Anne Cabot Ogilvy was an archaeologist and a special friend to the ACOR library. She joined the Board of Trustees of ACOR in 1986 and served until her death in 2000. As an ACOR Trustee, Anne raised money for the ACOR library and was herself a very generous donor. In 2001, the ACOR Library Endowment was renamed in her honor.
Income generated from the Anne C. Ogilvy Memorial Library Endowment is restricted for library operations and acquisitions. Information about donating to ACOR can be found by clicking here. More details about the life and scholarly work of Anne Ogilvy are presented below in an edited version of the article “In Memoriam: Anne Cabot Ogilvy” that appeared in the Winter 2000 ACOR Newsletter Vol. 12.2.
In Memoriam: Anne Cabot Ogilvy
by Robin M. Brown and Bert de Vries
Anne Cabot Ogilvy, 69, died Nov. 13, 2000 after a brief illness. Anne’s life combined family, professional activities, and international travel and research in near classic 20th century style. She played an active role in Near Eastern archaeological and academic studies as a staff member on several archaeological projects, as a researcher in zooarchaeology, and as an officer and trustee of both the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) and the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR). Â
After receiving her BA in philosophy from Harvard in 1965 and settling in New York City, Anne studied archaeological faunal analysis and Columbia University. As a pioneer zooarchaeologist she participated in several archaeological projects during the 1970’s including the notable excavations at the Tell Dan, Caesarea, and a Stobi (in former Yugoslavia). Her work and love of archaeology also brought her to Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Anne worked closely with faunal analysts Brian Hesse and Paula Wapnish, and they published two joint-articles: The Fauna of Phlamoudhi-Melissa: An Interim Report” in Report of the Department of Antiquities Cyprus, 1975, and “The 1974 Collection of Faunal Remains from Tel Dan,” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 227, 1976.Â
Through this active career in research and scholarship, Ann became an avid participant in the organizations that enables such work. She was a life member of both the American schools of Oriental Research and the American Oriental Society, and also belonged to the Archaeological Institute of America and the Middle East Studies Association. Her participation in these organizations constituted a career of leadership and service on boards and committees for more than 25 years, and her faith in the missions of these societies was always backed by generous donations.
Anne joined the ASOR board of Trustees in the early 1970’s and served on a variety of committees; she was also the Assistant Treasurer of ASOR for several of the twenty years that she sat on the board. In 1998, Anne received the ASOR Membership Service Award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the orgnanizati0on’s membership and programs. Anne also took and active interest in those who worked for the research institutes affiliated with ASOR. She spent many hours with Omar Jibrin, the long-serving cook at the Albright Institute in Jerusalem, whose life-story she painstakingly documented. On the occasion of Omar’s fortieth year of service, she published a letter thanking Omar and describing his work at the institute during the great political turmoil of the mid-twentieth century: “A Tribute to Omar Jibrin,” American Schools of Oriental Research Newsletter 5, 1980.
In 1986, Anne joined the ACOR Board of Trustees and remained an active member of its Executive Committee until her death. Her appointments included Secretary, Treasurer, Finance Committee (at times chair), and liaison to the ASOR Board of Trustees. However, her most cherished activity was her long and highly productive service as chair of the ACOR Library Committee. In this capacity, Anne worked tirelessly to established a comprehensive academic and archaeological research library at ACOR’s institute in Amman, Jordan. She was also a consistent donor to the library. In 1993, a plaque commemorating her dedicated support was placed in the library.
Perhaps best known for her sincere devotion to ACOR, AIAR, and CAARI, Anne was always a welcome guest whose kind and encouraging words touched the many employees of these institutions. Her generosity as a supporter of archaeology was matched by her generosity of spirit. She was quick to value the work of her colleagues, and to recognize the unsung heroes whose efforts behind the scenes made archaeology a reality. Anne’s remarkable dry wit and rich laughter were a delight at any occasion, and her breadth of knowledge and devotion to literature were astounding. In a serious vein, she would quietly recite poetry or sing in Latin, It was natural that Anne was an active patron of the arts.Â
Anne and her companion of nearly twenty-five years, the late Dr. H. Keith Beebe, shared deep interests in Arab refugee and international Middle East issues. They actively supported education and training for young Arab archaeologists and researchers. Anne’s respect for the culture and people of the Middle East was part of an unflinching dedication to excellence, truth, and justice, manifested both in her commitment to high academic standards and her belief in equal rights for all people. Those who knew Anne well enough to appreciate her ideals, sometimes stood in awe of her uncanny ability to see though and contrivance or pretension. Yet Anne always shared a great personal warmth with her colleagues, whether sitting together on committees, in a vehicle heading to a site, or around her dinner table.
Anne’s untimely death is a deep loss for our archaeological community. Her many loving friends will think often of her as they continue their research in antiquity. The students and academics who sit in the ACOR Library will, perhaps unwittingly, touch and read many a volume given by Anne in support of their quest for knowledge. Anne is survived by her three children, Moors, Tom and Cecily, and by eight grandchildren.
To contribute to the Anne C. Ogilvy Memorial Library Endowment, please click here and type “Anne Ogilvy Endowment” into the “Additional Details” section of the online form. You can also direct your donation by enclosing a note when mailing a check to our U.S. office.
