Arthur Randolph Kelly

Arthur Randolph Kelly (October 27, 1900 – November 4, 1979) was an American professional archaeologist. He made numerous contributions to archeology in Georgia, which began with directing excavations at the Macon Plateau Site in 1933, part of the federal archeology program that provided jobs while undertaking studies of important sites. During his career, he also worked at the Etowah Mound and Village site, Lamar Mounds, the Lake Douglas Mound, the Oliver and Walter F. George River Basin surveys, the Estatoe Mound, the Chauga Mound, and the Bell Field Mound, among others in Georgia.

After completing his graduate education with master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard University, Kelly had a career spanning academic service, and professional excavations under the Smithsonian Institution and other organizations. He also directed operations at national monuments for the National Park Service and served as its chief archeologist for several years. In 1947 he was selected by University of Georgia to be founding chairman of a Department of Anthropology there, serving in that role until 1963, followed by several years as a professor.