Ione Rudner has been an archaeologist and palaeontologist and she and her late husband have authored and translated numerous books on early Swedish travellers in southern Africa.

Born in 1917, Johan Hjalmar Rudner spent his early years in Paris and Stockholm. After school, he studied architecture in Stockholm; in his spare time he studied anthropology and ethnography. In 1941 he married Irene Kriszat, and had two sons. In 1949, Jalmar (as he was known) visited South Africa. Irene, who had remained behind in Sweden, died shortly after he arrived. Jalmar decided to stay in South Africa.
In Cape Town Jalmar worked as a town planner (serving thirty years in this capacity). In 1950 he married Ione Muller. The couple shared an interest in archaeology and worked together on many projects; the Rudners co-authored many papers and publications. Professor John Goodwin of the University of Cape Town tutored them privately and soon archaeology became their passion. They joined the South African Archaeological Society and assisted Goodwin with the administration thereof. Jalmar and Ione Rudner became keen students of rock art, and were instrumental in establishing The Rock Art Recording Centre. From 1951 on they began to undertake the many field work expeditions that would see the Rudner family (the couple had two sons) criss-cross Southern Africa in search of sites to explore and record. A plethora of publications resulted from these expeditions. After Goodwin died in 1951, Jalmar edited the South African Archaeological Bulletin until a successor to Goodwin was appointed. In the period 1954-1964 Ione reorganised the artefacts at the University of Cape Town’s Museum, and in 1964 she became the palaeontological research assistant to the director of the Museum. Jalmar served as honorary archaeologist at the South African Museum from 1956-1968, assisted part-time by Ione.
In the early 1960s amateur archaeologists such as the Rudners fell victim to the professionalisation of the archaeological society. Unable to find funding to continue their work, they turned their attention to translating the journals of Swedish explorers in South Africa and Namibia, among them Victorin, Möller, Sparrman, Thunberg and De Vylder. After his retirement from the City Council, Jalmar was employed by the National Monuments Council as professional archaeologist and historical architect. In 1989 he retired from this position, which was taken over by Janette Deacon. Ione served on the council of the South African Archaeological Society during 1969-1970 and 1973-1974, and from 1975-1983 she edited Annals of the South African Museum. In 1981 she received an MA degree from the University of Natal for her work on pigments and paints in rock paintings. Jalmar Rudner also received many honours, among them the following:
• Certificate of Merit from the South African Association for the Advancement of Science (1963)
• Appointed Honorary Research Associate by the South African Museum (1969)
• President of the South African Archaeological Society (1976-1977)
• Awarded the Large Linné Medal (Silver) by the Royal Swedish Academy of Science (2000)
“Jalmar was a remarkable man of many talents and a pioneer, who made a lasting contribution to the heritage of the City of Cape Town and to the development of South African archaeology, engendering respect and fondness as he went” (Avery 2003:105). Jalmar Rudner died on 5 August 2003.