Guillermo Algaze

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Guillermo Algaze
Born (1954-11-24) November 24, 1954 (age 69)
NationalityCuban
CitizenshipUnited States
Known forA 2003 and 2004 recipient, of the MacArthur "Genius" Award.

Guillermo Algaze (born November 24, 1954) is a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Award, in 2003 and 2004.[1][2] Algaze is the chair of the anthropology department at University of California, San Diego, and project director of the Titris Hoyuk excavation in southern Turkey. [3][4][5][6][7]

Life and education

Algaze was born on November 24 1954, in Havana, Cuba, and was raised in Puerto Rico. He graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in 1976. Algaze later moved to the continental United States, and became a citizen. In 1986, he earned his doctorate from the University of Chicago. He joined the University of California, San Diego faculty in 1990, he taught there as a professor for several years and currently serves as the chair of the anthropology department.[6]

Academic work

Algaze's archaeological interests have mostly been around Mesopotamian history and culture.[8][9] His work has contributed to a vast amount of information in relation to Mesopotamia.[10] In the 1990s, Algaze was a major proponent of an anthropological theory on the spread of civilisation from the Euphrates valley area and ancient Mesopotamia, arguing that colonial expansion from south to north (from the area that is currently southern Iraq) was responsible for the establishment of city-states in northern Iraq and Syria and southeastern Turkey. Following discoveries in the new millenium, Algaze says he has been "eating a lot of crow", acknowledging that evidence suggests societies in the nothern area emerged simultaneously and independently of the Mesopotamian expansion. [5][11][12]

In 2003 he received the MacArthur "Genius" Award, for his work studying the imperialism and colonialism of ancient civilizations, particularly the Uruk expansion in ancient Mesopotamia.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "MacArthur Fellows October 2003". MacArthur Foundation. 2003. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  2. ^ a b "MacArthur Fellows September 2004". MacArthur Foundation. 2004. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  3. ^ http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/facultyexperts/details.asp?exp=16802
  4. ^ John Noble Wilford (May 25, 1993). "Trade or Colonialism? Ruins May Give Answer". New York Times.
  5. ^ a b John Noble Wilford (May 23, 2000). "Ruins Alter Ideas Of How Civilisation Spread". New York Times.
  6. ^ a b "$500,000 "GENIUS" AWARD GOES TO UCSD ANTHROPOLOGIST GUILLERMO ALGAZE". University of California, San Diego. October 5, 2003.
  7. ^ Felicia R. Lee (October 5, 2003). "24 Win MacArthur 'Genius Awards' of $500,000". New York Times.
  8. ^ Wilford, John (2005-12-16). "Where war was waged 5,500 years ago". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-31. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ Akkermans 2003, p. 103
  10. ^ Matthews 2003, pp. 114-115
  11. ^ John Noble Wilford (January 4, 1994). "Enduring Mystery Solved as Tin Is Found in Turkey". New York Times.
  12. ^ John Noble Wilford (January 21, 2007). "In Syria, ruins reveal early city's violent end: Archaeologists find Tell Hamoukar fell in 3500 B.C. battle". San Francisco Chronicle.

Bibliography