Alexander Rea (17 October 1858 — 4 February 1924) was a British archaeologist who worked mainly in South

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

. He is known for unearthing a

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek language, Greek wikt:σάρξ, σάρξ ...

from the hillocks of Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu.

Early life

Rea was born in

Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

and educated at

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. He is a F.S.A (Scot). He reached British India in 1882 and joined the Archaeological survey of Southern India.

Career

First Assistant. Archaeological Survey of South India in 1882. He worked as acting lecturer on Art and Geometry in the School of Arts. Madras, between 1884 and 1888. He was Professional Adviser to Government on the conservation of ancient monuments; Member for Archaeology on the Sub-Committee on the Public Services Commission in 1887. Rea was deputed to examine and report on certain Pre-historic burial places in Madras, Chingleput, and

Kodaikanal Kodaikanal () (English: ) is a municipality and hill station in Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is situated at an altitude of in the Palani hills of the Western Ghats. Kodaikanal was established in 1845 to serve as a r ...

in July 1887. Rea worked as assistant editor, "Epigraphia Indica" and Record of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1888. He took charge as In charge of the Office of the Archaeological Survey of Western India from 9 July to 8 October 1889. Archaeological Surveyor in 1890; Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Madras, 1891. Rea was deputed to examine and report on the ancient remains in Coorg in 1893; Alexander Rea became the first Superintendent of Archaeological Survey of Southern India in 1902. Honorary Assistant Superintendent, Central Museum, Madras, 1903; He retired in 1913 as Superintendent, Archaeological Survey of Southern India. His body was buried in Wesleyan Church, Bangalore on 5 February 1924.

Publications

Selected publications: *A description of the ruins of "Vijayanagar" in the

Madras Christian College Madras Christian College (MCC) is a liberal arts and sciences college in Chennai, India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest extant colleges. The college is affiliated to the University of Madras but functions as an autonomous institut ...

Magazine, 1886; *"Some Pre-historic Burial Places in Southern India" in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1888; *"Method of Archaeological preservation in India" in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 1890; *"Pallava Architecture"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rea, Alexander British archaeologists 1924 deaths 1858 births Archaeologists from British India British people in colonial India