Anonymous Welsh Traveler Open this page in a new tab

Robert Alexander Stewart Macalister (1870–1950) was a prominent Irish archaeologist and scholar renowned for his extensive work in both biblical and Celtic archaeology. Born in Dublin, Ireland, he was the son of Alexander Macalister, a professor of anatomy at Cambridge University. He studied at The Perse School and later at Cambridge University, where he initially pursued Irish archaeology but shifted his focus to the ancient Levant. Between 1898 and 1909, Macalister conducted landmark excavations in Ottoman Palestine, most notably at Tell Gezer, where he discovered the Gezer Calendar, one of the oldest known Hebrew inscriptions. His fieldwork helped lay the methodological foundation for biblical archaeology in the region. In 1909, he became Professor of Celtic Archaeology at University College Dublin, a position he held until 1943. During this period, he excavated the Hill of Tara and made significant contributions to the study of Ogham inscriptions in Ireland.

In 1918, Macalister published an article titled "The Revolt of 1834" in the *Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement*, which includes a translation of a July 16, 1834 letter originally published in the Welsh-language periodical *Y Gwyliedydd*, Vol. XII (1835), p. 27. The letter provides a firsthand account of the 1834 Peasants' Revolt in Palestine, including an eyewitness description of an earthquake in Jerusalem during that time. The original letter was unsigned, and Macalister notes that it was likely submitted to *Y Gwyliedydd* by friends of the traveler who wrote it. The identity of the author remains unknown. *Y Gwyliedydd* was a Welsh-language periodical published between 1822 and 1837, associated with the Established Church and known for its articles on Welsh literature, history, and religious commentary. The 1835 letter is a rare example of early 19th-century Welsh engagement with events in the Ottoman Middle East.

Macalister passed away in Cambridge in 1950. His efforts to preserve and contextualize early modern accounts like the *Gwyliedydd* letter continue to be valued for their contribution to both historical seismology and the historiography of Palestine.

Sources

- Macalister, R.A.S. (1918). *The Revolt of 1834*. Palestine Exploration Fund Quarterly Statement.
- *Y Gwyliedydd*, Vol. XII (1835), p. 27.
- Wikipedia: R.A.S. Macalister
- Archive.org: Macalister 1918
- About Y Gwyliedydd – National Library of Wales
- DESQC Entry: 1834 CE Fellahin Revolt Quake

Further Reading

Read Macalister’s 1918 article and translation of the 1835 letter
DESQC Entry: 1834 CE Fellahin Revolt Quake
Wikipedia: R.A.S. Macalister