Honor Frost

Honor Frost (1917-2010) was an early pioneer in the field of underwater archaeology. Early in her career, she worked in Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre, where she conducted ground-breaking research on ancient ports, harbours, and anchors under the auspices of the Institut Français d’Archéologie in Beirut. During the 1970’s, in collaboration with the Sicilian authorities and the British School at Rome, Honor directed the excavation and recovery of a Punic shipwreck, dated to the 3rd Century BC.

Honor was instrumental in promoting maritime archaeology as a discipline: she helped found the Council for Nautical Archaeology, was on the Council for the Society for Nautical Research for many years, and played a part in establishing the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology in 1972. Towards the end of her life, she arranged for the sale of her valuable art collection to establish a foundation to promote maritime archaeology in the eastern Mediterranean. This endowment established the Honor Frost Foundation in 2011.