69. ‘REVEALING THE CIVILISATION OF THE HITTITES OF SYRIA: EXCAVATIONS AT CARCHEMISH’

By D. G. Hogarth

Heading of an article in the Illustrated London News, 24 January 1914

It was no easier to raise funds for major archaeological expeditions in the early 1900s than it is today. The trial season at Carchemish in 1911 had been financed by the British Museum, and there was enough of the original budget left over the make a substantial contribution to the second season in 1912. At that point, however, a lecture by Hogarth about Carchemish attracted an anonymous donation of £5,000.

In the autumn of 1913 Woolley reported that several more years' work would be necessary to bring the excavations to a satisfactory conclusion; yet the funds were nearly exhausted. Hogarth therefore decided to publicise Carchemish in order to attract more support. On 24 January 1914 articles were published simultaneously in The Times (by Woolley) and the Illustrated London News, where Hogarth began: 'Three years ago the Trustees of the British Museum undertook what has proved the largest, and in many respects the most fruitful excavation which they have ever promoted.' After listing some of the principal discoveries he ended: 'when so much can be said for three years' work on a part only of this great site, it will be agreed that it is well worth digging completely.'

By good fortune the original anonymous benefactor had already decided to finance further excavations, and as a result a £10,000 fund was set up. Within months, however, progress at Carchemish was halted by the First World War.