Pre-eminent archaeologist of the Neolithic Near East
British archaeologist, James Mellaart, was born in London in 1925. His family moved to Holland where his father worked as an expert in Dutch old master paintings and drawings. At the outbreak of World War II, Mellaart secured a position at the museum in Leiden, where he worked until the war ended. Then he enrolled in University College in London where he studied egyptology. His studies led him to join the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, Turkey.
In the early 1950s, he began an archaeological survey of Anatolia. His first dig at Hacular produced a cache of painted pottery and female figurines that led to speculation about an early culture that worshipped a mother-goddess. Then, in November 1961, he began excavating a 20-meter high mound on the plains of Konya known locally as Çatalhöyük. There, he unearthed thirteen levels of occupation dating back over nine thousand years that contained the remains of a population center housing up to 10,000 people at its zenith.
The discovery of the London Mithraeum was made during rebuilding works carried out in the City of London in 1954. There was great public interest in the ruins on their discovery, with 80,000 visitors flocking to see the site. Public demand meant the ruins were preserved in a site opposite the street, where they were tilted at 90 degrees to fit in the space so building work could continue.
The site today hangs in the balance with a development of Walbrook Square first being delayed, then cancelled due to the economic recession. The remains of the London Mithraeum were due to be moved back to their original position and showcased inside a new building designed by Sir Norman Foster.
Pope St Gregory I was the pope; the Bishop of Rome and thus leader of the Catholic Church, from the 3rd of September 590 until his death on the 12th of March 604. He was the first monk to become pope and was classified as the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.
Pope Gregory I is well-known for his writings, which were more prolific than those of any of his predecessors. Only two popes, Leo I and Gregory I, have been given the popular title of 'the Great'. He served in difficult times of barbarian invasions in Italy and when Rome was faced with famine and epidemics.
