Akademik

(1875–1956)

   German archaeologist who, together with Robert Koldewey, pioneered scientific methods of excavations. As a trained architect, he was particularly successful in excavating monumental architecture, and he co-directed with Koldewey the German excavations of Assur (1903–1914). His monographs of the work done on the Anu-Adad Temple (1909), the fortifications (1913), and the Ishtar Temple (1922) set new standards in documentation of architectural remains. He also published the chronologically highly important stone stelae, which recorded the names of Assyrian eponyms. His summarizing and accessible book about the Assur excavations (Das wiedererstandene Assur, 1938) popularized Assyrian archaeology. From 1921 to 1951 he was director of the Near Eastern Department of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin and taught architectural history at the Technical University in the same city.