Betty Meggers
Encyclopedia
Betty Jane Meggers is an American archaeologist best known for her work conducted in association with her husband, Cliff Evans, in South America
. Meggers was born on December 5, 1921, in Washington D.C. to William and Edith Meggers. Meggers's father was a physicist as well as an archaeology enthusiast. He would often take the family to visit Native American sites. Meggers's first experience with anthropology
was when she was 16. She volunteered for the Smithsonian Institution
and helped to mend pots excavated from Pueblo Bonito, an Anasazi village in New Mexico.
with a Bachelor's degree in 1943 and a year later went on to earn a Master's degree from the University of Michigan
. At the University of Michigan, Meggers was introduced to ceramics from the Marajo of Brazil. Meggers published her first scientific article on the Marajo in 1945. After obtaining her Master's Degree, Meggers attended Columbia University
to finish her Ph.D. While at Columbia University, Meggers met her future husband Clifford Evans, another archaeology graduate student. On September 13, 1946, the two were married. Meggers's dissertation was entitled The Archaeological Sequence on Marajo Island, Brazil with Special Reference to the Marajoara Culture.
in the Amazon Basin
and most of her other research has been concentrated on South America. Within South America, Meggers has done research in Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Guyana, in the area of the Amazon, and along the Andes. Other research conducted by Meggers has been done ini the Lesser Antilles and Micronesia.
Meggers also developed a system by which pottery fragments could be analyzed that was co-developed by Meggers and her husband Clifford Evans. In addition, Meggers was among the first to examine the environmental effects on societies and in framing culture as an adaptation to the environment.
She currently serves as:
, Archaeology
, American Antiquity
, Americas, and National Geographic.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Meggers was born on December 5, 1921, in Washington D.C. to William and Edith Meggers. Meggers's father was a physicist as well as an archaeology enthusiast. He would often take the family to visit Native American sites. Meggers's first experience with anthropology
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...
was when she was 16. She volunteered for the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and helped to mend pots excavated from Pueblo Bonito, an Anasazi village in New Mexico.
Education
Meggers graduated from the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
with a Bachelor's degree in 1943 and a year later went on to earn a Master's degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. At the University of Michigan, Meggers was introduced to ceramics from the Marajo of Brazil. Meggers published her first scientific article on the Marajo in 1945. After obtaining her Master's Degree, Meggers attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
to finish her Ph.D. While at Columbia University, Meggers met her future husband Clifford Evans, another archaeology graduate student. On September 13, 1946, the two were married. Meggers's dissertation was entitled The Archaeological Sequence on Marajo Island, Brazil with Special Reference to the Marajoara Culture.
Research
Meggers research began with the Island of MarajoMarajó
Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It is part of the state of Pará.- Geography :With a land area of 40,100 km² , which compares to the size of Switzerland, it is the largest island to be completely surrounded by freshwater in the world...
in the Amazon Basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
and most of her other research has been concentrated on South America. Within South America, Meggers has done research in Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Guyana, in the area of the Amazon, and along the Andes. Other research conducted by Meggers has been done ini the Lesser Antilles and Micronesia.
Contributions to the Field
Meggers has made many important contributions to the field of archaeology. Probably her best-known contribution was her controversial assertion of a pre-historic relationship between the peoples of North-Western South America and of Japan. Meggers suggested that there was a trans-Pacific cultural connection between East Asia and South America long ago based on similarities of pottery fragments found in Japan and Ecuador. She contended that Japanese Middle Jomon pottery was similar to ceramics from the Valdivia site in Ecuador—both dating between 2000 and 3000 B.C.. Meggers has also stated that plants, pathogens, and parasites of Japanese origin are found among Andean populations.Meggers also developed a system by which pottery fragments could be analyzed that was co-developed by Meggers and her husband Clifford Evans. In addition, Meggers was among the first to examine the environmental effects on societies and in framing culture as an adaptation to the environment.
Professional Affiliations
Meggers has been affiliated with the following:- 1950-1951: Instructor for the American University in Washington, D.C.
- Since 1954: Research Associate for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
- 1959-1961: Executive Secretary of the American Anthropological Association
She currently serves as:
- Principal Investigator of the Programa Nacional de Pesquisas Arqueologicas na Bacia Amazonica (PRONAPABA)
- Director of the Latin American Archaeology Program at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution
Awards
Meggers has been acknowledged for her contributions to the field of archaeology and South American studies. Some of her awards include:- 1956: Washington Academy of Sciences Award for Scientific Achievement
- 1966: Decoration of Merit from the Government of Ecuador
- 1966: 37th International Congress of Americanists Gold Medal
- 1985: Society for American Archaeology, 50th Anniversary Award
- 1997: Medalla de "La Periquera" from the Museo Provincial de Holgun, Cuba
- 1997: Doctor Honoris Causa from the Universidad Nacional de la Plata, Argentina
- 1998: Meggers & Evans awarded for "their contribution to our National Identity" by the Embassy of Ecuador, Washington, D.C.
Publications
Meggers has written nearly two hundred articles, book reviews, translations, and books. She has written articles for many scientific journals including American AnthropologistAmerican Anthropologist
American Anthropologist is the flagship journal of the American Anthropological Association . It is known for publishing a wide range of work in anthropology, including articles on cultural, biological and linguistic anthropology and archeology...
, Archaeology
Archaeology (magazine)
Archaeology is a bimonthly mainstream magazine about archaeology, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. Its focus is both for archaeologists and non-specialists alike. The magazine was launched in 1948, and is published six times a year....
, American Antiquity
American Antiquity
The professional journal American Antiquity is published by the Society for American Archaeology, the largest organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas in the world. The journal is considered to be the flagship journal of American archaeology.American Antiquity is a quarterly...
, Americas, and National Geographic.