John Davies Evans
Encyclopedia
John Davies Evans OBE (22 January 1925 – 4 July 2011) was an English archaeologist and academic, renowned for his research into the prehistory of the Mediterranean, and especially the prehistoric cultures of Malta
. He was a former Director of the Institute of Archaeology
in London
, a position he held from 1975 until his retirement in 1989. During his directorship the Institute—the largest archaeology department in the UK
and one of the largest in the world—was reorganised from a separate institution within the University of London
to one affiliated with University College London
, in 1986.
Evans was educated at the Liverpool Institute from where he won an open scholarship to read English at Pembroke College, Cambridge
, aged 17. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, during which he served at Bletchley Park
as one of the team involved in breaking each day's new Enigma code settings.
During the 1940s and 1950s Evans excavated a number of the significant Megalithic sites in Malta
.
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. He was a former Director of the Institute of Archaeology
Institute of Archaeology
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is an academic department of the Social & Historical Sciences Faculty of University College London , England. It is one of the largest departments of archaeology in the world, with over 80 members of academic staff and 500 students...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, a position he held from 1975 until his retirement in 1989. During his directorship the Institute—the largest archaeology department in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and one of the largest in the world—was reorganised from a separate institution within the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
to one affiliated with University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, in 1986.
Evans was educated at the Liverpool Institute from where he won an open scholarship to read English at Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, aged 17. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, during which he served at Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
as one of the team involved in breaking each day's new Enigma code settings.
During the 1940s and 1950s Evans excavated a number of the significant Megalithic sites in Malta
Megalithic Temples of Malta
The Megalithic Temples of Malta are a series of prehistoric monuments in Malta of which seven are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Archaeologists believe that these megalithic complexes are the result of local innovations in a process of cultural evolution...
.