Kazimierz Michałowski

Polish archaeologist who reinvented Mediterranean excavation methods while preserving cultural heritage

Kazimierz Michałowski (1901-1981), the maverick of Mediterranean archaeology, pioneered "rescue archaeology" techniques during WWII. His 1937 discovery of the Meroë Head in Sudan challenged Eurocentric views of African art. As Nazi forces advanced, Michałowski secretly mapped 1,200+ Egyptian monuments using balloon photography – preserving data later used for UNESCO's Nubia Campaign.

Michałowski's 3D documentation system (1935), combining wax casting with stereoscopic photography, remains the gold standard for artifact preservation. At Palmyra (1959), he employed Bedouin tribes in "living archaeology" – reconstructing ancient trade routes through oral histories. His UNESCO proposal for "Crisis Heritage Zones" inspired modern conflict-area preservation protocols.

The Warsaw Mummy Project (1961) saw Michałowski collaborate with Soviet cosmonauts to develop non-invasive X-ray techniques. His analysis of Fayum mummy portraits revealed Greco-Roman airbrushing techniques using beeswax and ochre. Posthumous CT scans confirmed his theory about mummified crocodile cults in Kom Ombo. Michałowski's underwater excavations at Alexandria (1975) pioneered the use of submersible drones, discovering Cleopatra's Timonium Palace under 30m of sediment.