P001338 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. updated 2026-04-30 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001338b.htm person Mountford Charles Pearcy OBE AACR2 9 May 1890 16 December 1976 Place of Birth Hallett, South Australia, Australia Place of Death Norwood, South Australia, Australia Ethnologist Author Charles Mountford was Honorary Assistant in Ethnology from 1935 at the South Australian Museum and Acting Ethnologist in 1938. He joined the Postmaster-General's Department in Adelaide as an engineer/mechanic in 1913 and in 1920 he was posted to Darwin. This was the catalyst for his interest in all things Aboriginal. Mountford became a recognised expert in the area publishing at least 40 scientific papers and a multitude of books on Aboriginal art, custom and culture. From 1935 until 1963 he participated in or organised numerous ethnological expeditions across Australia and received many high accolades and awards for his research, including two honorary doctorates and appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1948 he was leader of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, an international collaboration between as and, from the United States, the Smithsonian Institution and the National geographic magazine. 1909 c. 1911 Career position - Tram conductor in Adelaide 1909 c. 1911 Education - Correspondence courses in mechanics and engineering, South Australian School of Mines and Industries 1913 1920 Career position - Electrical Mechanic at the Postmaster-General's Department 1920 c. 1924 Career position - Senior Mechanic with the Postmaster-General's Department at the Darwin Post Office c. 1924 Career position - Returned to the Postmaster-General's Department in Adelaide 1926 Career position - Member of Council, Anthropological Society of South Australia 1926 1976 Career position - Foundation Member, Anthropological Society of South Australia 1935 1935 Career position - Secretary of a board of inquiry to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of Aborigines in the Northern Territory 1935 1935 Career position - Ethnologist, University of Adelaide anthropological expedition to the Warburton Range, Western Australia, with Norman Tindale and C. J. Hackett 1935 1937 Career position - Honorary Assistant in Ethnology, South Australian Institute 1937 1937 Career position - Ethnologist, University of Adelaide anthropological expedition to the Nepabunna Mission in Flinders Ranges, South Australia 1938 1939 Career position - Acting Ethnologist, South Australian Institute 1940 1940 Career position - Expedition from Ernabella to Ayers Rock to examine the art of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankuntjatjara (four months) 1945 1945 Career event - Lecture tour of the U.S.A., for Australian Director-General of Information 1945 1945 Award - Australian Natural History Medallion, Field Naturalist Club of Victoria 1946 1946 Career event - Lecture tour of the U.S.A., for Australian Director-General of Information February 1948 November 1948 Career position - Leader, American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1949 1949 Award - Franklin L. Burr award, National Geographic Society 1951 1951 Career position - Ethnologist, University of Adelaide expedition to Yuendumu, Northern Territory 1954 1954 Career position - Expedition to the Northern Territory and Melville Island, with Howell Walker 1955 1955 Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) 1955 1955 Award - John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch 1955 1955 Career position - Thomson gold medal, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Queensland branch 1963 1963 Career position - Expedition to Port Hedland, Western Australia 1964 1964 Career position - Expedition to the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland 1964 1964 Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Adelaide 1971 1971 Award - Sir Joseph Verco medal, Royal Society of South Australia 1973 1973 Award - Doctor of Letters (LittD), honoris causa, University of Melbourne 1976 1976 Education - Doctor of Letters (LittD), honoris causa, University of Adelaide McCarthy, Frederick David (1905 - 1997) McArthur, Annie Margaret (Margaret) (1919 - 2002) Setzler, Frank Maryl (1902 - 1975) Walker, Harrison Dodge Howell (Howell) (1910 - 2003) Miller, Robert Rush (1916 - 2003) Deignan, Herbert Girton (1906 - 1968) Hodges, Kelvin Billington, Brian Price (1923 - 2004) Sir Joseph Verco Medal, Royal Society of South Australia (1928 - )

Awarded the Medal 1971

 Australian Natural History Medallion, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (1940 - )

Awarded the Medallion 1945

 John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australia Branch (1947 - )

Awarded the Medal 1955

 American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land (1948)

Leader, ethnologist and filmmaker

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Mountford, Charles P (1890-1976)

Trove

 'Mountford, Charles Pearcy', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Mountford, Charles Pearcy Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: Return to Uluru: a killing; a hidden history: a story that goes to the heart of the nation McKenna, Mark Return to Uluru: a killing; a hidden history: a story that goes to the heart of the nation Carlton, Vic. Black Inc. 2021 Book: Brown men and red sand : journeyings in wild Australia Mountford, Charles P. Brown men and red sand : journeyings in wild Australia Mel;bourne Robertson and Mullens 1948 Book: Australian tree portraits Mountford, Charles Pearcy Australian tree portraits Carlton Melbourne University Press 1956 Book Section: Mountford, Charles Pearcy (1890-1976), anthropologist Jones, Philip Mountford, Charles Pearcy (1890-1976), anthropologist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2000 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 15: 1940 - 1980 Kem-Pie John Ritchie 431-433 Book: Nomads of the Australian desert Mountford, Charles P. Nomads of the Australian desert Adelaide Rigby 1976 Resource: Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne Honorary degree holders University of Melbourne 2023 Book Section: The art of Groote Eyland Mountford, Charles P. The art of Groote Eyland Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford 19-106 Book: Australian Aboriginal portraits Mountford, Charles P. Australian Aboriginal portraits Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press 1967 Edited Book: Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism Mountford, Charles P. Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press 1956 Edited Book: Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 3: botany and plant ecology Specht, R. L. and Mountford, C. P. Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 3: botany and plant ecology Carlton, Vic Melbourne University Press 1958 Edited Book: Australian Aboriginal art Berndt, Ronald M. Australian Aboriginal art Sydney Ure Smith 1964 Book Section: The story of the Expedition Mountford, Charles P. The story of the Expedition Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford xxi-xxx Book Section: The art of Oenpelli Mountford, Charles P. The art of Oenpelli Carlton, Vic Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford 109-264 Book Section: The art of Yirrkalla Mountford, Charles P. The art of Yirrkalla Carlton, Vic Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford 267-411 Book Section: Carved and painted figures Mountford, Charles P. Carved and painted figures Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford 415-75 Book Section: Astronomy Mountford, Charles P. Astronomy Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press 1956 Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land 1: art. myth and symbolism C. P. Mountford 479-508 Journal Article: Exploring stone age Arnhem Land Mountford, C. P, with photographs by Howell Walker Exploring stone age Arnhem Land 1949 National geographic magazine 96 745-82 Journal Article: Aboriginal decorative art from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory of Australia Mountford, Charles P. Aboriginal decorative art from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory of Australia 1939 Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 63 2 365-71 Journal Article: Earth's most primitive people: a journey with the Aborigines of Central Australia Mountford, Charles P. Earth's most primitive people: a journey with the Aborigines of Central Australia 1946 National geographic magazine 89 6 89-112 Edited Book: Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 2: anthropology and nutrition Mountford, Charles P. Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 2: anthropology and nutrition Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1960 Book Section: The Art of Collecting: Charles Pearcy Mountford May, Sally The Art of Collecting: Charles Pearcy Mountford Carlton Melbourne University Press 2008 The Makers and Making of Indigenous Australian Museum Collections Peterson, Nicolas, Allen, Lindy and Hamby, Louise 446-66 Journal Article: The creation of indigenous collections in Melbourne: how Kenneth Clark, Charles Mountford, and Leonhard Adam interrogated Australian indigeneity Anderson, Jaynie The creation of indigenous collections in Melbourne: how Kenneth Clark, Charles Mountford, and Leonhard Adam interrogated Australian indigeneity 2009 Les actes de colloques du musée du quai Branly Jacques Chirac 1 Journal Article: The Mountford volume on Arnhem Land art, myth and symbolism: a critical review Berndt, Ronald M. The Mountford volume on Arnhem Land art, myth and symbolism: a critical review 1958 Mankind 5 6 249-61 Book Section: Dr C. P. Mountford Forte, M. Dr C. P. Mountford Anthropological Society of South Australia 1979 Anthropology in Australia: proceedings of a seminar Saturday 26 June 1976 Lawton, G. H. [and others] 39-48 Book Section: Style and substance: McCarthy versus Mountford and the emergence of an archaeology of rock art 1948 - 1960 Clarke, Anne; Kay, Sally K.; Frederick, Ursula K.; and Johnston, Iain G. Style and substance: McCarthy versus Mountford and the emergence of an archaeology of rock art 1948 - 1960 Canberra ANU Press 2022 Histories of Australian rock art research Taçon, Paul C.; May, Sally K.; Frederick, Ursula K.; and McDonald, Jo 11-25 Book: Clever men: how worlds collided on the scientific expedition to Arnhem Land of 1948 Thomas, Martin Clever men: how worlds collided on the scientific expedition to Arnhem Land of 1948 Crows Nest, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin 2025 Journal Article: "No one here - understands the problem of Aboriginal art": the Fulbright Program, Aboriginal Studies and Aboriginal Art, 1950-65 Jordan, Caroline and Kirkby, Diane "No one here - understands the problem of Aboriginal art": the Fulbright Program, Aboriginal Studies and Aboriginal Art, 1950-65 2022 Australian historical studies 53 1 119-45 Book Section: Foster v Mountford: cultural confidentiality in a changing Australia Antons, Christoph Foster v Mountford: cultural confidentiality in a changing Australia Melbourne Cambridge University Press 2009 Landmarks in Australian intellectual property law A. T.. Kenyon, M. A. T. Kenyon, M. Richardson & S. Ricketson 110-25 Book: Monty: a biography of C.P. Mountford Lamshed, Max Monty: a biography of C.P. Mountford Adelaide Rigby 1972 Edited Book: Northern Territory dictionary of biography Carment, David et al Northern Territory dictionary of biography Rev. Darwin Charles Darwin University Press 2008 Journal Article: The Aboriginal Australian cosmic landscape, part 2: plant connections with the skyworld Clarke, Philip A. The Aboriginal Australian cosmic landscape, part 2: plant connections with the skyworld 2015 Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 18 1 23-37 Edited Book: Exploring the Legacy of the 1948 Arnhem Land Expedition Thomas, Martin and Neale, Margo Exploring the Legacy of the 1948 Arnhem Land Expedition Canberra ANU E Press 2011 Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records National Library of Australia Oral History Collection Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records DeB 189 28 October 1966 Oral history recordings with Hazel de Berg, 28 October 1966, c25 minutes, 2 page transcript. Mountford speaks about the various jobs he has held; joining the Anthropological Society; his various expeditions among the Aborigines; his lecture tours; accreditation; method of working and collecting information; his relationship with the Australian Aborigines. 1 reel Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records National Library of Australia Oral History Collection Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records DeB 42 1960 Oral history recordings with Hazel de Berg 1960, c5 minutes, 2 page transcript. Mountford speaks about some of his books; about his experience in living among the Aborigines. 1 reel Audio Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records PRG 1218 1907 - 1976 Papers of Charles P. Mountford, anthropologist, comprising field notes, journals, correspondence, typescript and proofing stages of publications, indigenous artworks, photographs, films, slides, sound recordings, bust by John Dowie, reproductions of medals, canoe paddle, and a working library of monographs and periodical articles. 124.5 m