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Max Edgar Lucien Mallowan

1977 Mallowan's Memoirs.
New York: Dodd, Mead & Company.

     In this autobiographical book, M. Mallowan presents his archaeological experience in Syria and Mesopotamia from ca. 1926 to 1975.
     Part 1 describes his exploration before the war (1926-1938), telling the excavations at Ur, Nineveh, Arpachiyah, Chagar Bazar, Tell Brak, in the Balikh Valley and the survey in the Habur area.
     Part 2 displays the changing situation during the war (1939-1945) and Mallowan's works in London, Cairo and the Tripolitania.
     Part 3 is completely devoted to A. Christie, his wife, describing her personality and her books.
     Part 4 focuses on working (1945-1975) at Nimrud and its remains: the Acropolis, Fort Shalmaneser with a descriptions of the Institute of Archaeology and other academic institutions.
     Mozan is specifically quoted twice: on p. 105 the site is introduced for the first time, described as a “wanderful mound”. On p. 108, the location of the site is specified: “The wadi Khanzir and Dara contain Tell Mozan and Tell Chagar Bazar”, adding that they “were attracted by Mozan, a site endowed with magnificent masonry walls”. On p. 124, Mallowan offers a reflection about the emplacement of the dynasty of Mittani: “We do not know who they were, but I have sometimes wondered if the massive and obviously rich mound of Mozan, a few miles N.E. of Chagar Bazar is not an echo of it”.

[M. De Pietri – July 2019]