BEFORE ALBRIGHT: Charles Torrey, James Montgomery, and American Biblical Archaeology 1907-1922

Abstract

William Foxwell Albright was a young scholar when he first arrived in Palestine, but his nearly immediate success led to Americans dominating biblical archaeology throughout the twentieth century. How was Albright able to become so influential so quickly? An examination of archival materials and other early twentieth-century records reveals that two senior American scholars laid the groundwork for American interests in archaeology years before Albright arrived on the scene: Charles C. Torrey and James A. Montgomery. After examining the stage on which Torrey and Montgomery worked—the British colonial situation in Palestine in as much as it relates to archaeology—this article will trace American involvements in archaeology in Palestine before World War I and during the war years, then consider how Torrey and Montgomery used British colonial initiatives to further American interests, setting the stage for Albright to launch his career.