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Antonio SAGONA Obituary
SAGONA Antonio
Emeritus Professor of Archaeology
Staff and students of the Faculty of Arts, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at The University of Melbourne mourn the loss of our colleague and friend Emeritus Professor of Archaeology Antonio (Tony) SAGONA who passed away on Thursday 29 June 2017.
Tony was a valued mentor to legions of students, engaging teacher, inspiring supervisor, highly regarded field archaeologist and respected scholar, promoter of bilateral relations between Australia and the Near East and beyond, and passionate advocate for sharing knowledge about the origins of civilization and the ancient world. He was also well known for his warmth, generosity and many acts of kindness and was a wonderful friend who will be keenly missed.
The School together with the Faculty of Arts and the wider University of Melbourne community expresses sincere condolences to Claudia, Amadea and family.
Memories and Condolences
for Antonio SAGONA
28 Entries
Anthony Hosemans
February 22, 2018
So sad to hear of the passing of a school friend of mine. I spent all my school years with Tony both Primary (St. Marys'Williamstown and Secondary St. Pauls' College in North Altona) I visited his childood home in Aitkin Street many times.
I can remember well,the books in Primary school, about the first world war and the books of the ancient world in secondary school that Tony aready had a passion for. His working career reflected this lifelong passion. The statement from Tony that I will always remember is " A blast from the past" which I can remember as a youngster and again when I visited Tony a number of years ago at Melbourne University. Tony instilled and encouraged me to pursue my own passions which I am still actively fulfilling and hope to "make a difference" which Tony excelled with in his life.
A special person with special gifts he gave to everybody he met.
Sincere condolances to the Sagona Family.
Marc-Olivier Rondu
January 17, 2018
The work of Dr. Sagona is so important to me that since I have discovered his papers I never stopped thinking about how and when I would present him my results. A meeting was a real motivation and now I will never stop thinking of making him proud of my vocation. I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family.
Carolynne Bourne AM
September 13, 2017
Bill Culican now Tony - each man though so different one from the other impacted on my life beyond archaeology. Tony's passion, professionalism, humour and patience to listen to my ideas and then have inspiring conversations enriched my life. I thank God for knowing him.
To Claudia, my heartfelt condolences which are beyond words for the suffering and loss you must be enduring. I too, unexpectedly, have cancer so I know the journey you both have been on. Farewell Tony, until we meet again.
August 20, 2017
I only knew Dr. Sagona as an expert on a tour of Armenia and Georgia. As a fellow Australian I valued his extreme knowledge of archaeology. My wife also appreciated his knowledge and his likelihood to share with us. Unfortunately my wife died in April of this year, so I have some idea of what his family is going through.
Please accept my condolences and prayers.
Alistair Paterson
July 25, 2017
Tony Sagona supervised my Honours thesis at Melbourne University and helped me get onto my first dig in eastern Turkey. I always appreciated his focused research, and his passion for the subject. A wonderful role model. Very said to hear this news while in the field today. He will be greatly missed.
Nina Ivlenkov
July 21, 2017
Tony was an academic of the highest professionalism and passion into academic investigation. We will miss his kindness and inspiring lectures.
Alice Gorman
July 14, 2017
Tony was my tutor and lecturer at Melbourne University. He was a lovely person, always supportive to students and passionate about his own research. Very sad to hear of his passing.
Sepideh Maziar
July 12, 2017
Tony was a wonderful person and archaeologist with a gentle spirit and so kind to help and support anybody that he even doesn't know well enough. First time that I sent him an email, I was a master student at Tehran University in Iran and came back just from the excavation of Kohne Pasgah. Ask him about his suggestions on the material. He was so kind to write me a long email about his ideas on Kura-Araxes and then even send his articles to Iran. That time that was like a sparkle in my dark days.
I think this is shocking and terribly distressful news for all of us, and it will take a long time for us to come to grips with this loss.
Leanne Campbell and Steve Harrison
July 11, 2017
Tony's wonderful, always inspiring enthusiasm, his wisdom, his scholarly generosity, his boundless encouragement as my supervisor, and his inspirational kindness will stay with us forever and influence us always. Tony, thank you. And Dr Claudia Sagona and family, our deep condolences and support are with you.
Stephan Kroll
July 8, 2017
Tony, dear old friend, fare well!
Nick Sharman
July 7, 2017
Tony was a friend and an incredibly generous and warm individual. My condolences to you Claudia I know you will miss him terribly.
Gary Vines
July 7, 2017
Tony was my tutor at Melbourne in the early 1980s. He was finishing his PhD the year I started honours but we were abut the same age. It was Tony's translations of Bill Cullican's lectures that brought archaeology and ancient history to life for me and sent me on my path for the next 30 years. I owe him a special debt and am so sorry he is gone. My condolences to his family who have lost someone very special.
Monica Jackson
July 7, 2017
Claudia, my deepest sympathy to you and your family. Tony was unique, a brilliant and inspiring archaeologist, mentor and friend. It was he who made my research in the museums of Turkey and Georgia possible. I will miss him greatly.
Monica M. Jackson
Frances Hall
July 7, 2017
I am so very sad to hear of Tony's death especially for someone, who as a scholar, an author was so vital, and who provided every assistance to this student. I really want to say thank you to someone I had the upmost respect for. If I hadn't put a phone call through to the Dept in 1997 and asked to speak to someone about how I might combine work and study (for what was an essentially full time course - Dip Archaeology), I would not have been able to follow my passion. Tony found the time to meet with me and work out how this might be achieved. I'm immensely grateful to Tony for doing this, for teaching me and providing me with the platform to complete an MA. Thank you Tony and my thoughts are now with your family.
Kirsten Knudsen
July 7, 2017
Dear Claudia and Family,
Please receive my sincere condolences.
I travelled with Tony to Georgia, Armenia and Turkey with Archaeological Tours. He was a wonderful teacher and a great person.
Tony will be missed all over the world!
Kirsten
July 6, 2017
Dear family and colleagues,
I'm very sorry to hear that Professor Antonio Sagona passed away. I was in touch with him this last year regarding my paper which appeared recently in ANES. During this time and in spite of his sickness, he responded to my emails and was involved until the end.
Please accept my sincere condolences.
Mitka Golub, Jerusalem, Israel
Bettina Fischer-Genz
July 6, 2017
We're crushed by these news. We will keenly miss Tony as a friend and an amazing scholar.
I wish we had found the time to organize that conference on Wine in the ancient Near East we cooked up during the highly entertaining evenings of our stay in Tokyo 2004! It would have brought together not only excellent scholarship, but also given us an adequate setting for the reunion of many friends from this part of the world in the vineyards of Australia.
Tansu Uygun
July 6, 2017
Dear Tony, there are times that words are not enough to explain feelings.... Our tours in Eastern Turkey, Your passion of "SOSHOYUK"...
Sleep in peace , may light be with You.
Helen Simmons
July 6, 2017
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to Claudia and family for your loss
Derry Talvainn
July 6, 2017
Oh No! Privileged to have been a student in your classes.
Fahri Dikkaya
July 6, 2017
Dear Tony, if I am going on working in archaeology, it is because of you and Sos team. I will remember you and Sos team everytime in my life...
Andrea Argirides
July 6, 2017
I have known Emeritus Professor Tony Sagona since the late 1990s. He was my PhD supervisor for the past nine years. I have dedicated my thesis to his memory. I want all who knew him to know that I am sincerely grateful for his supervision, academic mentorship, support, interest and direction in my research, and who encouraged me to pursue my research topic. I am indebted for his efforts and discussions over the years he will be sadly missed! May he rest in peace.
Mithat Atabay
July 5, 2017
My Dear Friend Tony,
Be the light of our work in Gallipoli. I will always remember you. Sleep comfortably.
Friend Mithat Atabay
July 5, 2017
My Dear Friend Tony,
Be the light of our work in Gallipoli. I will always remember you. Sleep comfortably.
Friend Mithat Atabay
Rowena Morris
July 4, 2017
My deepest condolences to Claudia and family on the passing of a truly great teacher, mentor and man. Tony was everything you could want in a teacher, mentor and post-graduate supervisor. He also never forgot hs students, years after they had moved on. He will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
Andrea Argirides
July 4, 2017
An exceptional academic, supervisor and wonderful human being. You will be sadly missed!!
My prayers and thoughts to Dr Claudia Sagona and family
Joseph Jordania
July 4, 2017
We heard about Antonio Sagona in Georgia in 1995, when we spoke to a distinguished Georgian archaeologist Otar Japaridze. As we were going to Melbourne, Otar gave us Tony's contact details, and told us that he was a wonderful human being. And truly, after meeting him in 1996, we appreciated his generosity. The book he gave to me during our first meeting became an important fundament for my future research in the sphere of human evolution. I can understand how difficult it should be for his family and friends to lose a human like Tony, particularly at such an young age. I want to let you know that Tony was very much loved in Georgia.
gmertma acxonos misi suli!
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