Olga Tufnell’s ‘Perfect Journey’

Olga Tufnell (1905–85) was a British archaeologist working in Egypt, Cyprus and Palestine in the 1920s and 1930s, a period often described as a golden age of archaeological discovery. For the first time, this book presents Olga’s account of her experiences in her own words. Based largely on letters home, the text is accompanied by dozens of photographs that shed light on personal experiences of travel and dig life at this extraordinary time. Introductory material by John D.M. Green and Ros Henry provides the social, historical, biographical and archaeological context for the overall narrative.

The letters offer new insights into the social and professional networks and history of archaeological research, particularly for Palestine under the British Mandate. They provide insights into the role of foreign archaeologists, relationships with local workers and inhabitants, and the colonial framework within which they operated during turbulent times.

This book will be an important resource for those studying the history of archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly for the sites of Qau el-Kebir, Tell Fara, Tell el-‘Ajjul and Tell ed-Duweir (ancient Lachish). Moreover, Olga’s lively style makes this a fascinating personal account of archaeology and travel in the interwar era.

Praise for Olga Tufnell’s ‘Perfect Journey’

‘New insights into the history of travel and archaeology during the interwar period, the latter including British colonialist attitudes to Palestine during the Mandate. …The introduction provides valuable biographical, archaeological, historical, cultural and political context for the edited letters, and an introduction precedes each fieldwork chapter. Eighty-eight photographs and drawings, with five maps, accompany the text. The book is recommended for all interested in the history of British archaeology in Egypt and the Levant during the interwar period.’ Ancient Egypt Magazine ‘A valuable, personal, and refreshingly human account of archaeology in Palestine and the Levant in the so-called ‘Golden Age’. It is a valuable resource for not only historians of archaeology, but, rich as it is in social history, for anyone interested in this period of Palestinian history.’ Contemporary Levant ‘The authors are to be applauded for their work in transcribing all of this material, much of it handwritten, and making it publicly available — in open-access format, no less. We need more publications like this.’ Levant
‘Beautifully illustrated with colour and greyscale images and line drawings … The rich detail and personal reflections in these letters provide crucial insight into one of the most important periods in the history of archaeology, which will be of equal interest to scholarly readers, students, and to those with a general interest in this subject.’Histories of Archaeology Research Network (HARN)

‘Tufnell’s letters offer a fascinating glimpse into life in the field and on the road nearly 100 years ago.’
Minerva

‘A fascinating insight into the experiences of a female British archaeologist working in the Middle East in a time of great social change, as well as important archaeological work.’
Current World Archaeology

‘A useful resource for those studying the history of archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean for Palestine, Cyprus, and Egypt … A much-needed real life contemporary perspective often absent in memoirs or biographies.’
Trowelblazers.com