Donald P. Ryan

Donald P. Ryan (born 1957) is an American archaeologist, Egyptologist, writer and a member of the Division of Humanities at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. His areas of research interest include Egyptian archaeology, Polynesian archaeology, the history of archaeology, the history of exploration, ancient languages and scripts and experimental archaeology. He is best known for his research in Egypt including excavations in the Valley of the Kings where he investigated the long-neglected undecorated tombs in the royal cemetery. His work there resulted in the rediscovery of the lost and controversial tomb KV60, the re-opening of the long-buried KV21 with its two female and likely royal occupants, and tombs KV27, KV28, KV44, KV 45 and KV 48.

The mummy found within KV60 was identified as that of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut by Zahi Hawass and his Egyptian team in 2007.

Between 1995 and 2002, Ryan worked closely with the Norwegian explorer, archaeologist and writer Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002). Among their many projects, the two directed excavations at the site of the Pyramids of Guimar on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Ryan has been entrusted with continuing some of the research aspects of Heyerdahl’s legacy.

Other research by Ryan includes investigations of ancient Egyptian cordage and other technologies, biographical studies of early archaeologists such as Giovanni Belzoni, studies of the influence of antiquity on culture and the arts, and the documentation of petroglyphs on the island of Hawaii.

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