind by most archaeologists in the second half of the 20th century, such approaches have continued in some circles. The chapter considers the extent to which Bell was following and contributing to established archaeological practice. It considers also the problems of her methodological approach in order to inform a critique of the legacy of her research and to provide insights into her critical thinking and strategies for networking.