Robert Wauchope (archaeologist)

Robert Wauchope (December 10, 1909 – January 20, 1979) was an American archaeologist and anthropologist, whose academic research specialized in the prehistory and archaeology of Latin America, Mesoamerica, and the Southwestern United States.

Wauchope was born to George Armstrong Wauchope and Elizabeth Bostedo Wauchope in Columbia, South Carolina on December 10, 1909. His interest in archaeology developed early as an Eagle Scout, and upon graduating high school, he wrote Alfred V. Kidder and asked to join him on excavations at Pecos, New Mexico. Kidder accepted Robert’s request and invited him to be an assistant at the Forked Lightning Ruin site.

Robert attended the First Pecos Conference in 1927 where he met H.S. and C.B. Cosgrove, who invited him to their 1928–1929 excavations at Stallings Island, Georgia. After leaving Stallings Island, he attended the University of South Carolina where he received a bachelor's degree in English in 1931.

He enrolled at Harvard University in 1931 with his interests focused on archaeology. During 1932, Wauchope accompanied Alfred V. Kidder during excavations at Uaxactun, Guatemala. In 1938, he graduated from Harvard with a Ph.D. in anthropology, and took a job at the University of Georgia teaching anthropology courses and Southeastern prehistory. Wauchope held his position for 18 months between 1939 and 1941. He is noted for being the first archaeology professor at the University of Georgia, though his career was predominantly at Tulane University at the Middle American Research Institute.

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