Margaret Munn-Rankin

A British Assyriologist and archaeologist for the Near East, Margaret Munn-Rankin began her career in international relations, however during World War II she met two women who would change her life. These were the archaeologists Veronica Seton-Williams (q.v.) and Joan du Plat Taylor (q.v.) who inspired her to pursue a Diploma in Western Asiatic Archaeology at University College London. Her attainment of this led to her appointment at Cambridge University where she also later became a Fellow of Newnham College. Her field experience began under Max Mallowan at Nimrud, but she also joined her friends on Cyprus and in 1951 went with them to survey the Cilician Plain in Turkey, where they excavated a Hittite period site. Later they went to Syria and explored sites in the vicinity of Aleppo and were granted a concession for Tell Rifa'at where they worked from 1956 to 1964. Dr. Munn-Rankin was a devoted teacher of Egyptian and Near Eastern archaeology, but published sparingly and mostly in the journal Iraq. However her grasp of history was appreciated and led to her being asked to write the chapter on "Assyrian Military Power, 1300-1200 B.C." for the third edition of the Cambridge Ancient History. Upon her death she left an endowment to support a student fellowship at Cambridge in Assyriology.

Author of biography: Barbara S. Lesko
Includes bibliography? Yes

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Keywords: St. Hugh's College, Oxford, Institute of International Affairs in London, Ministry of Information, Veronica Seton-Williams, Joan du Plat Taylor, Western Asiatic Archaeology, University College London, Sidney Smith, Margaret Drower, Cambridge University, Newnham College, J.N. Postgate, Mallowan, Nimrud, Cyprus, Myurtou-Pigades, Cilician plain, John Waechter, James Mellaart, Sirkel, Kizzawatna, Daghdaghli, Syria, Aleppo, Tell Rifa'at, David Stronach, Balsham, Assyrian Military Power, Assyriology