Leo Aryeh Mayer facts for kids
Leo Aryeh Mayer (born January 12, 1895 – died April 6, 1959) was an important Israeli expert on Islamic art. He also served as the head, or rector, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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Biography of Leo Aryeh Mayer
Leo Aryeh Mayer was born in 1895 in a city called Stanisławów. This city was in a region known as Galicia, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. Today, it is called Ivano-Frankivsk and is in Ukraine. He came from a well-known family of Jewish religious leaders.
In 1913, Leo Mayer began studying Eastern Art at the University of Vienna. He focused on the art and culture of the Muslim East. He also studied at other universities, including Lausanne and Berlin. In 1917, he earned his doctorate degree from the University of Vienna. While studying, he also trained at a Jewish seminary. He became involved with the "Hashomer" movement, which supported the idea of a Jewish homeland.
After finishing his studies in 1917, Mayer started teaching. He also worked as a librarian. In 1919, he went back to his hometown to teach high school. However, there was a lot of fighting and changes after First World War. His hometown was fought over by different groups. Because of this, Mayer moved to Berlin. There, he worked in the oriental department of the city's state library.
Moving to Palestine and University Work
In 1921, Mayer moved to Mandatory Palestine. This was the name for the area that is now Israel. He worked for the British government's Department of Antiquities. He was an inspector until 1929. From 1929 to 1933, he was the Director of the Archives. After leaving this job, he became an honorary supervisor. This was for a new government museum in Jerusalem.
In 1925, Leo Mayer joined the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was one of the first teachers at the Institute of Jewish Studies. In 1929, he became a lecturer in Islamic Art and Archaeology. He was promoted to a full professor in 1932. He became the first Sir David Sassoon Professor of Near Eastern Art and Archaeology. He also led the Faculty of Arts. From 1943 to 1945, he was the Rector, or head, of the university.
Mayer also worked with another scholar, Eleazar Sukenik. They worked together on digging up parts of Jerusalem's "Third Wall." This ancient wall was built by King Agrippa I around 41–44 CE.
From 1940 to 1950, Mayer was the president of the Israel Exploration Society. He was also an honorary president of the Israel Oriental Society. He was chosen to be a member of several important groups. These included the government Archaeological Council and the Association of Archaeologists in London.
Awards and Honours
Leo Aryeh Mayer received several important awards for his work:
- In 1948, he was made an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was an honour given by King George VI of Britain.
- In 1958, he was given the Israel Prize. This is one of Israel's highest honours, and he received it for his work in the humanities.
- The L. A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art in Jerusalem was founded in 1974. This art institute was created to remember him and his important contributions.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients
- L. A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art
