Henry Usher Hall
Encyclopedia
Henry Usher Hall was an American
anthropologist. He was Assistant Curator and Curator of the General Ethnology
Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum from 1915 to 1935. He was instrumental in guiding the Museum's African collection in its early years.
He accompanied Polish anthropologist Maria Antonina Czaplicka (1886-1921) on an expedition down the Yenisei River
in Siberia
to the Kara Sea
in 1914, together with Maud Doria Haviland
(1889-1941), ornithologist, and Dora Curtis
, artist.
He conducted excavations in the Dordogne
in 1923, and in 1936-37 he led an expedition to Sierra Leone
, where he investigated the Sherbro people
. On his return from Sierra Leone, he published The Sherbro of Sierra Leone (1938), which included an account of the secret Poro
society of the Sherbro men.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anthropologist. He was Assistant Curator and Curator of the General Ethnology
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum from 1915 to 1935. He was instrumental in guiding the Museum's African collection in its early years.
He accompanied Polish anthropologist Maria Antonina Czaplicka (1886-1921) on an expedition down the Yenisei River
Yenisei River
Yenisei , also written as Yenisey, is the largest river system flowing to the Arctic Ocean. It is the central of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean...
in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
to the Kara Sea
Kara Sea
The Kara Sea is part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. It is separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya....
in 1914, together with Maud Doria Haviland
Maud Doria Haviland
Maud Doria Haviland, whose married name was Mrs. Harold Hulme Brindley was an English ornithologist....
(1889-1941), ornithologist, and Dora Curtis
Dora Curtis
Dora Curtis was an artist, member of the expedition together with Maud Doria Haviland , Miss Maria Antonina Czaplicka , Polish anthropologist, and Mr. Henry Usher Hall, of the Philadelphia University Museum , on a trip down the Yenisei River in Siberia to the Kara Sea in 1914.- External links...
, artist.
He conducted excavations in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
in 1923, and in 1936-37 he led an expedition to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, where he investigated the Sherbro people
Sherbro people
The Sherbro people are a native people of Sierra Leone, who speak the Sherbro language; they make up 3% of Sierra Leone's population or about 201,000. They are also known as the Bullom people...
. On his return from Sierra Leone, he published The Sherbro of Sierra Leone (1938), which included an account of the secret Poro
Poro
The Poro, or Purrah or Purroh, is a secret society of Sierra Leone and Liberia.-Structure:Only males are admitted to its ranks, but two other affiliated and secret associations exist, the Yassi and the Bundu, the first of which is nominally reserved for females, but members of the Poro are admitted...
society of the Sherbro men.