"Archaeology is the only branch of Anthropology where we kill our informants in the process of studying them." The Golden Marshallton
Kent V. Flannery began his career in the field of archaeology as a graduate student studying with Richard MacNeish in Mesoamerica and Robert Braidwood in Mesopotamia. He received his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1964. Dr. Flannery is one of the preeminent archaeologists in the field of Mesoamerican agriculture. He is also known as an Environmental Archaeologist. He is widely known for his Theory of Cultural Stability in Peasant Lifestyles in the Tehuacán Valley in Mexico. He noticed that the peasants of the current time in this area were still living in the same types of homes and exhibiting the same cultural characteristics as their predecessors of around 500 years. His reasoning was that the inhabitants could change their agriculture and trade practices to suit the environment. For example, if the harvest for the year was bountiful, they would trade goods with neighboring villages. If the next year was dry and unprofitable, they could trade those previous goods for food. This would explain the cultural stability of the area for that class.
Dr. Flannery is probably best known for his research on the origins of agriculture in Mesoamerica. In his own words, "I have already traveled many thousands of miles on that particular wagon, and I yearn to step down and tackle other problems." He made this statement in an article entitled The Origins of Agriculture, published in 1973. He focuses on the Zapotec Culture that flourished in Oaxaca, Mexico. He believes that the agricultural revolution did not happen all at once, but rather was a step by step process which evolved over a period of time. His most recent book, Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Societies Evolved in Mexico's Oaxaca Valley, co-authored with Dr. Joyce Marcus, espouses this idea. Flannery and Marcus promote the action theory of agriculture. This theory places the emphasis on the decision making process of the evolution of agriculture instead of the end result. Dr. Flannery is currently on the Anthropology staff of the University of Michigan. He is also the Curator for Zooarchaeology at the University of Michigan's Museum of Anthropology. He is a member of the National Academy of Scientist and the Cambridge Journal Editorial Advisory Board. His sharp wit and outspoken personality make him one of the most interesting contemporary archaeologists to date.
MarDock, Mary Anne 1998. http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~mardock/New%20Folder/flannery.htm An Analysis of the Career of Kent Flannery.
Flannery, Kent V. 1972. The Cultural Evolution of Civilizations.
Flannery, Kent V. 1973. The Origins of Agriculture.
Brumfiel, Elizabeth M. 1997. American Scientist Lead Review: Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico's Oaxaca Valley.
Written by: Students in an Introduction to Anthropology Class, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota 2000