LIBERTY SCHOOL OF RELIGION
SIR LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARCHAEOLOGY
A PAPER SUBMITTED TO P ROFESSOR
JOHNSON
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 427-B02 ONLINE
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION
BY
ERIC FOURNIER
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
08 MARCH 2013
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Lawrence’s Love for Archaeology
3. Wilderness of Zin
4. Carchemish
5.
Mark on the Middle East
6. Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Thomas Edward
Lawrence more popularly known as Lawrence of Arabia is a man whom is surrounded
by much mystery and intrigue. He was a
well educated man who committed his life at first to archaeological pursuits
but turned his attention to his country to serve in the Royal Armed Forces of
Britain during World War I. His life was
a constant adventure and his personal interests led him into many intriguing
plots, political assignments, archaeological digs, and most important the
creation of maps which would shape the future of the entire Middle East and
have lasting impact into the twenty first century. Some of his lasting impacts to archaeology
were his time he spent cataloging and photographing finds, “at Carchemish, near Jerablus in northern Syria, where he
worked under D.G. Hogarth and R. Campbell-Thompson of the British Museum. He would later state that everything that he
had accomplished he owed to Hogarth.” 1 More significant however was his work in the
Negev Desert in research of the “Wilderness of Zin” where in the findings
published in the “The Wilderness of Zin (Archaeological Report)” by Wooley and
Lawrence, they go into detail after detail of their travel, sites, tell’s ,
persons of interest, and new findings during their travel by foot through the
desert,. 2 What is intriguing about his research in the
Negev Desert is that his funding was “by the Palestine Exploration Fund,” was a
smoke screen for his recruitment by the British Army to investigate and
penetrate the area due to threats of the, “Ottoman army attacking Egypt in the
event of war.” 3 He would later work again soon after his
research in the Negev
Desert at Carchemish. The lasting impacts that his social and
archaeological impact would have on the Middle East is his map work which was
used by the British government to form the boundaries and borders that are now
modern day Iraq and Jordan. Later in
life he would find himself in a battle with the government to accept a
different set of boundaries then exist today, but was overruled by his
superiors. The significance of the
choice of boundaries by the British is that this was the start of their goal to
form a nation for Israel. 4 He never directly changed the Middle East but
his impact goes beyond change, it is found in his untiring dedication to
country and to the formation of proper nations by culture and he leaves behind
great tools for archaeologists to use today and in the future through his maps.
LAWRENCE’S
LOVE FOR ARCHAEOLOGY
Lawrence of
Arabia’s adventures started as a young child, “born in 1888, in Tremadog,
Caernarfonshire, North Wales.. he attended the
City of Oxford High School for Boys,” during which a myth was later formed that
he had run away at home to join the, “Royal Regiment of Artillery at St. Mawes
Castle in Cornwall,”
where myth said he was bought out from. 5 After primary school he attended the Jesus College,
University of Oxford while during the months of summer
during years 1907 and 1908 he spent his time cycling through France,
“collecting photographs, drawings and measurements of castles dating from the
crusader period.” 6 It would be his interest in medieval castles
that would then bring him to Syria
the following year where he would spend three months exploring the crusader
castles there, “during which he traveled 1,000 miles on foot.” 7 He would then be hired after his graduation
to the, “dig in Carchemish in Syria where he worked with Leonard Woolley on a
Hittite site,” 8 It would be Woolley who would later
accompany him in 1914 to explore the region of the Negev Desert in search of
the Biblical sites of the Wilderness of Zin.
It was during his time between 1910 and 1914 which Lawrence really thought of himself as an
archaeologist. 9 During these initial digs in Carchemish ,
Jerablus, and Egypt
that he was, “mainly responsible for pottery and photography, but also play(ed) an important role in managing the
locally recruited workforce.” 10 It was at Jebail where Lawrence studied
Aramaic to enhance his performance as an archaeologist and this would carry
into his career to help him build relationships later with Prince Abdullah and
Prince Paisal during his time as advisor to the sons of, “Sharif Hussein who
had launched the Arab Revolt on June 10th,” in 1916. 11 During his period as advisor he would make another
important achievement in the world of the Middle East and for archaeology by
his publishing of, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom,” a personal account of the Arab
revolt; and, “The Mint” which, “centered on his experiences as an anonymous
recruit in the ranks of the RAF. 12 These biographical works are only surpassed
by the vast amount of letters which ranged from personal to intrigue in,
“literature, art, and politics. In many
cases, letters were almost the only vehicle for these relationships, since the
circumstances of his life meant that he could rarely meet his friends.” 13
WILDERNESS OF ZIN
It is the amount
of historic value of the Wilderness of Zin during the Exodus of Israel and the
conquest of Joshua into the land
of Canaan which lends to
the importance of Lawrence’s
work into Biblical history and archaeological circles. The references to the Wilderness of Zin are
found in books, “Numbers 13:21; 20:1; 20:22-29; 33:36; 34:33-36;” 14 It is in this wilderness that many
significant events happened for Israel, Miriam was buried, Aaron was stripped
of his priesthood and later buried here, Israel spent time camping at this
location, and it is also revealed as part of the boundaries for Israel upon
establishing their nation in Canaan. Mount Zin
is best recognized for, “the probable location for such burial site and place
of the Israelites gathering,” and is probably what was called Mount Hor
in scripture." 15 Lawrence
described the conditions at this site as harsh, “In summer of course, it is
blisteringly hot, and in the winter cold with the unbridled cold of an
abandoned country over which the wind can rage in unchecked fury.” 16 He goes on in his works to reveal that the
reason he thinks that the Arabs, Egyptians, Crusaders, Romans, Jews, and other
travelers who passed thru the Negev only gave names and very little description
of the places of the desert was because of how harsh the living conditions
really were and that this land seems to be despised by all 17 The work of Wooley and Lawrence, “The
Wilderness of Zin (Archaeological Report)” is so detailed and amassed with
geographical, climate, Tell site information, and the social implications that
this desert has had on numerous people groups that it is an invaluable tool for
those who wish to dig deeper into the desert’s secrets and dry recesses. Furthermore, Lawrence’s and Woolley’s efforts
in the Negev Desert uncovered Egyptian and Syrian trade routes, along with
evidences of military conquest of the Egyptians dating back to XVIII dynasty
which would have been , “well worn by the patriarchs," 18 The wilderness would later serve as a route
of migration and, “side by side growth in the wealth of the Byzantine Empire
had come about a great increase in trade with the Far East."19
CARCHEMISH
Woolley and
Lawrence spent much time digging at graves sites and give numerous drawings and
examples of these graves; most modern, of which they spent a majority of their
initial time digging. 20 Their history at Carchemish made them a great pair as
colleagues and friends. Sir Leonard
Woolley is famous for his work excavating, “the Royal Cemetery
at Ur.” 21 It was during Lawrence’s time at Carchemish that strong initial questions are
brought up in many biographical works of his life on his sexuality and
motives. It is apparent that he in the
least made a strong friendship with a 14 year old worker whom would later die
at 20 years of age to whom Lawrence and had, “dedicated The Seven Pillars of
Wisdom” 22 This
book came about during a trialing time in the world in which war waged of which
he took part in the, “the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which promised Syria to
the French and undermined the idea of an Arab homeland in Syria.” 23 That event would overshadow him for the rest
of his career as he was responsible for duping the Prince sons of Hussien. He continued working within the political
realm and would accept a position as, “a political adviser to the Middle East
Department in the Colonial Office (1921-22)” to Winston Churchill. 24 Still, Woolley and Lawrence were lucky to
have started excavations at the Carchemish
site; as after the World War which abruptly halted their excavations, new
boarders were formed between Turkey
and Syria.
It would hinder further excavations for 70 years to reopen in the 1980s. Current archaeologists have called Lawrence’s work good but
very unsystematic and they have now set about to uncover and to also remap the
current excavation sites. Modern difficulties
are new flood zones due to dams. Their
work has uncovered Tell sites dating back to 4th millennium B.C.,
Lawrence and Woolley also found evidence dating back to the 4th
millennium B.C. as well which, “came from deep inside the site’s acropolis mound
and included Uruk pottery with its early Sumerian connections; but at that time
little could be stated about its significance.” 25 It really seems that Lawrence and Woolley
only scratched the surface of what lay beneath the sands at Carchemish with current
archaeologists making huge impact finds that help to verify Palestinian history
for Iran, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Jordan.
MARK ON THE MIDDLE EAST
The later years of
Lawrence’s life
was filled with regrets and an attempt to escape from critics. He would after his time as council to Winston
Churchill runoff to join the RAF from which he was discharged just a year later
and almost immediately after would join the Tank Corps where he spent his time
translating the French novel The Forest Giant.. 26 It was during his time with Winston
Churchill that he was in the minority of officers urging for Arab independence
and against the 1916 plot of Britain and France to establish a map much to
Lawrence’s dislike of the Middle East. Lawrence had a vision
that did not include land for Israel
and took into greater account the cultural aspects when establishing boundaries
for the countries of the Middle East. It was, “Britain that installed the adroit
Faisal as King in Iraq…
and later, when it was already a fact on the ground, Abdullah as emir in Jordan.” 27 He
is well known for these events, and current historians regard, “his mark on the
Middle East by playing a major role in the
creation of the kingdoms of Iraq
and of Jordan." 28 The vote to establish the nation of Israel was made
at the Paris Peace Conference between January and May. It was then that he tried to hide himself
behind a false identity and returned to the Air Force where he, “spent the rest
of his military career testing high speed boats.” It was, “after his retirement
in 1935, when he was planning to write again, he died by a motorbike accident.” 29
CONCLUSION
Regardless of any
question of character and despite his rejection for a need for a state for Israel, Lawrence was a man who
vastly helped shape the Middle East without
providing any direct changes. It was his
work with the Arab governments, his involvement in military affairs, his
courage during many battles in which he received numerous injuries, and his
youthful desire to turn his career toward archaeology that helped him influence
in minute ways the politics and shaping of Middle Eastern policy. His protests over creating a nation for Israel came
from his understandings of Arab culture which came from numerous years of
living and congregating with the Arab populations. He non-the-less would be at the center of
controversy and accused of largely immoral acts within his life time and would
probably not be considered a Biblical Archaeologist. It is amazing how much influence one man can
make in a world so large and yet his influence only is minimal but enough to
count for something throughout time. His
courage and zeal for life are admirable, with interests ranging from bronze
monument rubbings, speedboats, motorbikes, and cycling. He maintained his lifestyle by remaining
single and had no descendants. At the
end of his life his estates were dismantled and entrusted to his brother. Most of his legacy only remains in his writings
as much of the lands purchased and properties that he resided in have been
demolished. Most of his archaeological
contributions for the Negev
Desert and for Carchemish remain in
maps, drawings, and auto biographical writings.
These tools though seen as unsystematic to the current archaeologist,
have been useful in uncovering new finds and picking up where Lawrence and
Woolley left off their excavations to either pursue their career elsewhere or
to take part in the World War I. It is
without doubt that Lawrence
is a man that is surrounded by myth as much as fact and sadly much of the truth
about his personal life has been lost except in letters because of his lack of
personal social contact with his friends in Britain.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
C. Leonard Wooley
and T. E. Lawrence. The Wilderness of Zin (Archaeological Report) London
: Harrison and Sons, 1914 Palestine Exploration Fund DS111.A1P28 vol 3 cop1. http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/cgibin/eos/eos_page.
pl?DPI =100&callnum =DS111A1P28_vol3_cop1&object=24
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence
T.S. Eliot.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/T._E._Lawrence
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