Michael A. Hoffman
Encyclopedia
Michael Allen Hoffman, Ph.D. (October 14, 1944–April 23, 1990) was an American archaeologist, Egyptologist, and author.
Michael A. Hoffman was born in Washington D.C. on October 14, 1944 and was raised in Virginia although he spent a lot of vacation time in Ohio. In 1966, he graduated from the University of Kentucky
with a B.A. He got his M.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and in 1971, he received his Ph.D.
Hoffman went to Egypt for the first time in 1969, where he joined the American Museum of Natural History’s Hierakonpolis Expedition. He helped in the excavation of the ancient city of Nekhen and spent time at Locality Hk14. This was the first excavation of a Predynastic
Upper Egyptian settlement in over 35 years.
On an excavation in 1984, he used sludge pumps to keep the site dry which paid off because he found a stratigraphic link from Dynasty 1
to Naqada
1.
Hoffman was the director of the Archaeology Laboratory at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville from 1972 to 1979 and was an associate professor in sociology and anthropology at Western Illinois University
. He became a research professor in the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute at the University of South Carolina
in Columbia.
His book Egypt before the Pharaohs: the Prehistoric Foundations of Egyptian Civilization was published in 1979. Hoffman died from cancer on April 23, 1990.
With his life's work an appreciation of Egypt's long predynastic past culminating into statehood was appreciated.
His book "Egypt Before the Pharaoh' was shown in the 1994 film "Stargate"
Michael A. Hoffman was born in Washington D.C. on October 14, 1944 and was raised in Virginia although he spent a lot of vacation time in Ohio. In 1966, he graduated from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
with a B.A. He got his M.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and in 1971, he received his Ph.D.
Hoffman went to Egypt for the first time in 1969, where he joined the American Museum of Natural History’s Hierakonpolis Expedition. He helped in the excavation of the ancient city of Nekhen and spent time at Locality Hk14. This was the first excavation of a Predynastic
Predynastic Egypt
The Prehistory of Egypt spans the period of earliest human settlement to the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt in ca. 3100 BC, starting with King Menes/Narmer....
Upper Egyptian settlement in over 35 years.
On an excavation in 1984, he used sludge pumps to keep the site dry which paid off because he found a stratigraphic link from Dynasty 1
First dynasty of Egypt
The first dynasty of Ancient Egypt is often combined with the Dynasty II under the group title, Early Dynastic Period of Egypt...
to Naqada
Naqada
Naqada is a town on the west bank of the Nile in the Egyptian governorate of Qena. It was known in Ancient Egypt as Nubt and in classical antiquity as Ombos. Its name derives from ancient Egyptian nub, meaning gold, on account of the proximity of gold mines in the Eastern Desert.Naqada comprises...
1.
Hoffman was the director of the Archaeology Laboratory at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville from 1972 to 1979 and was an associate professor in sociology and anthropology at Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
. He became a research professor in the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in Columbia.
His book Egypt before the Pharaohs: the Prehistoric Foundations of Egyptian Civilization was published in 1979. Hoffman died from cancer on April 23, 1990.
With his life's work an appreciation of Egypt's long predynastic past culminating into statehood was appreciated.
His book "Egypt Before the Pharaoh' was shown in the 1994 film "Stargate"