Spotlights
Archaeologist of the Month: John Marshall
Sir John Hubert Marshall is best known for his documentation of the Indus Valley archaeological sites of Harappa and Mohenja-daro, but he also had a vibrant career as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. It was in this role that he left an impact on Indian archaeology that would last until this day.
Born in Chester, England, on March 19, 1876, Sir John Hubert Marshall commenced his archaeological journey at King's College, Cambridge. He was well known among his superiors and colleagues to be a scholarly individual with great strength of character (Lahiri, 1997, p.2). Marshall gained practical experience in excavating and using modern archaeological techniques from his time excavating at Crete during his undergraduate years (McIntosh, 2014, p.107).
Marshall was appointed the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1902. One of Marshall’s main concerns was the preservation of Indian monuments. He worked at the Buddhist stupas at Sanchi between 1912 and 1919 where he helped to preserve the stupas by use of repairs, rather than replacing the stone walls with modern means, which contributed to the preservation of these historical structures (McIntosh, 2014, p.108).
In 1904, Marshall fought to designate the archaeological site of Taxila as a Protected Monument through his 1904 antiquities legislation, countering locals who had been exploiting the site for artifacts to sell in black markets. His actions to approve Taxila as a promising site and subsequent excavation there from 1913 until 1934, although unpopular among some, curtailed the unauthorized removal and sale of antiquities, ensuring the site's integrity (McIntosh, 2014, p.108). This practice, involving the extraction and sale of artifacts, posed risks to the archaeological record by erasing vital details about the cultural significance and context of the artifacts. Marshall's resistance to such practices reflected not only his concern for the potential damage to artifacts but also his recognition of the importance of preserving the archaeological context that gives artifacts their ability to tell us about the past.
At a time when much archaeological work in India aimed to augment the collections of British museums, Marshall stood out for his fervent belief in keeping Indian artifacts on their native soil. This passion even led to negotiations with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London to repatriate wall panels taken from Delhi's Red Fort back to India (McIntosh, 2014, p.107).
Another of Marshall’s concerns as Director General was surveying important Indian archaeological sites and areas. For eight months, he traveled around most of India visiting different sites and meeting new people, forging relationships along the way (Lahiri, 1998, p.8). During most of this time, he was involved in the preservation and conservation of sites and monuments. It was at this point in his career that he emphasized the importance of photography as a method of recording archaeological sites and artifacts that he learned from his time excavating in Crete. He continued to take photographs of Indian monuments and artifacts for the public and scholars to see (EIA Editors, 2023).
One of Marshall's most significant achievements during this period was his work at the ancient site of Mohenjo-daro, part of the Indus Valley Civilization. His meticulous excavations and documentation played a pivotal role in unraveling the mysteries of this ancient urban center, shedding light on a civilization that predates many well-known ancient cultures. Excavations began at Harappa, located in the Punjab, in 1921 under the direction of Daya Ram Sahni, who was Marshall’s assistant (McIntosh, 2014, p.108). Additionally, one of the ASI’s superintendents, Rakhaldas Banerji, began excavation at Mohenjo-daro in 1922. At both of these places, inscribed seals, pottery, and structures of baked brick unlike any types already documented were found, and to Marshall, these finds suggested the existence of a new urban civilization that had been previously unknown (McIntosh, 2014, p.108).
Consequently, Marshall went on to direct excavation at Mohenjo-daro in the 1925-26 field season, where he and his team of 1,200 uncovered large housing areas, effective drainage systems, and a web of streets. Excavations at Harappa and other places within the Indus Valley were more elusive with their results but clearly pointed to evidence of a large-scale civilization (McIntosh, 2014, p.108).
Although he left a powerful legacy in Indian archaeology, people were not without their critiques of him. He stepped into his position as Director General during the time that England colonized India. Even though he encouraged Indian scholars, promoted their careers, and supported keeping Indian artifacts in India, he was still a vector of colonial control over India. He was also critiqued by locals for not allowing Indian newspapers to use pictures of the Indus Valley sites he had taken, instead sending them to a London news source (EIA Editors, 2023).
John Marshall passed away on August 17, 1958, leaving behind a legacy of archaeological discoveries, academic contributions, and a profound influence on the understanding of ancient civilizations (Barrett, 1959). His work laid the foundation for subsequent generations of archaeologists, and his dedication to preserving many of South Asia’s monuments and uncovering a great ancient civilization remains an enduring testament to his indelible mark on the field.
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