Samuel Kirkland Lothrop
Samuel Kirkland Lothrop (July 6, 1892 – January 10, 1965) was an American
Early life
Lothrop was a descendant of his namesake, prominent Unitarian minister Samuel Kirkland Lothrop.[2] He was born in Milton, Massachusetts on July 6, 1892, to William and Alice Lothrop. His childhood was split between Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Lothrop's interest in Latin America may have been sparked in his childhood as a result of his having spent time in Puerto Rico, where his father was a banker with interests in the sugarcane industry.[3]
Education
Lothrop began his education at
Military career
Lothrop was engaged in espionage for the U.S. prior to and during World War I and for the Office of Strategic Services prior to and during World War II. Using anthropologists for gathering intelligence was a common practice of the time. Given their ability to observe cultural practices as well as those useful to strategies of war, not to mention the fact that they could use their careers as a cover for their intelligence gathering, anthropologists are ideal choices for spies.[6] During World War II, he was not excavating once again, because of the time spent working for the military. His position in the military did however give him the opportunity to travel while compositing notes on various sites.[1]
Career
After completing his doctorate studies, Lothrop worked field excavations in the
Notable excavations
Sitio Conte
In the 1930s after the closing of the museum, Lothrop returned to the Peabody Museum staff as field director of the Sitio Conte in Central Panama.[1] Before he returned, the Peabody museum had purchased a collection of jewelry excavated from a burial ground. After obtaining permission from the government and the landowner, the museum excavated the burial grounds during the dry seasons from 1930 to 1933.[8]
Stone spheres of Costa Rica
In 1943 through a publication of American Antiquity by Doris Stone, Lothrop first encountered the mysterious stone spheres. In 1948 he and his wife met up with Doris Stone and she collaborated with them, setting them up with a place to excavate. The stone spheres are a topic of discussion, concerning how these objects were formed and by whom. Lothrop's research resulted in the theory that the balls were placed in alignments significant astronomically.[9] During his research Lothrop recorded 186 balls as reported in his 1963 publication, Archaeology of the Diquís Delta.[10] Lothrop determined that the spheres were formed over many centuries, suggesting a cultural practice and continuity over an extended period of time. His conclusions were based on analyzing the pottery types.[11]
Notable accomplishments
Lothrop continued to be a contributor to the field up until his death in 1965. Late in life he wrote a book titled The Treasures of Ancient America: The Arts of the Pre-Columbian Civilizations from Mexico to Peru (1964), Editions d'Art Albert Skira, Geneva, 230 pp. As a result of his numerous publications and contributions to the field he was the recipient of numerous honors, medals, and awards. Lothrop was cited by the American Society for American Archaeology in 1960. He also received the Loubat Prize awarded by Columbia University. The Alfred Kidder Vincent Medal given by the Society of American Archaeology. The Royal Anthropological Institute awarded Lothrop the Huxley Memorial Medal.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Willey, Gordon R. (1976). "Samuel Kirkland Lothrop: July 6, 1892-January 10, 1965" (PDF). Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. 48: 252–272.
- ^ Lothrop, Thorton Kirkland. Some Reminiscences of the Life of Samuel Kirkland Lothrop. Cambridge: John Wilson and Son. UP, 1888. Print.
- ^ Ayala, César J. American Sugar Kingdom: the Plantation Economy of the Spanish Caribbean, 1898-1934. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1999. Print.
- Wicklow People.
- Naval intelligence. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 2003. Print.
- ^ Price, David (2000) Anthropologists as Spies, The Nation.
- S2CID 145802488.
- JSTOR 498075.
- ^ [Area, By Ufo. "Fortean Times Message Board :: View Topic - Stone Spheres." Fortean Times Magazine | Weird News | Strange Pictures | Videos. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29287&sid=7119a19227dfa87bd8c008e31420c464>.]
- ^ [Coppins, Phillip. "Rolling Stones." Philip Coppens.com. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.philipcoppens.com/spheres.html>.]
- ^ [The Diquis Spheres - Costa Rican Stone Spheres - An Archaeological Mystery - By Dr. Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <"The Diquis Spheres - Costa Rican Stone Spheres - an Archaeological Mystery - by Dr. Tim McGuinness, Ph.D." Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2010-03-31.>.]
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