Background
Events
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The Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) was founded in 1865 by a group of distinguished academics and clergymen, most notably the Dean of Westminster Abbey,
Arthur P. Stanley, and Sir George Grove (who also founded the Royal
College of Music, and was responsible for Grove's Dictionary of Music).
The purpose of the PEF was (and is) to promote research into the archaeology and history, manners and customs and culture, topography,
geology and natural sciences of biblical Palestine and the Levant. The PEF now has a history rich in association with many of the outstanding names of
Levantine exploration including Wilson,
Warren, Conder,
Kitchener of
Khartoum, Schumacher, Petrie, Bliss,
Macalister, Woolley, T.E.
Lawrence, Garstang, Crowfoot,
Kenyon and
Tufnell.
The PEF was central to the development of archaeology in the region, undertaking ambitious and well-chosen projects that significantly enhanced the knowledge of those working in the area. However,
its subject-base has never been limited to archaeology alone, but includes natural history, anthropology,
history and geography.
These projects included:
Excavations in Jerusalem (1867 - 1870)
conducted by Charles Warren and Henry Birtles
The Survey of Western Palestine (1871 - 1878)
undertaken by Claude R. Conder and Horatio H. Kitchener (among others)
Excavations at Tell el-Hesi (1890 - 1893)
under the direction of Sir William Flinders Petrie, and Frederick J. Bliss
The Wilderness of Zin Archaeological Survey (1913 -1914)
conducted by Sir Leonard Woolley and T.E. Lawrence.
The Palestine Exploration Fund today is an active organisation which
publishes a respected academic journal, the Palestine Exploration
Quarterly. In addition, the PEF presents public
lectures on a wide range of subjects and funds several research projects covering a range of subjects in the Levant by way of small
annual grants.
The Fund's offices in central London house a fine reference
library for the study of the area, as well as a varied collection of vintage
photographs, archaeological objects, natural history collections, archives and manuscripts.
These facilities are available to members for research, study, and publication purposes.
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