Robert Braidwood
1907 - 2003
Robert John Braidwood was born
in Detroit, Michigan
on July 29, 1907. It was his pharmacist father's brother, a Michigan medical
doctor, who had an early influence on Braidwood. An influence that would direct
his future interests into archaeology. Braidwood later said that a high
school science class along with his uncle's collection of American Indian
artifacts introduced him to archaeology. He began his studies at the
University
of Michigan and earned his M. A. degree in 1933. In 1930, through an
invitation to do field work in Iraq, while taking a course in Near Eastern
Archaeology, that was the beginning of his long association with that area of
the world. James Breasted, the founder of the Institute and the man who
coined the term "fertile crescent" hired Braidwood in 1933. Braidwood joined the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute's
Syrian Hittite Expedition on the Amuq Plain, where he worked until 1938.
In
1937, he married Linda Schreiber and they spent a year doing field work in the
Middle East until the start of World War II forced them to leave. They returned to Chicago
in 1938 to pursue further education. While working on his Ph.D., Braidwood was
also working at the University for the Army Air Corps, heading up their
meteorological mapping program. In 1943, he earned his Ph.D. and began
teaching for the Oriental Institute and the Anthropology Department at the University of Chicago, where he remained until his
retirement.
Willard Libby was using the
radiocarbon content of materials to date organic material in 1947. Braidwood
learned of Libby's work and had some of his ancient artifacts tested by Libby.
This new process provided a way for Braidwood to date many of the early
artifacts he had brought back from the Middle East. It was also at this time
that the
Oriental Institute's Jarmo Project
in Iraq
was launched. The Braidwoods began doing research on the period of about 10,000
years ago , which was a time in the Near East that was between nomadic hunters
and gatherers and when agriculture emerged that would result in the
development of civilization. It was the first field project dealing specifically with
retrieving evidence of the methods of early food production and solving the
ecological problem of its origin and early consequences. On this project he
employed archaeologists as well as natural scientists who reconstructed the
ancient environment. It was the first time that specialists examined small
pieces of rubbish, bone fragments and plant remains. Those materials had always
been ignored in archaeological investigation previously.
The National Science Foundation presented one of it's first grants to the
Braidwoods in 1954 because of their inclusion of natural science colleagues in
their research. The Braidwood's work would eventually prove the earlier
scientific theory that "an agricultural revolution had preceded the development
of civilization". The Braidwoods discovered the first evidence to prove that
transition. But investigation and excavation in that area came to a halt in 1958
when Iraq became unstable due to a political revolution.
The Braidwoods moved their research to Iran and by 1960 were
working in southern Turkey. Braidwood and Professor Halet Cambel co-directed a
joint effort between the University of Chicago and the University of Istanbul.
While there, the oldest know terrazzo floor was discovered at Cayonu by the
Braidwoods. It had been made by a process of burning lime to make
concrete. They also discovered information on the development of food production
and early village farm life. The project spanned the early 1960's until 1988.
Braidwood
was active in several professional societies and received numerous honorary
degrees. In 1971, he was awarded the title of Distinguished Lecturer at the
Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological
Association. Also in 1971, the Archaeological Institute of America presented
him with the medal for distinguished archaeological achievement. Braidwood
lectured and published many books and articles that have brought anthropology
and prehistory to the attention not only of historians of the ancient Near East
but also to the public.
Braidwood is credited with the
discovery of many important firsts in the field of archaeology. He found the
earliest known sample of human blood, oldest known piece of cloth and the
earliest piece of hand-worked natural copper. Braidwood was the first
archaeologist to include botanists, zoologists and other specialists on his team
to provide a more well rounded picture of how communities lived and to bring
additional meaning to the artifacts Braidwood was discovering. He was the first
archaeologist to do work over an entire region by using archaeological surveys,
a method that is still used today. He also pioneered testable hypothesis in
archaeology.
Gil Stein, Director of the
Oriental Institute and Professor in Near Eastern Languages and Literature at the
University of Chicago said, "Bob Braidwood's death marks the passing of an era.
It is difficult to overestimate his professional stature, his impact on the
archaeology of the Near East and his role in archaeology as a general
discipline. Over the course of his long and distinguished career, he made
numerous major contributions at every level- theory, methodology, and emperical
data. More than almost anyone else, he exemplified archaeology at the Oriental
Institute."
Robert Braidwood died on January
15, 2003 at the University of Chicago Hospital. His wife, Linda, who was his
companion and work and research partner throughout their married lives, died
within hours after his death, in the same hospital. Robert was 95 years old and
Linda was 93 years old at the time of their passing.
References:
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/03/030115.braidwood.shtml
Winter, Christopher, International
Dictionary of Anthropologists. Garland
Publishing, New York & London, 1991.
Contemporary Authors
Dupuis, Diane L. Gale
Research Company, Detroit, Michigan 48226,
Vol. 108.
Watson, Patty Jo
2003 Robert John Braidwood.
American Anthropologist 106(3):642-644.
Written by: Lillian Dolentz, 2009