1938 in archaeology
Encyclopedia
The year 1938 in archaeology
involved some significant events.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
involved some significant events.
Explorations
- Matthew StirlingMatthew StirlingMatthew Williams Stirling was an American ethnologist, archaeologist and later an administrator at several scientific institutions in the field...
first visits the Tres ZapotesTres ZapotesTres Zapotes is a Mesoamerican archaeological site located in the south-central Gulf Lowlands of Mexico in the Papaloapan River plain. Tres Zapotes is sometimes referred to as the third major Olmec capital , although Tres Zapotes' Olmec phase constitutes only a portion of the site’s history, which...
and San Lorenzo TenochtitlánSan Lorenzo TenochtitlánSan Lorenzo Tenochtitlán is the collective name for three related archaeological sites -- San Lorenzo, Tenochtitlán, and Potrero Nuevo -- located in the southeast portion of the Mexican state of Veracruz. From 1200 BCE to 900 BCE, it was the major center of Olmec culture...
sites.
Excavations
- The Iron AgeIron AgeThe Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
farmstead site at Little WoodburyLittle WoodburyLittle Woodbury is the name of an important Iron Age archaeological site near Salisbury in the English county of Wiltshire.It was partially excavated between 1938 and 1939 by Gerhard Bersu, a German archaeologist who introduced the revolutionary approaches he had developed in continental Europe...
, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, by Gerhard BersuGerhard BersuGerhard Bersu was a German archaeologist who excavated widely across Europe.He was born in Jauer in Silesia and as a teenager joined excavations near Potsdam. In successive years Bersu dug in several European countries and during the First World War he worked for the Office for the Protection of...
for the Prehistoric Society using open area excavation techniques (continues to 1939; published 1940). - Llantwit Major Roman VillaLlantwit Major Roman VillaThe Llantwit Major Roman Villa was a Roman L-shaped courtyard villa located at what is now Caermead, immediately north of the town of Llantwit Major in the Welsh county of South Glamorgan....
, by V. E. Nash-WilliamsVictor Erle Nash-WilliamsVictor Erle Nash-Williams was a noted Welsh archaeologist.Educated at the Lewis School, Pengam, and at the University College in Cardiff, he was appointed Keeper at the National Museum of Wales...
(continues to 1948).
Finds
- MayaMaya civilizationThe Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
site of CaracolCaracolCaracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site, located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. It is situated approximately 40 kilometres south of Xunantunich and the town of San Ignacio Cayo, and 15 kilometers away from the Macal River. It rests on the Vaca Plateau at...
is rediscovered. - Luther CressmanLuther CressmanLuther Sheeleigh Cressman was an American anthropologist. He is known as the father of Oregon anthropology....
, the first to explore the region, discovered preserved 9,000-year-old shredded sage sandals at Fort Rock CaveFort Rock CaveFort Rock Cave was the site of the earliest evidence of human habitation in the U.S. state of Oregon prior to excavation of Paisley Caves. Fort Rock Cave featured numerous well-preserved sagebrush sandals, ranging from 9,000 to 13,000 years old....
in south central OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, USA. Until radiocarbon dating verified his find, his belief was that humans had occupied the area a maximum of 4,000 years ago. - 'Barber surgeon of AveburyBarber surgeon of AveburyThe story of the Barber surgeon of Avebury is one that most visitors to the prehistoric site of Avebury Henge in the English county of Wiltshire will have heard.The traditional story goes as follows:...
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