Dr. Manuel Gamio was one of the leading archeologists of Mexico and former head of the Mexican Department of Anthropology. He uncovered numerous artifacts including pottery from Central America. Dr. Gamio was trained at Columbia University. In his early years he started “Think before you dig” at Teotihuacan. In the early part of the century, Dr. Gamio focused his search area to the highland of Guatemala, near the cities of Quiche, Huehuetenango, and Quetzaltenango.
In 1918, Dr. Gamio was given permission by the Mexican Department of Agriculture to explore Teotihuacan, the beginning of professional exploration on Teotihuacan. During these years, Gamio found many artifacts and ended up publishing a few books about his finds. In the 1920’s, Dr. Gamio’s studies were focused on the highlands of Guatemala. Dr. Gamio proposed that early natives of Mexico abandoned the land in search of a place free of earthquakes and volcanoes. Due to the similarity of the pottery found in Guatemala and Central Mexico, Dr. Gamio believed it to be the roots of the Mayan Civilization.
In the 1930’s, Dr. Gamio began to do less field work and focus more on the migration and labor aspects between the United States and Mexico. Once again he published books on his research, only this time in English. Currently, many of his books are being translated into Spanish and brought to Mexico to help further the research of present day anthropologists.
"Dr. Manuel Gamio” Compton’s Encyclopedia, Former Link, http://www.optonline.com/comptons/ceo/16758_Q.html (October 2006) (Accessed Dec. 1999).
"University of California Riverside" Manuel Gamio : Mexican Migration & Repatriation http://ucmexus.ucr.edu/ucmnews/gamio.htm (Accessed Dec. 1999).
"Science News Online" The Science News-Letter. Sept. 18, 1926 Ed. Former Link, http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arch/9_21_96/timeline.htm (October 2006)(Accessed Dec. 1999).
"Student/Teacher Resource Center" The Revolutionary Period of Mexican History, Former Link, http://www.northcoast.com/~spdtom/rev2.html (October 2006)(Accessed Dec. 1999).
Written By: Tony Ticknor