Sir Max Mallowan

Sir Max Mallowan (6 May 1904 – 19 August 1978), a prominent British archaeologist, specialising in ancient Middle Eastern history, died on this day 42 years ago. He was the second husband of Dame Agatha Christie.

When Sir Max Mallowan passad away, author Dr. David B. Perley wrote the following tribute, included in his anthology “A Collection of Writings on the Assyrians”, published by Nineveh Press in 2016:

A Tribute to a Valued Friend

When Sir Max Mallowan suddenly died on August 19 while on vacation, the Assyrian Nation lost a great friend. He was one of the most renowned of all archaeologists of Ancient Assyria.

Sir Max was truly a friend of the Assyrians. In his magnificent magnum opus, NIMRUD AND ITS REMAINS, and in his more recent MEMOIRS, he wrote much to exonerate the Assyrians of antiquity from the stigma of extreme military cruelty which they have borne since Biblical days. Wrote he in a resounding paragraph:

“The Assyrians, who have acquired an evil reputation on account of their propaganda extolling the cruel treatment of their enemies, were, however, very intelligent and understood that quality of mercy which they often judiciously exercised. They have thus acquired a reputation which does them discredit but is unfair inasmuch as they were no more cruel than the peoples of their time, and doubtless no more cruel than many great nations of our own day.”

Let us pause in our busy lives to honor our beloved friend, Sir Max Mallowan (1904–1978).

Read all of Dr. David B. Perley’s writings in “A Collection of Writings on the Assyrians“.