This thesis examines the representation in both the public and academic arenas of the archaeological excavation at Ur, southern Iraq, during the 1920’s and 30’s through a study of the main characters involved. Sir Leonard Woolley’s excavation is still fundamental to our knowledge of archaeology in that region. Current thought criticises his approach to and interpretation of his work, as having been “Bible driven” and of little scientific validity, but ignores the value of understanding the relationship between the excavator and the wider community from which his funding derived. Drawing on the Ogden archive, this study is our first opportunity to examine how knowledge about the Ur excavations was disseminated, how the archaeological past has been created and used, and how these interpretations presented entered the zeitgeist and still resonate today. As a result of my initial research findings, I gained access to the family archives of the goldsmith James Ogden, a substantial but previously unresearched body of material that provides an almost complete photographic record of the inter-war archaeology in this region as well as a comprehensive record of press coverage and public reaction. It also contains many unpublished letters between those involved at the time, explaining their methods and motivations. This archive complements substantial quantities of unstudied material in other archives of museums and learned societies. Taken together, the archival material provides a fuller understanding of the motivations behind a highly choreographed publicity campaign that successfully enabled the excavation to continue when threatened by inter-war financial shortages. This research elicits an understanding of the social, cultural and economic factors that shaped archaeology in a society that was uneasily assimilating the impact of the new sciences on a still largely Bible reading public. I analyse all the archives in the wider context of the role played by this campaign in shaping contemporary knowledge of the archaeology of Iraq, as well as reflecting inter-war British and Iraqi society. Archaeological activity was being conducted against the dramatically changing backdrop of the Near East after the First World War, the emergence of the nation states of the area, and a growing aggression and hostility to western occupation. The traditional imperialist view of the right to possession of the excavated antiquities was being challenged as the power structure in the region began to shift and new regional identities were forged.

Undergraduate honors paper--Mount Holyoke College, 2006. Dept. of History. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-103).

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The Laie Hawaii Temple majestically overlooks the beaches of Oahu and has stood as an emblem of the Latter-day Saint faith to the world since 1919. Although the structure is iconic and highly significant to Latter-day Saints, a comprehensive history of the Laie Hawaii Temple has never been published. This thesis provides such a history from the conception of the temple until its dedication. The history of this particular temple is important for several reasons. At its dedication, the temple in Laie became the fifth operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the first dedicated temple outside of the state of Utah (following the exodus) and outside of North America. It was also the first temple built in one of the missions of the Church. It was a pioneering temple as one of the first that catered to a large number of patrons from different cultures speaking different languages. Its multi-cultural, multi-lingual integration is something that would not be seen in other temples for several decades. Over the years, the temple and the attractions built around it have drawn millions of other visitors as well. Its location has made it an internationally recognized edifice and a valuable tool for the Church to introduce its message to the world. This history is also compelling because of what the temple in Laie, Hawaii represents in terms of the Latter-day Saint conception of the doctrine of the "gathering." As the first temple built outside of the traditional centers of Mormon colonization, this temple became an early prototype of a method of gathering that does not appear to begin taking hold Church-wide until the mid-twentieth century. Ahead of its time in other ways, the temple was built in a place where, according to the thinking of the time, Church membership was not yet sizable enough to warrant a temple. This thesis explains why the temple was built in Hawaii. These aspects of the temple's history produced ramifications that continue to impact the Church today, nearly 100 years later. As with many temples, a folk history of oral tradition has developed around the story of the Laie Hawaii Temple. This thesis will also provide a review of the historical record and offer clarity in sorting through that tradition.