Science at Harvard University: Historical Perspectives, edited by Clark A. Elliott and Margaret W. Rossiter. Lehigh University Press, Bethlehem, 1992
This volume contains historical studies of several sciences as practiced at Harvard University. Two of these studies have relevance to the history of archaeology. A chapter by Toby Appel focuses upon the scientific career of Jeffries Wyman, first curator of Harvar...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
1992-05-01
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| Series: | Bulletin of the History of Archaeology |
| Online Access: | http://www.archaeologybulletin.org/article/view/454 |
| Summary: | This volume contains historical studies of several sciences as
practiced at Harvard University. Two of these studies have relevance to the history of
archaeology. A chapter by Toby Appel focuses upon the scientific career of Jeffries
Wyman, first curator of Harvard's Peabody Museum. She contrasts Wyman's unassuming
character with the dominating personality of his mentor and contemporary Louis Agassiz.
Trained as a medical doctor, Wyman's main love was zoology, particularly comparative
anatomy. In his mid-40s, he encountered his first shell midden and was bitten by the
archaeology bug. Soon he was doing pioneering excavation in both New England and
Florida. In 1866, he was selected to be the curator of the Peabody Museum, primarily
upon his strong museum background but also because of the high regard with which he was
held by certain influential people. His selection to this position may have made him
America's first professional archaeologist. His principal responsibilities were to
collect and display archaeological and ethnological specimens and he made great steps in
this direction prior to his death in 1874. Wyman's scientific work was poorly known or
studied (he is best noted for having made the first scientific description of the
gorilla), in part, Appel argues, because he did not seek acclaim or controversy. His
greatest influence was locally through personal interactions with students and
colleagues. His archaeological work is only briefly discussed in this and the following
article, and there is still much to be written about this man of high
character. |
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| ISSN: | 1062-4740 2047-6930 |