Gallus, Alexander (Sandor) (1907 - 1996)

Summary

Sandor Gallus was an archaeologist widely recognised for his research on Pleistocene Aboriginal occupation of the Koonalda Cave (Nullarbor Plain, South Australia) and the Dry Creek archaeological site in Keilor (Victoria). This research was key to establishing the antiquity of Aboriginal occupation of Australia. Having completed his university degrees, Gallus joined the Prehistory Department of the Hungarian National Museum in 1931, ultimately becoming Director. During this time his research focused on artefacts from the Palaeolithic to Iron Age periods. He migrated to Australia in 1949 but found it impossible to obtain work related to his qualifications and experience. Instead he became a teacher with the Victorian Department of Education. He pursued his archaeological interests through Membership of the Archaeological Society of Victoria, becoming President and an Honorary Member. His main interests were the spread of humankind during the Pleistocene era, and the examination of remains as evidence of population movement.

Details

Chronology

1931 - 1945

Career position - Archaeologist (later Director), Prehistory Department, Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum (Hungarian National Museum)

1945

Life event - Escaped to Austria

1949

Life event - Retired from the Victorian Department of Education

1966 - 1990

Career position - Member, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies

1990 - 1996

Career position - Member, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Related entries

Published resources

Edited Books

• Wright, R. V. S. ed., Archaeology of the Gallus Site, Koonalda Cave (Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, 1971), 133 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Gallus, A., 'The Middle and Early Upper Pleistocenestone industries at the Dry Creek archaeological sites near Keilor.', The Artefact NS, 1 (75-108) (1976). Details
• Gallus, S., 'Excavations at Keilor, Victoria: report no. 3: excavation in the 'D' clay', The Artefact, 8 (1/2) (1983), 11-42. Details
• Megaw, J. V. S., 'Sándor Gallus - archaeologist in two hemispheres', The artefact, 8 (1983), 1/2. Details
• Megaw, J. V. S., 'Sandor (Alexander) Gallus (b. 15 November 1907, Sopron, Hungary; d. 29 December 1996, Melbourne, Australia)', Australian archaeology, 44 (1997), 56-7, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.003904107598829. Details
• Mulvaney, John, 'Dr Gallus and Australian archaeology', Artefact: the Journal of the Archaeological and Anthropological Society of Victoria, 21 (4-8) (1998), https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.312900356163694. Details
• Presland, Gary, 'A. S. Gallus and the Archaeological Society of Victoria', The artefact, 21 (1998), 9-13. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.003904107598829. Details