Wendell phillips archaeologist biography of abraham

American archaeologist and scuff magnate

Wendell Phillips (1921 – Dec 4, 1975) was an Earth archaeologist and oil magnate who led some of the chief archaeological expeditions in the areas that are part of up-to-the-minute Yemen and Oman. Excavating basically in the 1950s, Phillips unearthed artifacts from the ancient nation of Sabaʾ.

He was famed in the United States asset his dashing style and headlong stories, leading to his moniker, "America's Lawrence of Arabia".

Following his archaeological career, Phillips plagiaristic oil concessions in Oman, Venezuela, South Korea, Indonesia, and goad countries, which made him ethics largest individual holder of interweave rights in the world, submit gave him a net bill of $120 million.^[1]

Early life prosperous education

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

His family was poor, and Phillips worked a number of jobs as a youth, containing serving as a guide warning Treasure Island during the San Francisco World's Fair. He entitled from polio as a countrified man and recovered in her majesty early 20s.^[3][4]

Phillips graduated from primacy University of California at Bishop in 1943 with a Man of Arts degree in paleontology.^[5] His studies had been straightforward by World War II, blot which Phillips served in character Merchant Marine before returning acknowledge college.

Also during his faculty years, Phillips participated in fossil-hunting expeditions to Arizona, Oregon, keep from Utah, and corresponded with archeologist William F. Albright, who closest accompanied Phillips on his prime archaeology expedition.^[3][4]

Archaeology career

African expedition

In say publicly late 1940s, Phillips acquired subsidy from the University of Calif.

to organize a broad archeological exploration of Africa. Though Phillips was inexperienced as an anthropologist, he used his charisma pole persuasion skills to lead practised team of approximately 50 scholars and technicians, equipped with trucks and an airplane. The excursion lasted 26 months and freezing the entire length of say publicly continent between Egypt and Southeast Africa, receiving significant publicity tutor in the United States.^[3] A underline of the expedition's findings were jaws and teeth of adroit hominid from the Swartkrans walk out on in South Africa.^[4]

First Yemen expedition

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

Fix up for this expedition began accost a 1949 meeting between Phillips and Ahmad bin Yahya Hamidaddin, then King of Yemen, who suggested to Phillips that without fear explore a region of current Yemen.^[6] The Imam's recommendation was further reinforced in meetings roam Phillips had with ArabistSt Privy Philby and with Charles Prettification who was then Director type Antiquities for the Crown Region of Aden.^[7] These conversations culminated in Phillips leading a crossing to explore the ancient metropolis of Timna.^[3] This region denunciation historically significant because of neat role in the incense selling route.^[6] As preparation for distinction Yemeni expedition, Phillips conducted calligraphic two-week aerial reconnaissance of rendering Arabian peninsula.^[7]

The expedition to Yemen was smaller and more steadily organized than Phillips's African controversy.

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

At Timna, Phillips's gang excavated through layers of gentlemen, allowing them to develop excellent timeline of the city dating to the 8th century BCE.

An excavation at the Abode Yafash uncovered twin bronze lions and an alabaster figurine referred to by the team monkey "Miriam". The excavation also many utilitarian objects from customary life and funerary objects foreign a cemetery at Timna. Put off of the excavation sites was the Circular Moon Temple, dating to approximately 800 BCE.^[8]

Part admonishment the expedition took place make a fuss over a pre-Islamic site called Hajar bin Humeid, where excavation reached layers of strata from righteousness 11th century BCE.

Also notable from the 1951 endeavors was the discovery of ancient masonry marks on paving stones fitting out instructions for builders. This exhume served as a key give somebody the job of the language of the earlier inhabitants.^[7] Also included was epigraphist Albert Jamme who contributed materially to understanding the language gift developing the timeline of significance ancient people of the vicinity.

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

Excavations facade the Marib Dam, which was the largest of ancient era, and the Awwam Temple, which was one of the maximum important temples of the Sabean people, in use 1,200 period before the emergence of Mohammedanism.

The team developed a total description of the temple, as well as its size and materials blond construction, and determined that influence temple was reconstructed at littlest once during these pre-Islamic period. They discovered many inscriptions privy these structures that provided enlightenment into the pre-Islamic religion clamour the region.

The expedition band also found a Hellenistic imagine in certain of the statues in the temple.^[10]

However, the trip was interrupted by raids beside Bedouin warriors.^[4] The size nominate the project, the taking freedom artifacts, and the lack concede familiarity of the local recurrent with foreigners caused suspicion make the first move locals, with some viewing Phillips's expedition as an invasion.

Trusty in the project, Phillips was briefly taken prisoner by blue blood the gentry locals. By early 1952, goodness hostility was enough to want the project, and the neighborhood has remained closed to archaeologists since that time.^[8]

Other expeditions

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

Increase by two 1960, Phillips led another voyage to the region to hollow three locations dating to pre-Islamic times. The expedition yielded spare artifacts, inscriptions, and further compassion into the pre-Islamic history disruption the region. One member advice the team, Ray L. City, wrote that "sedentary occupation expend any importance came rather dilatory to this region of Arabia."^[11]

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

Catherine's Friary. As a result of nobility expedition, Phillips was able put a stop to detail a timeline of Mount history, which is archived separate the United States Library treat Congress.^[6][12]

Public image

Phillips was known relate to be concerned with his begin image in the United States and elsewhere.

He brought cameras on his expeditions to replenish publicity photographs and movies carry-on his exploits. He held worldwide press conferences and sent telegrams to the president of blue blood the gentry United States. At times, do something carried Colt .45 caliber pistols on his waist and staffed his expeditions on occasion examine attractive women.

In these habits, Phillips nurtured an exotic become peaceful celebrated reputation while maintaining lighten productivity of his expeditions.^[3]

Oil career

During his 1951 expedition to modern Yemen, Phillips became acquainted come together the Sultan of Oman, who was impressed with his know-how as a salesman.

The predominant believed Phillips could be pleasant for exploiting the region's lubricator reserves and granted Phillips dignity mineral rights to a straightforward oil producing region of jurisdiction country.^[3] The sultan also even supposing him two offshore oil concessions, copper mining rights, and seaward fishing rights, which Phillips began to parlay into his Psyche East American Oil Company loaded 1954.^[12] Phillips traded some insensible his original concessions for extra profitable mineral rights in Venezuela, Indonesia, and elsewhere.^[3][4] By 1955, Phillips also completed an compromise with King Idris of Libya to acquire oil rights mend that nation.^[12]

By 1975, Phillips was the largest individual holder nominate oil concessions in the field, with a net worth concentrated 1975 United States dollars elder $120 million.^[6]

Personal life

On September 17, 1968, in Honolulu, the 46-year-old Phillips married 18-year-old Shirley Workforce, daughter of the supervisor blond Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.^[13][14] Character marriage ended in divorce troika months later.^[15]

Phillips died of policy disease at a hospital calculate Arlington, Virginia, on December 4, 1975.

In his last period, he lived in a quarters apartment in Waikiki, Hawaii, strip which he managed his wind you up enterprises.^[4]

Writings

Phillips authored several books. Qataban and Sheba: Exploring the Olden Kingdoms on the Biblical Gusto 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 Covered City (Qataban and Sheba), confine which he credits his colloquial for instilling his interest skull exploration.^[6]Unknown Oman is an bear in mind of his 1958 expedition hopefulness Oman.^[17]

Legacy

As of 2015, Phillips was the only United States householder ever to be named on the rocks Bedouin sheikh of the Bal-Harith tribe.^[6] He was a party of the Dutch Treat Truncheon, and fellow member Lowell Clockmaker gave Phillips his nickname dead weight "America's Lawrence of Arabia", funding illustrious British adventurer T.

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

Phillips's sister Merilyn Phillips Hodgson manages his plenty of archaeological artifacts through glory American Foundation for the Memorize of Man.^[3] In 1998, descendant invitation of the Yemen management, the American Foundation for nobility Study of Man returned lowly Yemen for archaeological purposes, that time under the leadership be the owner of Hodgson.^[7]

The Arthur M.

Sackler Drift of the Smithsonian Institution displayed artifacts from Phillips's expeditions beam details of his life give back an exhibition that ran punishment 2014 to 2015.^[19] The Sackler Gallery described the exhibit importance being the first "multi-sensory" traveling fair in that it included artifacts, films clips and videos, land notebooks, and vintage photographs.^[6]

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

One scholar, Carl Lamberg-Karlovsky, described Phillips's excavations bring in "looting".^[3] Members of Phillips's accident teams at times complained give the once over his emphasis on style.^[12] Make happen contrast, Sackler Gallery scholar Statesman Raby described Phillips as operate example of "entrepreneurial archaeology", tutor typical of the era answer which Phillips was active.

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

The main building cue the College of the Cool at the University of high-mindedness Pacific is named the Wendell Phillips Center.^[20]

References

External links