Joseph Koetsier shares this heartfelt tribute to our much-loved member
FORMER MCGREGOR MUSEUM archaeologist, Emeritus Professor Anthony Humphreys and former chairperson of The Egyptian Society of South Africa, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Cape Town.
Professor Anthony Humphreys.
The Egyptian Society extends their condolences to the family and to all who knew him in his many capacities.
It was through The Egyptian Society of SA (TESSA) since 2006 that I came to know him as a colleague at UWC where he was a staff member of the Social Anthropology Department. I then worked at the Division for Lifelong Learning.
Humphreys grew up in Kimberley – and on the family farm near Campbell – matriculating at Kimberley Boys’ High School. He embarked on a career in archaeology and social anthropology, which he studied at the University of Cape Town. His post-graduate research, while based as archaeologist at the McGregor Museum, focused on the archaeology of the stone-walled settlements along the Riet River (MA) and Later Stone Age rock shelters along the Ghaap Escarpment west of Kimberley (PhD).
Humphreys subsequently moved with his family to Cape Town to take up a post at the National Monuments Council, now South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA), before returning to academia to lecture, and being awarded a professorship, in archaeology at the University of the Western Cape.
He was, also a long serving member of the SA Archeological Society, where he presented many times over the years and was always willing to help.
Humphreys retired in 2009 after 30 years at UWC, continuing to publish in archaeology and pursuing one of his passions, Egyptology. He was an avid follower of developments at the McGregor Museum, keeping in touch through Facebook and contact with his former post-graduate student Dr David Morris.
Humphreys was a great contributor to TESSA and delivered fascinating lectures with touches of great fun.
I remember among other thorough lectures about the genealogy of Cleopatra VI and the relocation of the temple of Pharaoh Ramses II near Aswan in southern Egypt. Helen Binckes reminded me of his insightful presentation about pre-dynastic rock art in Egypt.
Humphreys regularly contributed to our Day Schools.
Jane Mulder shares, “Through our long association with TESSA, we knew Anthony well. He was a very friendly, modest ,and interesting person, and his lectures to the society were always well received. He stepped into the breach when we needed a chairman, and executed those duties very well. He was very loyal member, and attended lectures regularly. He often had questions of the speaker, and was always keen to know exactly when the next meeting was to be held.”
Much information and many fine pictures of Humphreys are on TESSA’s website, when he received visiting foreign guests such as the Pakistani specialist in animal mummies Professor Salima Ikram who visited us on April 30, 2013. Ikram is a staff member of the American University in Cairo. The website contains the report of her visit written by Anthony. See www.egyptiansociety.co.za/foreign-guests/
It was our late patron Keith Grenville who helped him with his PowerPoint presentations, and Humphreys once told me that concerning modern technology he was still stuck in the flint tools of the Pleistocene era (MSA, ~280,000 to 40,000 years ago).
He believed in positive encouragement towards new presenters. We witnessed that when John Lombard and I did our first presentation in 2009 about “Egypt as a source of inspiration for Western Style Western Composers”. He praised the quality of the lecture and gracefully offered a public recommendation to present this lecture at UCT.
We also recall his dedication to his wife whom he often brought to TESSA lectures. Her deteriorating physical condition made it increasingly difficult for her to attend, and she passed away some years ago.
His last attendance at TESSA was on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at a lecture by Pepe Sofianos about “Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt” which he thoroughly enjoyed. His daughter Katherine shared that he was already preparing the attendance of the March lecture at the beginning of the week.
Anthony, we will continue your good work in your generous spirit inspired by a sense of exploration.
Joseph Koetsier, a former colleague at UWC (1994–2011) and member of TESSA (since 2006) and committee member of TESSA, treasurer and together with our chairperson Maria Robinson responsible for lectures and research.