13 Facts About Joan Oates

Joan Oates was born in Watertown, New York, on 6 May 1928, to Harold Burdette Lines and Beatrice Naomi Lines.

Joan Oates obtained her BA at Syracuse University, graduating in Chemistry and Social Anthropology in 1950, before winning a Fulbright Scholarship to study at Girton College, Cambridge, where she received a PhD in 1953.

Joan Oates died on 3 February 2023, at the age of 94.

Joan Oates's funeral was held in Girton College Chapel on 23 February 2023.

Joan Oates completed her PhD in 1954 and returned to the USA.

Joan Oates began her career as an assistant curator in the Department of Near Eastern Antiquities at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and continued to visit Nimrud with Max Mallowan each year.

Joan Oates married David Oates in 1956 and they worked together on archaeological excavations in Nimrud, Ain Sinu, Nippur and Choga Mami.

In 1971 Joan Oates was elected a fellow of Girton College, Cambridge and Director of Studies in both Oriental Studies and Archaeology at that college, becoming a Senior Research Fellow in 1989.

Joan Oates carried out excavations at Tell Brak in Syria 14 times between 1971 and 1993 and continuing to visit the site after her retirement.

Joan Oates was co-director with her husband David of the excavations at Tell Brak from 1988 to 2004, and became its sole director after his death in 2004.

Joan Oates was a Senior Fellow of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at Cambridge from 1995.

In 1991 Joan Oates was awarded the Arents Award by Syracuse University, bestowed on the most distinguished alumni who have made extraordinary achievements.

In 2004 Joan Oates was elected a Fellow of the British Academy.