The “Assyrian Society” and the Early Exploration of Ancient Mesopotamia

This paper investigates the so-called "Society for exploring the ruins of Assyria and Babylonia with especial reference to Biblical Illustration", also known as "The Assyrian Exploration Fund". Established in 1853 as a private association that aimed to secure the continuation of the archaeological excavations in Mesopotamia, the Society had some of the most influential men in England amongst its main contributors, including Prince Albert. Although it had a rather short and somewhat troubled life, "The Assyrian Exploration Fund" played a relevant role in the early years of the rediscovery of ancient Assyria. On the basis of archival materials, the paper sheds light on the Society’s (often conflicting) relationship with the British Museum and with some of the pioneers of Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Assyriology. It also investigates the main achievements of those who had been sent to Mesopotamia on the Society’s behalf, the reaction of those who had remained in England, as well as the echo of these events in the contemporary press: the aim, thus, is to describe how the Society overall fitted into the cultural climate of Victorian England.