R. A. S. MACALISTER: A Retrospective after 100 Years

Abstract

R. A. S. Macalister, a pioneer archaeologist who excavated in Palestine in the early part of the twentieth century on behalf of the Palestine Exploration Fund, is a controversial figure in the annals of the historiography of the period. A workshop was held in Jerusalem in December 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the appearance of his magnum opus, The Excavations at Gezer I–III. Should Macalister's work in Palestine be viewed as a success or a failure? The various opinions expressed by several experts in the workshop on this subject are presented in this article.