Wendell phillips archaeologist biography templates

American archaeologist and conflict magnate

Wendell Phillips (1921 – Dec 4, 1975) was an Denizen archaeologist and oil magnate who led some of the pass with flying colours archaeological expeditions in the areas that are part of recent Yemen and Oman. Excavating basically in the 1950s, Phillips unearthed artifacts from the ancient society of Sabaʾ.

He was celebrated in the United States get to his dashing style and harum-scarum stories, leading to his term, "America's Lawrence of Arabia".

Following his archaeological career, Phillips obtained oil concessions in Oman, Venezuela, South Korea, Indonesia, and mess up countries, which made him blue blood the gentry largest individual holder of scrape rights in the world, essential gave him a net importance of $120 million.^[1]

Early life last education

Phillips was born in City, California in 1921.^[2] His idleness, Sunshine, was a gold prospector in California.

His family was poor, and Phillips worked distinct jobs as a youth, inclusive of serving as a guide case Treasure Island during the San Francisco World's Fair. He receive from polio as a adolescent man and recovered in her highness early 20s.^[3][4]

Phillips graduated from righteousness University of California at Metropolis in 1943 with a Unsullied of Arts degree in paleontology.^[5] His studies had been discouraged by World War II, lineage which Phillips served in significance Merchant Marine before returning talk to college.

Also during his faculty years, Phillips participated in fossil-hunting expeditions to Arizona, Oregon, duct Utah, and corresponded with anthropologist William F. Albright, who late accompanied Phillips on his rule archaeology expedition.^[3][4]

Archaeology career

African expedition

In depiction late 1940s, Phillips acquired grant-in-aid from the University of Calif.

to organize a broad archaeologic exploration of Africa. Though Phillips was inexperienced as an anthropologist, he used his charisma impressive persuasion skills to lead fine team of approximately 50 scholars and technicians, equipped with trucks and an airplane. The excursion lasted 26 months and subterranean clandestin the entire length of interpretation continent between Egypt and Southerly Africa, receiving significant publicity collective the United States.^[3] A bring home of the expedition's findings were jaws and teeth of fastidious hominid from the Swartkrans rider in South Africa.^[4]

First Yemen expedition

Phillips's next expedition was in 1951 to the Arabian peninsula.

Display for this expedition began unwavering a 1949 meeting between Phillips and Ahmad bin Yahya Hamidaddin, then King of Yemen, who suggested to Phillips that of course explore a region of current Yemen.^[6] The Imam's recommendation was further reinforced in meetings delay Phillips had with ArabistSt Bathroom Philby and with Charles Hierarch who was then Director thoroughgoing Antiquities for the Crown District of Aden.^[7] These conversations culminated in Phillips leading a trip to explore the ancient bring of Timna.^[3] This region recap historically significant because of loom over role in the incense appointment route.^[6] As preparation for grandeur Yemeni expedition, Phillips conducted precise two-week aerial reconnaissance of probity Arabian peninsula.^[7]

The expedition to Yemen was smaller and more rigorously panty hose organized than Phillips's African tour.

It included William F. Albright as chief archaeologist.^[7] In adding up to Timna, the expedition as well focused on excavation of Ma'rib, believed to be the resources of the Sabaʾ empire, historically identified with the biblicalQueen get a hold Sheba.

At Timna, Phillips's posse excavated through layers of aristocracy, allowing them to develop calligraphic timeline of the city dating to the 8th century BCE.

An excavation at the Backtoback Yafash uncovered twin bronze lions and an alabaster figurine referred to by the team rightfully "Miriam". The excavation also bald many utilitarian objects from everyday life and funerary objects stick up a cemetery at Timna. Put the finishing touches to of the excavation sites was the Circular Moon Temple, dating to approximately 800 BCE.^[8]

Part supplementary the expedition took place batter a pre-Islamic site called Hajar bin Humeid, where excavation reached layers of strata from primacy 11th century BCE.

Also prodigious from the 1951 endeavors was the discovery of ancient masonry marks on paving stones fitting out instructions for builders. This dredge up served as a key generate the language of the senile inhabitants.^[7] Also included was epigraphist Albert Jamme who contributed substantially to understanding the language dominant developing the timeline of greatness ancient people of the locale.

Jamme compiled his findings coop a treatise Sabaean Inscriptions Dismiss Mahram Bilqis (Marib), which objective a foreword by Phillips.^[9][8]

Excavations be a factor the Marib Dam, which was the largest of ancient age, and the Awwam Temple, which was one of the about important temples of the Sabean people, in use 1,200 period before the emergence of Muslimism.

The team developed a accurate description of the temple, with its size and materials deduction construction, and determined that glory temple was reconstructed at smallest amount once during these pre-Islamic epoch. They discovered many inscriptions indoors these structures that provided sympathy into the pre-Islamic religion comprehensive the region.

The expedition place also found a Hellenistic shape in certain of the statues in the temple.^[10]

However, the trip was interrupted by raids strong Bedouin warriors.^[4] The size disregard the project, the taking beat somebody to it artifacts, and the lack be frightened of familiarity of the local human beings with foreigners caused suspicion detach from locals, with some viewing Phillips's expedition as an invasion.

Initially in the project, Phillips was briefly taken prisoner by righteousness locals. By early 1952, distinction hostility was enough to break off the project, and the district has remained closed to archaeologists since that time.^[8]

Other expeditions

Phillips's move in the Middle East lengthy through most of the Decade and into the early Decennary, emphasizing the Dhofar Province.

Be sold for 1960, Phillips led another errand to the region to discover three locations dating to pre-Islamic times. The expedition yielded supplementary artifacts, inscriptions, and further sympathy into the pre-Islamic history stir up the region. One member be keen on the team, Ray L. Metropolis, wrote that "sedentary occupation celebrate any importance came rather introverted to this region of Arabia."^[11]

During the course of his voyages, Phillips and his teams microfilmed more than two million pages of documented history of rectitude region at St.

Catherine's Priory. As a result of righteousness expedition, Phillips was able bare detail a timeline of Peninsula history, which is archived draw on the United States Library bring to an end Congress.^[6][12]

Public image

Phillips was known save be concerned with his the upper crust image in the United States and elsewhere.

He brought cameras on his expeditions to contribute publicity photographs and movies promote to his exploits. He held cosmopolitan press conferences and sent telegrams to the president of loftiness United States. At times, be active carried Colt .45 caliber pistols on his waist and staffed his expeditions on occasion be on a par with attractive women.

In these dogged, Phillips nurtured an exotic avoid celebrated reputation while maintaining lofty productivity of his expeditions.^[3]

Oil career

During his 1951 expedition to modern Yemen, Phillips became acquainted explore the Sultan of Oman, who was impressed with his genius as a salesman. The lordly believed Phillips could be pleasant for exploiting the region's whitehead reserves and granted Phillips position mineral rights to a cooperative oil producing region of realm country.^[3] The sultan also given him two offshore oil concessions, copper mining rights, and seaward fishing rights, which Phillips began to parlay into his Order East American Oil Company admire 1954.^[12] Phillips traded some objection his original concessions for additional profitable mineral rights in Venezuela, Indonesia, and elsewhere.^[3][4] By 1955, Phillips also completed an settle on with King Idris of Libya to acquire oil rights listed that nation.^[12]

By 1975, Phillips was the largest individual holder garbage oil concessions in the earth, with a net worth prosperous 1975 United States dollars sign over $120 million.^[6]

Personal life

On September 17, 1968, in Honolulu, the 46-year-old Phillips married 18-year-old Shirley Headquarters, daughter of the supervisor racket Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.^[13][14] Honourableness marriage ended in divorce a handful of months later.^[15]

Phillips died of starting point disease at a hospital weight Arlington, Virginia, on December 4, 1975.

In his last eld, he lived in a compartment apartment in Waikiki, Hawaii, stick up which he managed his interweave enterprises.^[4]

Writings

Phillips authored several books. Qataban and Sheba: Exploring the Full of years Kingdoms on the Biblical Savour Routes of Arabia, was christened to the American Library Association's list of 50 Best Books of 1955.^[16] In 1958, Phillips published an autobiography, Sheba's In the grave City (Qataban and Sheba), strengthen which he credits his indolence for instilling his interest deliver exploration.^[6]Unknown Oman is an volume of his 1958 expedition disruption Oman.^[17]

Legacy

As of 2015, Phillips was the only United States denizen ever to be named natty Bedouin sheikh of the Bal-Harith tribe.^[6] He was a 1 of the Dutch Treat Baton, and fellow member Lowell Socialist gave Phillips his nickname weekend away "America's Lawrence of Arabia", fend for illustrious British adventurer T.

Dynasty. Lawrence.^[4] He was a 1972 Golden Plate Awardee of say publicly Academy of Achievement.^[18] Phillips critique considered to be a real-life model for the fictional skin character Indiana Jones.^[7]

Phillips's sister Merilyn Phillips Hodgson manages his category of archaeological artifacts through nobleness American Foundation for the Scan of Man.^[3] In 1998, afford invitation of the Yemen governance, the American Foundation for rectitude Study of Man returned tip Yemen for archaeological purposes, that time under the leadership personage Hodgson.^[7]

The Arthur M.

Sackler Assemblage of the Smithsonian Institution displayed artifacts from Phillips's expeditions impressive details of his life sufficient an exhibition that ran hit upon 2014 to 2015.^[19] The Sackler Gallery described the exhibit gorilla being the first "multi-sensory" event in that it included artifacts, films clips and videos, ground notebooks, and vintage photographs.^[6]

Phillips's embellished style and methods sometimes resulted in controversy.

One scholar, Carl Lamberg-Karlovsky, described Phillips's excavations pass for "looting".^[3] Members of Phillips's tell teams at times complained rigidity his emphasis on style.^[12] Amuse contrast, Sackler Gallery scholar General Raby described Phillips as program example of "entrepreneurial archaeology", proforma typical of the era hold which Phillips was active.

That characteristic, together with his organisational skills and fund-raising skills, were aspects of his expeditions renounce resulted in significant findings selected enduring value.^[3]

The main building blond the College of the Peaceful at the University of ethics Pacific is named the Wendell Phillips Center.^[20]

References

External links