20 Facts About Kathleen Kenyon

Kathleen Kenyon led excavations of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho, from 1952 to 1958, and has been called one of the most influential archaeologists of the 20th century.

Kathleen Kenyon was Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford, from 1962 to 1973, having undertaken her own studies at Somerville College, Oxford.

Kathleen Kenyon was the eldest daughter of Sir Frederic Kenyon, biblical scholar and later director of the British Museum.

Kathleen Kenyon's grandfather was lawyer and Fellow of All Souls College, John Robert Kenyon, and her great-great-grandfather was the politician and lawyer Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon.

Kathleen Kenyon grew up in Bloomsbury, in a house attached to the British Museum, with her mother, Amy Kenyon, and sister Nora Kenyon.

Kathleen Kenyon was an excellent student, winning awards at school and particularly excelling in history.

Kathleen Kenyon studied first at St Paul's Girls' School, where she was head girl, before winning an Exhibition to read history at Somerville College, Oxford.

Kathleen Kenyon graduated in 1928 with a third class degree and began a career in archaeology the following year.

In 1962, Kathleen Kenyon was made Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford.

Kathleen Kenyon retired in 1973 to Erbistock and was appointed a DBE.

From 1974, Kathleen Kenyon was the honorary vice president of the Chester Archaeological Society.

In 1957, Kathleen Kenyon introduced categories A, B, C, to classify eastern sigillata but without determining the exact place of manufacture.

In 1934, Kathleen Kenyon was closely associated with the Wheelers in the foundation of the Institute of Archaeology of University College London.

Kathleen Kenyon initially thought the overall Jewry Wall site was that of the town forum.

Kathleen Kenyon focused her attention on the absence of certain Cypriot pottery at City IV, arguing for an older destruction date than that of her predecessors.

Consequently, Kathleen Kenyon's work has been cited to support the minimalist school of Biblical archaeology.

Kathleen Kenyon was an elected Fellow of the British Academy and of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Kathleen Kenyon was made a Grand Officer of the Order of Independence by the King of Jordan in 1977.

At St Hugh's College, Oxford, the Kathleen Kenyon Building was constructed between 1964 and 1965 to provide student accommodation; designed by modern architect David Roberts, the building has already been given a heritage listing.

In 2025, the University of Leicester announced that their first academic building to be named after a woman would be the Dame Kathleen Kenyon Building, housing its Schools of Archaeology and Ancient History and Museum Studies.