Gary O. Rollefson
Encyclopedia
Gary O. Rollefson is an American
Anthropologist. He has specialized on Near Eastern prehistoric archeology and prehistoric religion.
. He the oldest of three boys. In 1957, the Rollefson family moved to Long Beach, California
where he completed high school. He attended the University of California, Berkeley
and graduated in 1965 receiving a Bachelor of Arts
in Anthropology
.
After serving as a translator in the Vietnam War
, he went on to study anthropology at the University of Arizona
, where he was awarded a Master of Arts
in 1972 and a Ph.D.
in 1978.
Rollefson spent five years working at cave sites in Israel
while working toward his dissertation entitled, A Quantitative and Qualitative Typological Analysis of Bifaces from the Tabun Excavations, 1967-1972.
In 1978 Rollefson went to Jordan
on a fellow
ship, working at archaeological sites outside Amman
. He continues to do work in the region today. He was lectured and published extensively. His articles have appeared in a number of journals including American Antiquity
, Current Anthropology
, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
and Holocene
.
He has held various teaching positions throughout the United States
, Jordan
and Germany
since 1970. Currently, he is Professor and the Department Chair of Anthropology at Whitman College
in Walla Walla, Washington
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Anthropologist. He has specialized on Near Eastern prehistoric archeology and prehistoric religion.
Biography
Gary O. Rollefson was born in Forest City, IowaForest City, Iowa
Forest City is a city in Hancock and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, and the county seat of Winnebago County. The population was 4,151 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 4,362 population in the 2000 census....
. He the oldest of three boys. In 1957, the Rollefson family moved to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
where he completed high school. He attended the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and graduated in 1965 receiving a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 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...
.
After serving as a translator in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he went on to study anthropology at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
, where he was awarded a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1972 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1978.
Rollefson spent five years working at cave sites in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
while working toward his dissertation entitled, A Quantitative and Qualitative Typological Analysis of Bifaces from the Tabun Excavations, 1967-1972.
In 1978 Rollefson went to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
on a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
ship, working at archaeological sites outside Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
. He continues to do work in the region today. He was lectured and published extensively. His articles have appeared in a number of journals including 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...
, Current Anthropology
Current Anthropology
Current Anthropology is a peer-reviewed anthropology academic journal published by the University of Chicago Press and sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. Founded in 1959 by the anthropologist Sol Tax...
, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
The Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research is one of three academic journals published by American Schools of Oriental Research....
, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
The Journal of Anthropological Archaeology is a peer-reviewed academic journal in the field of archaeology. The journal was founded in 1982 and appears four times per year and is published by Elsevier. The current editor is John O'Shea. Publications in the journal focus on understanding the...
and Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
.
He has held various teaching positions throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
since 1970. Currently, he is Professor and the Department Chair of Anthropology at Whitman College
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian, residential undergraduate liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. Initially founded as a seminary by a territorial legislative charter in 1859, the school became a four year degree granting institution in 1883...
in Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
.
Selected works
- The History of Ancient Palestine from the Palaeolithic Period to Alexander's Conquest with Goska W. Ahlstrom and Diana Edelman (JSOT Press. 1992)