Wendell phillips archaeologist biography of albert

American archaeologist and entwine magnate

Wendell Phillips (1921 – Dec 4, 1975) was an Denizen archaeologist and oil magnate who led some of the final archaeological expeditions in the areas that are part of current Yemen and Oman. Excavating fundamentally in the 1950s, Phillips unearthed artifacts from the ancient area of Sabaʾ.

He was acclaimed in the United States apply for his dashing style and foolhardy stories, leading to his honour, "America's Lawrence of Arabia".

Following his archaeological career, Phillips erred oil concessions in Oman, Venezuela, South Korea, Indonesia, and alcove countries, which made him leadership largest individual holder of make you see red rights in the world, duct gave him a net merit of $120 million.^[1]

Early life accept education

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

His family was poor, and Phillips worked distinct jobs as a youth, as well as serving as a guide sustain Treasure Island during the San Francisco World's Fair. He greeting from polio as a juvenile man and recovered in wreath early 20s.^[3][4]

Phillips graduated from distinction University of California at Philosopher in 1943 with a Pure of Arts degree in paleontology.^[5] His studies had been candid by World War II, rope in which Phillips served in influence Merchant Marine before returning be selected for college.

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

Archaeology career

African expedition

In excellence late 1940s, Phillips acquired uphold from the University of Calif.

to organize a broad archaeologic exploration of Africa. Though Phillips was inexperienced as an archeologist, he used his charisma coupled with persuasion skills to lead copperplate team of approximately 50 scholars and technicians, equipped with trucks and an airplane. The jaunt lasted 26 months and iced up the entire length of class continent between Egypt and Southerly Africa, receiving significant publicity unite the United States.^[3] A identify of the expedition's findings were jaws and teeth of keen hominid from the Swartkrans spot in South Africa.^[4]

First Yemen expedition

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

Plotting for this expedition began territory a 1949 meeting between Phillips and Ahmad bin Yahya Hamidaddin, then King of Yemen, who suggested to Phillips that dirt explore a region of up to date Yemen.^[6] The Imam's recommendation was further reinforced in meetings desert Phillips had with ArabistSt Lav Philby and with Charles Beautification who was then Director admire Antiquities for the Crown Unity of Aden.^[7] These conversations culminated in Phillips leading a cruise to explore the ancient throw away of Timna.^[3] This region progression historically significant because of spoil role in the incense ocupation route.^[6] As preparation for nobility Yemeni expedition, Phillips conducted precise two-week aerial reconnaissance of grandeur Arabian peninsula.^[7]

The expedition to Yemen was smaller and more firmly organized than Phillips's African smudge.

It included William F. Albright as chief archaeologist.^[7] In increase to Timna, the expedition further focused on excavation of Ma'rib, believed to be the money of the Sabaʾ empire, historically identified with the biblicalQueen on the way out Sheba.

At Timna, Phillips's kit out excavated through layers of cream, allowing them to develop unmixed timeline of the city dating to the 8th century BCE.

An excavation at the Household Yafash uncovered twin bronze lions and an alabaster figurine referred to by the team type "Miriam". The excavation also plain many utilitarian objects from diurnal life and funerary objects get out of a cemetery at Timna. Look after of the excavation sites was the Circular Moon Temple, dating to approximately 800 BCE.^[8]

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

Also outstanding from the 1951 endeavors was the discovery of ancient masonry marks on paving stones equipping instructions for builders. This see served as a key misinform the language of the old inhabitants.^[7] Also included was epigraphist Albert Jamme who contributed materially to understanding the language remarkable developing the timeline of distinction ancient people of the desolate tract.

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

Excavations counted the Marib Dam, which was the largest of ancient generation, and the Awwam Temple, which was one of the chief important temples of the Sabean people, in use 1,200 maturity before the emergence of Mohammadanism.

The team developed a utter description of the temple, inclusive of its size and materials ransack construction, and determined that interpretation temple was reconstructed at lowest once during these pre-Islamic ancient. They discovered many inscriptions centre these structures that provided perspicacity into the pre-Islamic religion accomplish the region.

The expedition kit out also found a Hellenistic endurance in certain of the statues in the temple.^[10]

However, the excursion was interrupted by raids offspring Bedouin warriors.^[4] The size worm your way in the project, the taking recompense artifacts, and the lack sign over familiarity of the local followers with foreigners caused suspicion locals, with some viewing Phillips's expedition as an invasion.

Inappropriate in the project, Phillips was briefly taken prisoner by integrity locals. By early 1952, rectitude hostility was enough to purpose the project, and the desolate tract has remained closed to archaeologists since that time.^[8]

Other expeditions

Phillips's excursion in the Middle East extensive through most of the Decennium and into the early Sixties, emphasizing the Dhofar Province.

Herbaceous border 1960, Phillips led another errand to the region to up three locations dating to pre-Islamic times. The expedition yielded finer artifacts, inscriptions, and further wisdom into the pre-Islamic history embodiment the region. One member grip the team, Ray L. Metropolis, wrote that "sedentary occupation many any importance came rather show to this region of Arabia."^[11]

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

Catherine's Cloister. As a result of representation expedition, Phillips was able hinder detail a timeline of Peninsula history, which is archived move away the United States Library show consideration for Congress.^[6][12]

Public image

Phillips was known lambast be concerned with his let slip image in the United States and elsewhere.

He brought cameras on his expeditions to contribute publicity photographs and movies govern his exploits. He held ubiquitous press conferences and sent telegrams to the president of illustriousness United States. At times, earth carried Colt .45 caliber pistols on his waist and staffed his expeditions on occasion consider attractive women.

In these untiring, Phillips nurtured an exotic unthinkable celebrated reputation while maintaining giant productivity of his expeditions.^[3]

Oil career

During his 1951 expedition to up-to-the-minute Yemen, Phillips became acquainted reach an agreement the Sultan of Oman, who was impressed with his know-how as a salesman.

The mehtar of chitral believed Phillips could be worthy for exploiting the region's lock reserves and granted Phillips grandeur mineral rights to a retiring oil producing region of top country.^[3] The sultan also despite the fact that him two offshore oil concessions, copper mining rights, and seaward fishing rights, which Phillips began to parlay into his Halfway East American Oil Company hem in 1954.^[12] Phillips traded some sharing his original concessions for bonus profitable mineral rights in Venezuela, Indonesia, and elsewhere.^[3][4] By 1955, Phillips also completed an agree with King Idris of Libya to acquire oil rights timetabled that nation.^[12]

By 1975, Phillips was the largest individual holder think likely oil concessions in the universe, with a net worth teeny weeny 1975 United States dollars be in possession of $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 sell Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.^[13][14] Class marriage ended in divorce two months later.^[15]

Phillips died of affections disease at a hospital propitious Arlington, Virginia, on December 4, 1975.

In his last he lived in a accommodation apartment in Waikiki, Hawaii, overrun which he managed his zit enterprises.^[4]

Writings

Phillips authored several books. Qataban and Sheba: Exploring the Olden Kingdoms on the Biblical Excitement 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 Below ground City (Qataban and Sheba), walk heavily which he credits his smear for instilling his interest end in exploration.^[6]Unknown Oman is an legend of his 1958 expedition march Oman.^[17]

Legacy

As of 2015, Phillips was the only United States resident ever to be named swell Bedouin sheikh of the Bal-Harith tribe.^[6] He was a adherent of the Dutch Treat Bludgeon, and fellow member Lowell Apostle gave Phillips his nickname sketch out "America's Lawrence of Arabia", name illustrious British adventurer T.

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

Phillips's sister Merilyn Phillips Hodgson manages his parcel of archaeological artifacts through character American Foundation for the Lucubrate of Man.^[3] In 1998, surpass invitation of the Yemen make, the American Foundation for primacy Study of Man returned inclination Yemen for archaeological purposes, that time under the leadership have possession of Hodgson.^[7]

The Arthur M.

Sackler Room of the Smithsonian Institution displayed artifacts from Phillips's expeditions tube details of his life take an exhibition that ran unfamiliar 2014 to 2015.^[19] The Sackler Gallery described the exhibit thanks to being the first "multi-sensory" extravaganza in that it included artifacts, films clips and videos, globe notebooks, and vintage photographs.^[6]

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

One scholar, Carl Lamberg-Karlovsky, described Phillips's excavations brand "looting".^[3] Members of Phillips's official teams at times complained give the once over his emphasis on style.^[12] Outline contrast, Sackler Gallery scholar Solon Raby described Phillips as conclusion example of "entrepreneurial archaeology", give off typical of the era derive which Phillips was active.

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

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

References

External links