Harry Smith (1928-2024)

Professor Henry Sidney (Harry) Smith died on 8 September 2024 at the age of 96.

Stephen Quirke and Claudia Naeser at the UCL Institute of Archaeology provide their memories of Harry:

From the 1960s into the present century, Harry was a towering figure in the study of ancient Egypt and Sudan (for his research output see here), and yet many of us will remember him as the most supportive and inspiring teacher and colleague imaginable.

After studying Arabic as well as Egyptology at Cambridge, he joined the UCL Department of Egyptology in 1963, and held the Edwards Chair there from 1970 to 1986. Beside his teaching, he was responsible for the Petrie Museum, where he supported curators Barbara Adams and Rosalind Janssen in registering and publishing the collection, and improving public engagement and access.

In Egypt his fieldwork focus was the cemetery site at Saqqara, and, from 1980, the Survey of Memphis, with David Jeffreys. Finds from Saqqara included some of the earliest literary papyri in the Egyptian demotic script, which he published with John Tait. When he retired from teaching, he continued his stream of fieldwork monographs with the support of Sue Davies as co-author.

Harry Smith also made major impact in Nubian Archaeology. In 1960, he joined the Egypt Exploration Society excavations at Qasr Ibrim in Egyptian Nubia and at the Middle Bronze Age fortress at Buhen in Sudanese Nubia, the latter directed by the then UCL Edwards Professor Brian Emery; this was part of the UNESCO campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia.

On Emery’s recommendation, Harry was appointed to lead the general archaeological survey of the Egyptian part of the salvage area in 1961. He published the results of this survey in 1962, to guide further salvage efforts before the final flooding of the region.

After joining UCL, Harry continued to work at the fortresses of Buhen and Kor, and he was instrumental in compiling the final publication of the excavations at Buhen (1976, 1979). While he only spent few years of his long working life in Nubia, the experience left a lasting impression on him, and he reflected on it in what became his final publication: “Nubian memoirs” (2022).

It is hoped that a Memorial Day will be organised by the Friends of the Petrie Museum at UCL and further details will be provided in due course.

Our thoughts are with Harry’s family and friends at this difficult time.

Image: Professors Peter Ucko (left) and Harry Smith (right) at the opening of the Papyrus Gallery 11th June 1998 (© UCL Media Services - University College London)