John C. Whittaker
John C. Whittaker | |
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Born | John Charles Whittaker September 6, 1953 |
Known for |
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Academic background | |
Education |
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Thesis | Arrowheads and Artisans: Stone Tool Manufacture and Individual Variation at Grasshopper Pueblo (1984) |
Academic work | |
Discipline | Archaeology |
Sub-discipline | |
Institutions | Grinnell College |
John Charles Whittaker (born September 6, 1953) is an American archaeologist and professor at
Early life and education
Whittaker studied anthropology at
Whittaker later attended the University of Arizona as a graduate student, where he continued to work on experimental archaeology. Along with his colleague Harold Dibble, Whittaker developed a mechanical device that flaked stone in a controlled, repeatable manner.[2] This allowed for the precise study of the effects of force on reduction angles. In 1979, Whittaker and Dibble taught a course on experimental archaeology and knapping. Whittaker obtained his master's degree from Arizona in 1979 and his doctorate in 1984.[1]
Academic career
Shortly after completing his PhD in 1984, Whittaker began teaching at Grinnell College, Iowa, where he still has a position as of 2019[update].[3] He was appointed a full professor in 2001.[1]
Whittaker has worked on multiple sites and regions, including the American Southwest, Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central America.
Whittaker has studied ancient and modern flintknappers in both the Old and New Worlds. His 1994 book, Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools, is a guide to the practice of lithic reduction for academics and hobbyists, covering the history, mechanics, and techniques of flintknapping.
Whittaker has also investigated atlatls, or spear-throwers. He is a member of the World Atlatl Association, an organization that promotes the use and continued research into atlatls. He is a regular contributor to the organization's journal, The Atlatl. One insight gained from Whittaker's research was the physical effects of prolonged atlatl throwing on the human body, a condition known as "atlatl elbow" (cf.
Awards
- World Atlatl Association, Top 10 Award, 2000, 2001, 2006
- World Atlatl Association, President's Award, 2012
Selected publications
- 1994: Flintknapping: Making and Understanding Stone Tools
- 1999: Surviving Adversity: The Sinagua of Lizard Man Village
- 2004: American Flintknappers: Stone Age Art in the Age of Computers
References
- ^ a b c "John Whittaker - Cirriculum Vitae". Academia.edu. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
- ISBN 9780292790834.
- ^ a b "John C. Whittaker". Grinnell College. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
- ^ http://waa.basketmakeratlatl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Atlatl-elbow.pdf.
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External links
- Faculty page at Grinnell College
- World Atlatl Association homepage