Kazimierz Józef Marian Michałowski (14 December 1901, in
Tarnopol
Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret (river), Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia (Central Europe ...
– 1 January 1981, in
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
) was a Polish
archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
and
Egyptologist
Egyptology (from ''Egypt'' and Greek , ''-logia''; ) is the scientific study of ancient Egypt. The topics studied include ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, architecture and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end ...
,
art historian
Art history is the study of artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history.
Traditionally, the ...
, member of the
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences (, PAN) is a Polish state-sponsored institution of higher learning. Headquartered in Warsaw, it is responsible for spearheading the development of science across the country by a society of distinguished scholars a ...
, professor ordinarius of the
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public university, public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well ...
as well as the founder of the
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology
The Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw (PCMA UW; ) operates as an independent research institute of the University of Warsaw under the present name since 1990. It is dedicated to organizing, implementing and coordina ...
. He coined the term "
Nubiology" to refer to the study of ancient
Nubia
Nubia (, Nobiin language, Nobiin: , ) is a region along the Nile river encompassing the area between the confluence of the Blue Nile, Blue and White Nile, White Niles (in Khartoum in central Sudan), and the Cataracts of the Nile, first cataract ...
.
Biography
Early life and the beginning of scientific career
Kazimierz Michałowski graduated from a gymnasium in Tarnopol and then studied classical archaeology and art history at the Philosophy Department of the
Jan Kazimierz University
The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (named after Ivan Franko, ) is a state-sponsored university in Lviv, Ukraine. Since 1940 the university is named after Ukrainian poet Ivan Franko.
The university is the oldest institution of higher ...
in
Lwów
Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
; he also attended philosophy lectures by Professor
Kazimierz Twardowski
Kazimierz Jerzy Skrzypna-Twardowski (; 20 October 1866 – 11 February 1938) was a Polish philosopher, psychologist, logician, and rector of the Lwów University. He was initially affiliated with Alexius Meinong's Graz School of object theory. ...
. He broadened his knowledge at universities in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
. As a young scientist he took part in excavations managed by
École Française d`Athènes in
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), was an ancient sacred precinct and the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient Classical antiquity, classical world. The A ...
,
Thasos
Thasos or Thassos (, ''Thásos'') is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area.
The island has an area of 380 km2 and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate regiona ...
and
Delos
Delos (; ; ''Dêlos'', ''Dâlos''), is a small Greek island near Mykonos, close to the centre of the Cyclades archipelago. Though only in area, it is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. ...
. In 1926 he defended his doctoral thesis devoted to
Niobids
In Greek mythology, the Niobids were the children of Amphion of Thebes and Niobe, slain by Apollo and Artemis because Niobe, born of the royal house of Phrygia, had boastfully compared the greater number of her own offspring with those of Leto, ...
in Greek art, which he prepared at the University of Lwów under the scientific supervision of Edmund Bulanda and which was published a year later in French. In 1931 he won his habilitation based on a dissertation about Hellenistic and Roman portraits from Delos, published next year in Paris. Immediately after habilitation he was delegated to the
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public university, public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well ...
, where in 1931 he established a Department of Classical Archaeology, in 1953 transformed into Mediterranean Archaeology Department, which he headed until his retirement in 1972.
In 1936 on his initiative Polish archaeologists from the University of Warsaw started archaeological works in
Edfu
Edfu (, , , ; also spelt Idfu, or in modern French as Edfou) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the Nile River between Esna and Aswan, with a population of approximately 60,000 people. Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of H ...
in
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
.
World War II
During the war he was imprisoned in the German prisoner-of-war camp
Oflag II-C Woldenburg, where he was sent as a reserve officer and a soldier of the
September campaign
The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Sovie ...
. In the camp, Michałowski organised educational activities for prisoners, conducted seminars and gave lectures on Egyptology and archaeology.
In 1978 he reported that no one who had studied Egyptology in the prisoner of war camp had taken it up post-war as a discipline.
Activity after World War II
After World War II Michałowski took active part in the reconstruction of Polish culture and science. Since 1939 he had been a deputy director of the National Museum in Warsaw, initially responsible for organisation of the Gallery of Ancient Art opened to the public in 1949, and next for the
Faras Gallery, which was opened in 1972. He organised numerous exhibitions displaying historical objects obtained during excavations he headed. In 1945-1947 he was a Dean of the Department of Humanities of the University of Warsaw and later a pro-rector of this same university (1947 – 1948). We was a visiting professor in Alexandria (1957-1958) and Aberdeen (1971). In 1956 he established the Research Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, which he headed. In 1960 he organised an opening of the
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw with quarters in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, which he headed until his death. He regarded the opening of this facility as his greatest achievement.
He was a member of several national and foreign academies, scientific associations and institutes: Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei,
British Academy
The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences.
It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the sa ...
, Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin,
Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (German: ''Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften''), established in 1909 in Heidelberg, Germany, is an assembly of scholars and scientists in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
The acade ...
, Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig; Presidium of the Committee of Ancient Culture Sciences of the
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences (, PAN) is a Polish state-sponsored institution of higher learning. Headquartered in Warsaw, it is responsible for spearheading the development of science across the country by a society of distinguished scholars a ...
, Committee of Oriental Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences,
Archaeological Institute of America
The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America, North America's oldest learned society and largest organization devoted to the world of archaeology. AIA professionals have carried out archaeological fieldwork around the world and ...
,
Deutsches Archäologisches Institut
The German Archaeological Institute (, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.
Status, tasks and goals
The Institute c ...
,
Institut d'Egypte, Polish Archaeological Association (chairperson 1953 – 1957 and honorary member), Society for Nubian Studies (chairperson since 1972), Association Internationale des Égyptologues (deputy chairperson of the Honorary Committee since 1976), Association Internationale d'Epigraphie Latine (sdeputy chairperson), Warsaw Scientific Society (secretary general 1949–1952), Association Internationale d'Archéologie Classique, Société Archéologique Grecque, Association of Art Historians; member of
École Française d'Athènes
The French School at Athens (, EfA; ''Gallikí Scholí Athinón'') is one of the seventeen foreign archaeological institutes operating in Athens, Greece.
History
Founded in 1846, the EfA is the oldest foreign institute in Athens. Its early f ...
.
He chaired Comité International des Experts pour le Sauvetage des Temples d'Abou Simbel UNESCO (1961-1970), Comité International pour les Musées d'Archéologie et d'Histoire ICOM (1965-1971) He was an expert of UNESCO pour les Musées et Fouilles Archéologiques d'Algérie (1966) as well as a member of Comité des Experts de l'UNESCO pour Mohendjo-Daro (1969).
He was awarded an
Honoris Causa Doctorate at the universities of
Strasbourg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
(1965),
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
(1971),
Uppsala
Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019.
Loc ...
(1977).
Popularising activity
Kazimierz Michałowski was an active promoter of Mediterranean archaeology. He translated and published W.H. Boulton's ''The Romance of Archaeology'' (1958) as well as publicising the results of excavation works in Edfu. He wrote for "
Stolica", touching on subjects pertaining to ancient artefacts in the holdings of the
National Museum in Warsaw
The National Museum in Warsaw (, MNW) is a national museum in Warsaw, one of the largest museums in Poland and the largest in the capital. It comprises a rich collection of ancient art ( Egyptian, Greek, Roman), counting about 11,000 pieces, an ...
. He gave numerous lectures and conducted seminars devoted to antiquity, whose social effect consisted of an impressive increase of interest in this discipline. 5000 students attended his public lecture on the art of ancient Egypt in the National Museum in Warsaw in 1957.
Personal life
The grandfather of Kazimierz Michałowski was
Emil Michałowski
Emil may refer to:
Literature
*''Emil and the Detectives'' (1929), a children's novel
*"Emil", nickname of the Kurt Maschler Award for integrated text and illustration (1982–1999)
*''Emil i Lönneberga'', a series of children's novels by Astr ...
, a representative to the Diet of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria and a director of the Teacher's University in Tarnopol as well as the mayor of this town. After World War II Michałowski married Krystyna Baniewicz, a daughter of Tadeusz Baniewicz, one of the founders of
Podkowa Leśna
Podkowa Leśna (literal meaning – "Forest Horseshoe", in full: ''Miasto-ogród Podkowa Leśna'' – "Garden-City Podkowa Leśna") is a town in Grodzisk Mazowiecki County, Masovian Voivodeship of Poland and located within the territory of the M� ...
. Krystyna Michałowska became engaged in her husband's activity – in later years the Baniewicz's villa in Podkowa Leśna was the seat of the Research Centre for Mediterranean Archeology Polish Academy of Science. Professor Michałowski's grave is located in a nearby cemetery in
Brwinów
Brwinów is a town in Pruszków County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, about from the centre of Warsaw. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 13,718.
Until 1954, Brwinów was the location of the Helenów parish council and between 19 ...
.
Excavations
Professor Michałowski conducted excavations in Egypt since the 1930s, and from 1959 on behalf of the
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archeology of the University of Warsaw, of which he was the founder and first director.
Edfu
According to Professor Michałowski "not only in the view of the scientific world but also in a broader opinion of a civilised society, the current cultural level of a given country is judged based on whether it has its own excavations in Egypt".
On his initiative in 1936 archaeological works were started
in Edfu and lasted till 1939. The expedition was accompanied by archaeologists from the
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public university, public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well ...
and the French Institute for Eastern Archaeology. These were the first excavations with participation of Polish archaeologists in the Mediterranean area. The works were performed on the pharaohs’ necropolis as well as in the ancient city of the Greek-Roman and Byzantian period.
The number and artistic quality of historical monuments obtained during the first campaign (1936) enabled the organisation of an exhibition in the Gallery of Ancient Art in the National Museum in Warsaw, which was opened already in June 1937.
Myrmekion
Polish archaeologists’ participation in the excavations in Edfu turned the interest of the world of science to the Polish scholars and provided an opportunity for commencement of further excavations abroad. Michałowski started collaboration with Soviet archaeologists in Crimea. In July 1956 a group of Polish archaeologists started exploration works in
Myrmekion, an ancient Greek colony, which continued till 1958. The works were not performed jointly as in the case of the Polish-French expedition in
Edfu
Edfu (, , , ; also spelt Idfu, or in modern French as Edfou) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the Nile River between Esna and Aswan, with a population of approximately 60,000 people. Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of H ...
. The researchers worked in two separate teams, exploring two sections. The Polish group was headed by Professor Michałowski while the Soviet one – by Professor W.F. Gajdukiewicz from the
Leningrad State University
Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...
. A wine press with complete equipment from
the Hellenistic period was discovered as well as fragments of residential buildings.
All moveable historical objects discovered by the Polish expedition were transferred to Warsaw upon the consent of the Soviet archaeological office.
Tell Atrib
Professor Michałowski wanted to continue the works in Egypt after World War II. He was able to resume the exploration of
Edfu
Edfu (, , , ; also spelt Idfu, or in modern French as Edfou) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the Nile River between Esna and Aswan, with a population of approximately 60,000 people. Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of H ...
but the French were banned from excavating in Egypt. Professor Michałowski decided that since the French archaeologists had not returned to
Edfu
Edfu (, , , ; also spelt Idfu, or in modern French as Edfou) is an Egyptian city, located on the west bank of the Nile River between Esna and Aswan, with a population of approximately 60,000 people. Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of H ...
without their Polish colleagues during World War II, he would also not go back there without them. Tell Atrib – ''
Athribis
Athribis (; Greek: , from the original , ) was an ancient city in Lower Egypt. It is located in present-day Tell Atrib, just northeast of Benha on the hill of Kom Sidi Yusuf. The town lies around 40 km north of Cairo, on the eastern bank o ...
'', a capital city of the 10th nome of the Lower Egypt, today known as
Benha
Banha ( ) is the capital of the Qalyubiyya Governorate in north-eastern Egypt. Between the capital of Cairo and the city of Tanta, Banha is an important transport hub, as rail lines from Cairo to various cities in the Nile Delta pass through it. ...
– became a new excavation site. The works were performed from 1957 to 1969. The remains of an ancient water supply system of the Roman city were discovered, as well as remains of sacred buildings of the Late Period, foundations of
Ahmose temple, a deposit, furnaces for limestone and Roman baths.
Palmyra
On 4 May 1959 a group of Polish archaeologists headed by Professor Michałowski started excavation works in
Palmyra
Palmyra ( ; Palmyrene dialect, Palmyrene: (), romanized: ''Tadmor''; ) is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first menti ...
. The works of Polish archaeologists focused on two sections. The first one was the so-called camp of
Diocletian
Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
in the western part of the city, where the exploration covered the area between the Praetorian Gate and the
Tetrapylon
A tetrapylon (plural tetrapyla; ; , also used in English) is a rectangular form of monument with arched passages in two directions, at right angles, generally built on a Crossroads (culture), crossroads. They appear in ancient Roman architecture ...
, on the square in front of the so-called Temple of the Standards and inside the temple itself. The city walls were also investigated and a fragment of the Praetorian Road was excavated. On the second section, in the so-called Valley of Tombs, i.e. Palmyrene necropolis, tombs of Zabda, Alaine and Julius Aurelius Hermes were discovered. The excavations enabled determination of the urban development of the city as well as the dating of the revealed buildings based on the epigraphic material they contained. A discovery of a treasure consisting of jewelry and 27 golden
solidus coins dating back to the times of
Phocas
Phocas (; ; 5475 October 610) was Eastern Roman emperor from 602 to 610. Initially a middle-ranking officer in the East Roman army, Roman army, Phocas rose to prominence as a spokesman for dissatisfied soldiers in their disputes with the cour ...
,
Heraclius
Heraclius (; 11 February 641) was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas.
Heraclius's reign was ...
and
Constans
Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), also called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great.
After his father's death, he was made ''a ...
was a sensational success. So great was the value and significance of the discovered material that since 1966 an annual paper titled "
Studia Palmyreńskie" has been published in Warsaw and is still published today. Polish archaeologists became experts in the exploration of ancient Palmyra.
Alexandria
Excavations on
Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria began in 1960. Polish archaeologists comprised the first foreign mission which managed to obtain a permit for exploration of Alexandria. Groups of Italian, English and German scientists worked for the Greek-Roman Museum in Alexandria or they represented it. It is difficult to work on this area since in the 1740s
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
mandated that a city be constructed here. The relics of the past remain hidden under a modern development. Monumental
Roman baths
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large Roman Empire, imperial public bath, bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed i ...
with numerous swimming pools and cisterns as well as a Roman villa were discovered there. Polish archaeologists revealed also the first theatre to have been discovered in Egypt. This discovery was so sensational that Professor Michałowski received additional funds from the municipal authorities, enabling continuation of works. The ancient theatre was fully revealed and reconstructed. Today it is one of the greatest attractions in Alexandria and is used to stage performances. This is how an ancient building was successfully preserved in a contemporary development. Polish archaeologists explored also two Arabic necropolises on the area of Kom el-Dikka.
Deir el-Bahari
The works were started in 1961 on the request of the Egyptian minister of culture who was determined to reconstruct the
temple of Queen Hatshepsut. In 1968 engineers from the State Studios for Conservation of Cultural Property joined archaeologists to perform construction-restoration works in this temple. When working on this commission Professor Michałowski discovered a previously unknown
funerary temple of Thutmose III (already during the first campaign). In consequence most of exploration works were moved to this site. The temple was unique due to its location and layout which differed from other sacral buildings of the
New Kingdom
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995
* "New" (Daya song), 2017
* "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
period. The works are continued to this day.
Faras

Faras
Faras (formerly , ''Pakhôras''; ; Old Nubian: Ⲡⲁⲭⲱⲣⲁⲥ, ''Pakhoras'') was a major city in Lower Nubia. The site of the city, on the border between modern Egypt and Sudan at Wadi Halfa Salient, was flooded by Lake Nasser in the 196 ...
, ancient ''Pachoras,'' was a capital city of the Northern Nubian kingdom. In 1961–1964 rescue excavations were performed there, headed by Professor Michałowski. The exploration was part of a larger project, named the Nubian Campaign, managed under the auspices of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, whose objective was to salvage historical artefacts from flooding by the Nile in connection to the
Aswan High Dam
The Aswan Dam, or Aswan High Dam, is one of the world's largest embankment dams, which was built across the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, between 1960 and 1970. When it was completed, it was the tallest earthen dam in the world, surpassing the Chatug ...
development. Ruins of a medieval
cathedral church of the bishops of Pachoras were discovered along with religious paintings dating back to the 7th – 13th century. A set of the so-called "frescos from Faras" (actually they are not frescos but paintings executed with tempera paint on dry plaster) comprising more than 150 paintings became one of the greatest and most interesting discoveries of the Nubian Campaign. 67 paintings and fragments of stone decoration from the cathedral as well as other churches and buildings in Faras, epitaphs of local bishops and chaplains and local, artisanal products including pottery are stored in the
Faras Gallery in Honour of Professor Kazimierz Michałowski in the
National Museum in Warsaw
The National Museum in Warsaw (, MNW) is a national museum in Warsaw, one of the largest museums in Poland and the largest in the capital. It comprises a rich collection of ancient art ( Egyptian, Greek, Roman), counting about 11,000 pieces, an ...
. Remaining historical objects discovered in Faras are contained within the holdings of the
National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum.
Dongola
Professor Michałowski started excavations in
Old Dongola
Old Dongola ( Old Nubian: ⲧⲩⲛⲅⲩⲗ, ''Tungul''; , ''Dunqulā al-ʿAjūz'') is a deserted Nubian town in what is now Northern State, Sudan, located on the east bank of the Nile opposite the Wadi Howar. An important city in medieval Nub ...
in 1964. Since 1966 the works were headed by
Stefan Jakobielski. Kings of the joined
Nubia
Nubia (, Nobiin language, Nobiin: , ) is a region along the Nile river encompassing the area between the confluence of the Blue Nile, Blue and White Nile, White Niles (in Khartoum in central Sudan), and the Cataracts of the Nile, first cataract ...
n kingdoms resided in the Dongola from the 8th to the early 13th century. A central nave of the church with columns preserved ''
in situ
is a Latin phrase meaning 'in place' or 'on site', derived from ' ('in') and ' ( ablative of ''situs'', ). The term typically refers to the examination or occurrence of a process within its original context, without relocation. The term is use ...
'' was discovered already in the first weeks of the works. Scientific writing refers to this discovery as the "church of the columns". Grave inscriptions found in the church suggested it dated back to the 2nd half of the 8th century.
Column capitals revealed in the sacral buildings are stylistically similar to those discovered in the Faras cathedral. Additionally, older foundations of a sacral building were discovered under the "church of the columns". The second building based on the cruciform plan was also explored as well as a mosque which turned out to be erected on a former royal palace and not (as previously assumed) on a Christian temple. Polish archaeologists discovered also
a baptistery. Since 1966 a Polish expedition was performing parallel prehistoric excavations in the vicinity the village of Gaddar.
Abu Simbel
Professor Michałowski did not excavate in
Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive Rock-cut architecture, rock-cut Egyptian temple, temples in the village of Abu Simbel (village), Abu Simbel (), Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. It is located on t ...
but along with a team of Polish archaeologists he took part in the salvaging of rock temples of Pharaoh
Ramesses II
Ramesses II (sometimes written Ramses or Rameses) (; , , ; ), commonly known as Ramesses the Great, was an Pharaoh, Egyptian pharaoh. He was the third ruler of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Nineteenth Dynasty. Along with Thutmose III of th ...
, which were at risk of being flooded with the waters of
Lake Nasser
Lake Nasser ( ', ) is a large reservoir (water), reservoir in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. It was created by the construction of the Aswan Dam, Aswan High Dam and is one of the List of reservoirs by volume, largest man-made lakes in the wo ...
. The project involved also archaeologists from other countries such as Italy and France. One of the ideas for salvaging the temples was to move them to a place of safety. Another idea was the leave them in place.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
established a special commission to deal with this issue. The commission consisted of the Director-General of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
, the chairperson of the advisory board and three expert – archaeologists. Professor Michałowski was one of them. They supported a Swedish-Egyptian idea consisting in cutting the temples into large, 30-tonne blocks in order to reconstruct them in a new location.
Professor Michałowski was appointed a chairperson of the 7-people international expert committee supervising the relocation of Pharaoh Ramesses II's temples. The works lasted 10 years and were crowned with success.
Nea Paphos
In June 1965 a Polish archaeological expedition headed by Professor Michałowski started excavation works in
Nea Paphos
Paphos, also spelled as Pafos, is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos. It is the fourth-largest cit ...
in Cyprus. New Paphos was founded at the end of the 4th century BC as a port intended for Greek pilgrims arriving to pay tribute to
Aphrodite
Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...
. Already the first days of works in the south-west part of Paphos led to a discovery of marble sculptures of
Asclepius
Asclepius (; ''Asklēpiós'' ; ) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Religion in ancient Greece, Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis (lover of Apollo), Coronis, or Arsinoe (Greek myth), Ars ...
and
Artemis
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
worshipped in the city. Coins presenting
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
were discovered, which confirmed the city foundation date. City development of the Hellinistic period was revealed with well-preserved paintings in the so-called
first Pompeian style as well as a
proconsul's palace with private baths. A mosaic presenting
Theseus
Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes desc ...
wrestling
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (, ''Mīnṓtauros''), also known as Asterion, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "par ...
in a labyrinth was discovered in this building.
Ariadne
In Greek mythology, Ariadne (; ; ) was a Cretan princess, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. There are variations of Ariadne's myth, but she is known for helping Theseus escape from the Minotaur and being abandoned by him on the island of N ...
and a woman symbolising Crete are watching the fight. This mosaic is regarded as the most beautiful decoration of this type in the Mediterranean area. Polish excavations proved that Nea Paphos was a political centre of the island. The works initiated by Professor Michałowski are continued by the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw in honour of Professor Kazimierz Michałowski.
Distinctions, rewards and recognition
In 1947 Michałowski was awarded
the Commander's Cross and the Order of Polonia Restituta for his "merits and contribution into the protection of the Polish cultural masterpieces". On 21 July 1977 he received
the 1st Class Order of the Builders of People's Poland. He was also a winner of the 1st and 2nd Degree State Award. In addition he also received the following distinctions: 1st Class Order of the Banner of Work, 5th Class Virtuti Military Cross (for the 1939 campaign), Gold Cross of Merit. He was also awarded in Egypt and Syria as well as in France (Officer's Cross and Commander's Cross of the
National Order of the Legion of Honour), Italy (Commander's Cross of
the Order of the Crown of Italy), Greece (Commander's Cross of
the Order of the Phoenix), Belgium (Grand Officer's Cross of
the Order of Leopold).
His name was given to the
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw and the
Faras Gallery in the National Museum in Warsaw.
In 2001 Polish Post issued 200 thousand copies of a postcard dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Professor Michałowski's birthday. The postcard presented a nave of the Faras Cathedral and the portrait of Professor Michałowski himself. The bust of Professor Michałowski is exhibited in the gardens of the
Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo and numerous souvenirs related to Professor are stored in the holdings of the Museum of Warsaw University. The Professor's name was also given to streets in
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not Si ...
,
Malbork
Malbork (German: ''Marienburg'') is a town in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. It is the seat of Malbork County and has a population of 36,709 people as of 2024. The town is located on the Nogat river, in the historical region of Pomerelia.
Fo ...
and Słupsk.
In 2015 Public Middle School in Podkowa Leśna was named after Professor Michałowski.
Selected publications
Books
* ''Fouilles franco-polonaises''. Tell Edfou (1938)
* ''Sztuka starożytna'' (1955)
* ''Kanon w architekturze egipskiej'' (1955)
* ''Fouilles polonaises'', kilka tomów (od 1960)
* ''Nie tylko piramidy. Sztuka dawnego Egiptu'' (1966)
* ''Faras. Centre artistique de la Nubie chretienne'' (1966)
* ''Art of Ancient Egypt'' (1969)
* ''Arte y civilizacion de Egipto'' (1969)
* ''Karnak'' (1969)
* ''Luksor'' (1971)
* ''Aleksandria'' (1972)
* ''Piramidy i mastaby'' (1972)
* ''Teby'' (1974) (wspólne z A.Dziewanowskim)
* ''Od Edfu do Faras. Polskie odkrycia archeologii śródziemnomorskiej'' (1974)
* ''Egypte'' (1978)
* ''Delfy'' (1979)
* ''Wybór prac Opera Minora'' (1990)
Articles
* "Les Niobides dans l'art plastique grec de la seconde moitié du Vème siecle", ''Eos'', vol. XXX 1927, pp. 175–193.
* "Ein Niobekopf aus den Sammlungen des Fürsten Radziwiłł in Nieborów", AA 1927, pp. 58–70.
* "Zum Sarkophag aus S. Constanza", RM, XLIII, 1928, pp. 132–146.
* "Virgile et les beaux arts", ''Eos'', XXXIII, 1930, pp. 43–58.
* "Un portrait égyptien d'Auguste au Musée du Caire", ''Bull. de l'Inst.Français au Caire'' 1935, pp. 73–88.
* "La fin de l'art grec", ''BCH'', 1946, pp. 385–392.
* "Les expositions itinérantes dans les musées de Pologne", ''Museum'', vol. III no. 4, 1950, pp. 275–282.
* "Rapport sur la prospection du terrain dans la région de la mosquée de Nabi Daniel en 1958", ''Bull. de la Fac. de Droit – Université d'Alexandrie'', vol. XIII, 1958, pp. 37–43.
* "Kalos Limen", EAA IV, Roma 1961, pp. 304–305.
* "Les fouilles archéologiques et l'art antique au Musée National de Varsovie", ''Bull. Mus. Nat. de Varsovie'', III 1962, pp. 62–63.
* "Peintures chrétiennes du VIIe s. à Faras", ibid., pp. 3–8.
* "Palmira", ''EAA'' vol. V, Roma 1963, pp. 900–908.
* "La Nubie chrétienne", ''Africana Bulletin'' 3, 1965, pp. 9–26.
* "Archéologie méditerranéenne en Pologne aprés la seconde guerre mondiale", ''Études et Travaux'', vol. I, 1966, pp. 5–22.
* "Algérie — la modernisation des musées en Algérie", ''
Le Courrier de l'Unesco'', Mai 1966, pp. 1–45, annexe, pp. 34–45.
* "Les deux Asclepios de Nea Paphos", RA, 1968 no. 2, pp. 355–358.
* "Polish Excavations in Old Dongola 1964", ''Kush'', vol. XIV 1969, pp. 289–299.
* "Open Problems of Nubian Art and Culture in the Light of the Discoveries at Faras", in ''Kunst und Geschichte Nubiens in christlicher Zeit'', Recklinghausen 1970, pp. 11–20.
* "Classification générale des peintures murales de Faras", in ''Mélanges Devambez'' (RA 1972 z.2) pp. 375–380.
* "Tell Atrib", ''EAA'' VIII Supplemento, Roma 1973, pp. 799–800.
* "Ancient Egyptian Visual Arts", ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', vol. XV (1974), pp. 248–258.
* "Nouvelles recherches sur la topographie de Palmyre", in ''Mélanges d'histoire ancienne et d'archéologie offerts à Paul Collart'' (Cahiers d'Archéologie Romande 5), 1975, pp. 305–306.
* "Les fouilles archéologiques polonaises en Afrique", ''Africana Bulletin'', vol. 25, 1976 (1978), pp. 13–26.
* "Études sur les tendances actuelles dans la pratique de fouilles archéologiques. Suggestions et idées générales pour l'établissement des 'musées-sites'", ''Rocznik MNW'', vol. XXIV 1980, pp. 345–355.
See also
*
List of Egyptologists
This is a partial list of Egyptologists. An Egyptologist is any archaeologist, historian, linguistics, linguist, or art historian who specializes in Egyptology, the scientific study of Ancient Egypt and its antiquities. Demotists are Egyptologists ...
*
List of Poles
This is a partial list of notable Polish people, Polish or Polish language, Polish-speaking or -writing people. People of partial Polish heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
Physics
*Miedziak Antal
* Czesław Białobrzesk ...
*
Nubiology
*
References
External links
Professor Kazimierz Michałowski and the Polish School of Mediterranean Archaeology*
Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw
Publications by Kazimierz Michałowski at Propylaeum-DOK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michalowski, Kazimierz
1901 births
1981 deaths
People from Ternopil
Members of the Polish Academy of Sciences
20th-century Polish archaeologists
Polish Egyptologists
University of Lviv alumni
University of Warsaw alumni
Herder Prize recipients
Corresponding fellows of the British Academy
Recipients of the State Award Badge (Poland)
Prisoners of Oflag II-C
Abu Simbel
Academic staff of the University of Warsaw