Paolo Matthiae facts for kids
Paolo Matthiae (born 1940) is a famous Italian archaeologist. He is best known for finding the ancient city of Ebla. This discovery greatly changed what we know about the history of the Near East.
Quick facts for kids
Paolo Matthiae
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| Born | 1940 (age 84–85) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Alma mater | Sapienza University of Rome |
| Occupation | Archaeologist |
| Known for | Discovery of Ebla |
| Awards |  Order of Civil Merit (Excellent class) (2023) |
Paolo Matthiae teaches about the history of art from the ancient Near East. He works at the Sapienza University of Rome. Since 1963, he has led the Ebla Expedition. This means he was the person who found and explored Ebla.
He has written many articles and books. These works are about Ebla and the art history of Mesopotamia and Syria.
Contents
Discovering Ancient Ebla
Paolo Matthiae's most famous work is finding the city of Ebla. This ancient city was a powerful kingdom. It existed thousands of years ago in what is now Syria. Before Matthiae's discovery, many people did not know much about Ebla.
His team started digging in 1963. They found many important things. These included a royal palace and thousands of clay tablets. These tablets had ancient writings on them. They told stories about Ebla's kings, laws, and daily life.
The discovery of Ebla showed that a major civilization existed there. It helped us understand more about the ancient world. It also changed our ideas about the history of Syria.
Saving History: The Tell Fray Project
In 1972 and 1973, Matthiae worked on another important dig. This was at a place called Tell Fray. It was in the Euphrates River Valley. This area was going to be flooded. A large dam, the Tabqa Dam, was being built.
The dam would create a big lake called Lake Assad. This meant many ancient sites would be lost underwater. Matthiae and his team worked quickly. They tried to save as many historical items as possible. This kind of work is called "rescue archaeology."
His Important Books
Paolo Matthiae has shared his knowledge in many books. These books help people learn about his discoveries. They also teach about the history of the ancient Near East.
- Ebla: An Empire Rediscovered
- Ebla: La città rivelata (Ebla: The Revealed City)
- Aux origines de la Syrie : Ebla retrouvée (At the Origins of Syria: Ebla Rediscovered)
Awards and Recognition
Paolo Matthiae is a respected archaeologist. He is a member of several important groups. These include the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei in Rome. He is also part of the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.
He has received special honors for his work. He was given an honorary doctorate from the Autonomous University of Madrid. This is a high academic award.
National Honours
Syria:
Order of Civil Merit (Excellent class) (2023)
