| Richard A. Lobban | |||||||||||
| Birth Name: | Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. | ||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 3 November 1943 | ||||||||||
| Party: | Democratic | ||||||||||
| Children: | 2 | ||||||||||
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Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. (; born November 3, 1943) is an American anthropologist, archaeologist, Egyptologist, Sudanist, human rights activist, beekeeper, and former war journalist. He is professor emeritus[1] of anthropology and African studies at Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island, since 1972; and also a lecturer at the Archaeological Institute of America and the Naval War College.[2] [3] He is an expert on Ancient Sudan and Ancient Egypt,[4] with a particular focus on Nubia.[5] [6] He is a co-founder of the Sudan Studies Association.[7] [8]
He is a three-time unsuccessful Democratic party candidate for the New Hampshire General Court. He received the third-most votes in the New Hampshire House of Representatives primary election for the Grafton 9 district in 2020,[9] he was unsuccessful when he ran for New Hampshire's 7th State Senate district against Daniel Innis in 2022, and in 2024 he lost in the general election for the Grafton 10 district against John Sellers.[10]
Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. was born to Dorothy and Richard Andrew Lobban. His paternal grandparents were Sarah and James Lobban. James Lobban was a teacher of Greek and Latin. His parents were supporters of internationalism and African studies.[11] Lobban graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. He received a Master of Arts degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in anthropology from Temple University and Northwestern University, respectively.[12]
Lobban has taught at Dartmouth College, Carnegie-Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Tufts University, the University of Khartoum, American University in Cairo, Rhode Island College, and the Naval War College. While in Sudan, Lobban discovered a previously unrecorded ancient Meroitic temple believed to have once belonged to a prince. Among items that were discovered was inscriptions of deities such as Hapi and a lintel virtually identical to solar temples dedicated to the god Amun.[13] The temple is believed to have been destroyed during a fourth-century Axumite invasion.[14]
Lobban established the Richard Lobban Family Endowed Lecture in 1999. It is intended to support public presentations on archaeological subjects based upon research on the African continent.[11]
Lobban has also authored numerous books and publications such as the Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia, Historical Dictionary of Sudan (2002), and Social Networks in Urban Sudan (1973).[15] He has also authored/co-authored books such as Historical dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (1997), Cape Verde: Crioulo colony to independent nation (1995), Historical dictionary of Cape Verde (2007), and Middle Eastern women and the invisible economy (1998).
| Year | Title | Series | Publisher | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Historical Dictionary of Ancient Nubia | Historical Dictionaries of Ancient Civilizations and Historical Eras | ||
| 2020 | Historical Dictionary of Medieval Christian Nubia | Historical Dictionaries of Ancient Civilizations and Historical Eras | ||
| 2017 | African Insurgencies: From the Colonial Era to the 21st Century | Praeger Security International | ||
| 2014 | Libya: History and Revolution | Praeger Security International | ||