Xia Nai (Wade–Giles: Shiah Nae; 1910–1985) was a pioneering Chinese archaeologist. He was born in Wenzhou, southern Zhejiang province. He was the second son of Xia Yuyi (夏禹彝) who was a wealthy farmer. Xia was given the first name of Guodong (國棟) but later requested to be named Nai (鼐) and styled himself as Ming (铭) when he became an intellectual upon secondary education. He majored in Economic History at Tsinghua University in Beijing (BA, 1934), winning a scholarship to study abroad. On advice from his mentor Li Ji, he went to University College London and studied Egyptology, earning a doctorate that was finally awarded to him in 1946. In the meantime, he had returned to China joining the staff of the Central Museum and then in 1944 joining the Department of Archaeology of the Institute o