Robert Merrillees

Biography

Robert Merrillees was Australian Ambassador to Israel from 1983-87, Ambassador to Sweden, with non-resident accreditation to Finland and Estonia, from 1991-95, and Ambassador to Greece, with non-resident accreditation to Bulgaria, from 1996-98. He has also held diplomatic appointments in London (twice), Phnom Penh, New York (United Nations), Beirut and Paris (Permanent Delegate to UNESCO ). He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a foreign corresponding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities.

Educational Qualifications :

• 1959 Graduated with Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in Archaeology, University of Sydney
• 1965 Awarded Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department, of Egyptology, University College London, England

Statement of Diplomatic Service:

• 1964 – 1965 External Affairs Assistant, Australian High Commission, London
• 1965 – 1966 External Affairs Officer, Dependent Territories Section, United Nations Branch, Department of External Affairs, Canberra
• 26.05.67 – 22.08.69 Second Secretary, Australian Embassy, Phnom Penh
• 21.09.69 – 04.01.73 First Secretary, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York
• 15.01.73 – 31.01.75 Head, Policy Planning Section, Department of External Affairs, Canberra
• 19.02.75 – 28.12.75 Counsellor, Australian Embassy, Beirut
• 28.12.75 – 02.02.79 Counsellor, Political Affairs Branch, Australian High Commission, London
• 1979 Head, Commonwealth and Multilateral Organisations Section, Department of Foreign Affairs, Canberra
• 26.07.79 – 28.07.83 Assistant Secretary, South Asia, later South East Asia Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Canberra
• 20.12.83 – 10.03.87 Ambassador to Israel, resident in Tel Aviv
• 01.04.87 – 23.06.89 Assistant Secretary, Staffing and Development Programs Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra
• 26.06.89 – 13.04.91 Assistant Secretary, International Organisations Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra
• 20.05.91 – 20.08.91 Permanent Delegate, Australian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, Paris
• 05.10.91 – 19.10.95 Ambassador to Sweden, Finland and Estonia, resident in Stockholm
• 09.01.96 – 16.01.98 Ambassador to Greece and Bulgaria, resident in Athens

Academic Positions Held :

• 1960 – 1961 Research Assistant, Department of Archaeology, University of Sydney
• 1971 – 1972 Adjunct Professor, Department of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University, New York
• 1987 – 1997 Honorary Visiting Fellow in History, Macquarie University, Sydney
• 1998 – 2003 Honorary Research Scholar, Archaeology Research Unit, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
• 01.7.99 – 30.6.03 Director of the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
• 01.09.08 – 31.01.09 Annual Professor, W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem

Associations and Honours :

• 1980 – 1983 President, French-Australian School Association, Canberra, Australia
• 1985 to present Fellow, Society of Antiquaries of London, England
• 1987 – 1991 President, Alliance Française de Canberra, Australia
• 1990 Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, France
• 1992 to present Fellow, Australian Academy of the Humanities
• 2005 to 2018 Treasurer, Centre d’Études Chypriotes, France
• 2005 to present Foreign Corresponding Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities

PUBLICATIONS
Over 200 monographs, articles and reviews on the archaeology and historiography of Cyprus and the Levant, with special reference to Egypt