Explorer, writer, archaeologist, and colonial diplomat Gertrude Bell (1868 - 1926) witnessed and recorded events of significant geopolitical importance throughout her life. The role she played in these events and her experiences of travelling throughout Europe, East Asia and the Middle East in the early 20th century are documented within her extensive archive, held at Newcastle University.

This website contains a comprehensive and unique resource of newly digitised images of Bell’s photographs, letters, and diary entries, presented alongside transcriptions and other contextual information. It also contains a bespoke map interface which allows users to view Bell’s archive in modern and historical geographic contexts. This interface includes curated stories which provide ‘deep dives’ into narratives within the archive. In 2017, the archive was added to UNESCO’s International Memory of the World register in recognition of its global significance as a heritage resource. 

The development of this resource has been made possible by the Gertrude Bell and the Kingdom of Iraq at 100 and the Beyond the Margins: Mapping Gertrude Bell projects, both facilitated by generous funding from the Harry and Alice Stillman Family Foundation. This website will continue to be developed and updated, and we would greatly appreciate input and feedback. If you have any comments or corrections, please get in touch.