Sir John Evans was the author of seminal works on British numismatics and archaeology, including:

• The Ancient Stone Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain (1872, a second edition, 1897)

• The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland (1881)

• The Coins of the Ancient Britons (1864)

He also wrote many papers on archaeological, geological and numismatic subjects, including the papers on Flint Implements in the Drift. A bibliography of his works was first published by Leonard Forrer in 1909; this has now been superseded by the bibliography given in Sir John Evans (1823-1908). Antiquity, Commerce and Natural Science in the Age of Darwin, edited by Arthur MacGregor (2008). (More about this volume)

Work on the book The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments, of Great Britain and Ireland involved other members of the family. His second wife, Fanny (Frances Evans) and his daughter, Alice Evans, helped with the proofs, whilst his sister, Emma produced an index. The exhausted family then took themselves off for a holiday on the Continent, attending a prehistoric conference in Lisbon. The page illustrated shows a spearhead from Matlock in Evans's own collection. He also included and illustrated objects from collections other than his own. (More about John Evans's collections)

This page from a paper entitled 'On a hoard of bronze objects found in Wilburton Fen, near Ely' (Archaeologia 48. pl V), presented to the Society of Antiquaries by John Evans in 1883, is another fine example of the detailed illustrations within Evans's publications. We believe Evans made working drawings of some of the objects. F.W. Fairholt, then later Charles Swain from London produced the engravings. (More about John Evans's illustrations)

Further References / Links:

Updated bibliography of the works of Sir John Evans

Leonard Forrer, Sir John Evans, KCB, 1823-1908: Biographie et Bibliographie, (Chalon-sur-Sôane, 1909) published in French - [Online version available to view]