Woolley, Sir Leonard (1880-1960), was a British archaeologist. He became known for his discoveries at Ur, a city in ancient Sumer (now part of Iraq). His findings revealed achievements of the Sumerians, who created one of the earliest civilizations over 5,000 years ago.
Between 1922 and 1934, Woolley directed excavations at Ur. He discovered geological evidence for a great flood, possibly the Flood described in the Bible. He also uncovered the royal cemetery, whose tombs contained bodies buried with objects made of precious metals.
Woolley, whose full name was Charles Leonard Woolley, was born on April 17, 1880, in London and graduated from Oxford University. He led excavations in the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. He wrote more than 25 books, including Spadework: Adventures in Archaeology (1953) and Excavations at Ur: A Record of 12 Years’ Work (1954). He was knighted in 1935. He died on Feb. 20, 1960.
