▁phil ology , ▁political ▁ge ography ▁and ▁Mes op ot am ian ▁arch ae ology . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Museum ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁but ▁took ▁up ▁his ▁post ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁the ▁K ee per ▁of ▁Egypt ian ▁and ▁Ass y rian ▁Anti qu ities ▁( 1 9 3 1 – 4 8 ). ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁teaching , ▁being ▁a ▁lect urer ▁in ▁Acc ad ian ▁Ass y ri ology ▁( 1 9 2 4 – 3 8 ) ▁at ▁King ' s ▁College , ▁London . ▁This ▁over la pped ▁with ▁appoint ments ▁at ▁the ▁new ▁Institute ▁of ▁Arch ae ology ▁( Univers ity ▁of ▁London ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Anti qu ities ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Ira q ▁Museum ▁( 1 9 2 6 – 3 1 ). ▁While ▁there , ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁b ref ri ended ▁Smith ' s ▁colle ague ▁Max ▁M allow an ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁the ▁novel ist ▁Ag ath a ▁Christ ie , ▁ ▁with ▁Christ ie ▁dedic ating ▁her ▁novel ▁The ▁Mov ing ▁F inger ▁( 1 9 4 2 ) ▁" To ▁my ▁Fri ends ▁Sydney ▁and ▁Mary ▁Smith ". ▁▁ ▁His ▁was ▁work ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁British ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁British ▁Museum ▁on ▁grounds ▁of ▁ill -