Alana Cordy-Collins
Encyclopedia
Alana Kathleen Cordy-Collins is Professor of Anthropology
at the University of San Diego
. She is an archaeologist whose primary specialization is Peru
vian prehistory.
She was born June 5, 1944, in Los Angeles, California
. Her father was Mayanist
Napoleon Cordy
. A cousin, Ross Cordy
, is an anthropologist specializing in Polynesian civilizations, who is chief archaeologist for the state of Hawaii’s Historic Preservation Division and teaches at the University of Hawaii.
She received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA). Her current venture is the Ulluchu Project, a botanical research project on the north coast of Peru. Her secondary specialization is shamanism, where she is developing a project in Mongolia
. In addition to her professorship, she is director of the David W. May Indian Artifacts Gallery and curator of the collection. She is also a former curator of the Latin American collections at the San Diego Museum of Man
.
Cordy-Collins has played a major role in the excavation of several important Moche
tombs in Peru
since she began working there in 1972, including the Royal Tombs of Sipan and Dos Cabezas. Sipán
, excavated in 1987, is one of most important archaeological discoveries of Peru. It includes some of the few tombs that had been undisturbed by grave robbers, and the artifacts, which included gold, ornate pottery and other findings, toured the United States. The excavation of the Dos Cabezas pyramid in 1997-2002 revealed treasure-filled tombs with a surprising amount of metalwork and ceramics, as well as a family of “giants” – mummies of men who would have stood about 6 feet tall, compared with the typical Moche
, who averaged between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6. The noblemen suffered from Marfan syndrome, an inherited form of gigantism
. These are the first recorded instances of gigantism in prehistoric South America. Cordy-Collins has lectured both nationally and internationally about the Moche "giants."
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
at the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
. She is an archaeologist whose primary specialization is Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian prehistory.
She was born June 5, 1944, in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Her father was Mayanist
Mayanist
A Mayanist is a scholar specialising in research and study of the Central American pre-Columbian Maya civilization. This discipline should not be confused with Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs about the ancient Maya....
Napoleon Cordy
Napoleon Cordy
Hannibal Napoleon David Alfred Thomas Cordy was an amateur scholar in the field of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, who made some notable contributions in the 1930s and 1940s to the early study and decipherment of the Maya script, used by the pre-Columbian Maya of southern Mexico and...
. A cousin, Ross Cordy
Ross Cordy
Dr. Ross H. Cordy was the branch chief of archaeology in the State of Hawaii's Historic Preservation Division, having headed that office and program for 16 years. He is currently the Humanities Division Chair at the University of Hawaii - West Oahu where he teaches Hawaiian and Pacific Islands...
, is an anthropologist specializing in Polynesian civilizations, who is chief archaeologist for the state of Hawaii’s Historic Preservation Division and teaches at the University of Hawaii.
She received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA). Her current venture is the Ulluchu Project, a botanical research project on the north coast of Peru. Her secondary specialization is shamanism, where she is developing a project in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. In addition to her professorship, she is director of the David W. May Indian Artifacts Gallery and curator of the collection. She is also a former curator of the Latin American collections at the San Diego Museum of Man
San Diego Museum of Man
The San Diego Museum of Man is a museum of anthropology located in Balboa Park, San Diego, California and housed in several historic landmark buildings.-Exhibits:...
.
Cordy-Collins has played a major role in the excavation of several important Moche
Moche
'The Moche civilization flourished in northern Peru from about 100 AD to 800 AD, during the Regional Development Epoch. While this issue is the subject of some debate, many scholars contend that the Moche were not politically organized as a monolithic empire or state...
tombs in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
since she began working there in 1972, including the Royal Tombs of Sipan and Dos Cabezas. Sipán
Sipán
Sipán is a Moche archaeological site in northern Peru that is famous for the tomb of El Señor de Sipán , excavated by Walter Alva and his wife Susana Meneses. It is considered to be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the last 30 years, because the main tomb was found intact...
, excavated in 1987, is one of most important archaeological discoveries of Peru. It includes some of the few tombs that had been undisturbed by grave robbers, and the artifacts, which included gold, ornate pottery and other findings, toured the United States. The excavation of the Dos Cabezas pyramid in 1997-2002 revealed treasure-filled tombs with a surprising amount of metalwork and ceramics, as well as a family of “giants” – mummies of men who would have stood about 6 feet tall, compared with the typical Moche
Moche
'The Moche civilization flourished in northern Peru from about 100 AD to 800 AD, during the Regional Development Epoch. While this issue is the subject of some debate, many scholars contend that the Moche were not politically organized as a monolithic empire or state...
, who averaged between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6. The noblemen suffered from Marfan syndrome, an inherited form of gigantism
Gigantism
Gigantism, also known as giantism , is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average...
. These are the first recorded instances of gigantism in prehistoric South America. Cordy-Collins has lectured both nationally and internationally about the Moche "giants."
Published works
- "Proceedings of the 1995 and 1996 Latin American Symposia: Death, Ritual and the Afterlife," Alana Cordy-Collins and Grace Johnson, Presented by the San Diego Museum of Man Papers, 34, San Diego Museum of Man. 112 p., San Diego, Calif., 1997
- “An Unshaggy Dog Story: A Bizarre Canine is Living Evidence of Prehistoric Contact between Mexico and Peru,” Alana Cordy-Collins, Natural History 103(2):34-41, New York, NY, 1994.
- “Current Topics in Aztec Studies: Essays in Honor of Dr. H. B. Nicholson,” Alana Cordy-Collins and Douglas Sharon, San Diego Museum Papers, 30, San Diego Museum of Man. 118 p., San Diego, Calif., 1993
- The Northern Dynasties: Kinship and Statecraft in Chimor, Michael E. Moseley and Alana Cordy-Collins, A Symposium at Dumbarton Oaks, 12 and 13 October 1985, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, D.C.
- The Cerro Sechin Massacre. Did It Happen? Ethnic Technology Notes No.18, Alana Cordy-Collins, San Diego Museum of Man, 1983
- Pre-Columbian Art from the Land Collection, L. K. Land, H.B. Nicholson & Alana Cordy-Collins, California Academy of Sciences & L. K. Land, 1979.
- Pre-Columbian Art History, Alana Cordy-Collins and Jean Stern, Peek Publications, 1977.
External links
- University of San Diego web site
- Tomb of the Giants Unearthed in Peru – National Geographic Society