Charles P. Mountford
Charles Pearcy Mountford O.B.E., M.A. (Adel.), Dip. Anthrop. (Cantab.) | |
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Charles Mountford in 1947 | |
| Born | May 8, 1890 |
| Died | November 16, 1976 (aged 86) |
| Other names | Monty |
| Education | University of South Australia |
| Known for | Leader, 1948 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Purnell, Bessie Ilma Johnstone |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Awards | Order of the British Empire (1955); University of Melbourne honorary D. Litt. (1973); University of Adelaide honorary D.Litt. (1976); many medals |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Anthropology, Indigenous Australian art |
| Institutions | University of South Australia |
| Thesis | Ayers Rock, Its People, Their Beliefs and Their Art |
| Academic advisors | Norman Tindale |
| Signature | |
Charles Pearcy "Monty" Mountford OBE (8 May 1890 – 16 November 1976) was an Australian anthropologist and photographer. He is known for his pioneering work on Indigenous Australians and his depictions and descriptions of their art. He also led the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land.
Mountford's written works, along with those by contemporaries, foreshadowed subsequent scholarly investigations like T. G. H. Strehlow's Journey to Horseshoe Bend (1969) and iconic late-20th-century works such as Stephen Muecke, Krim Benterrak, and Paddy Roe's Reading the Country: Introduction to Nomadology (1984).
Mountford's final book, Nomads of the Australian Desert, was the subject of an important court case due to its inclusion of culturally restricted content.