Sylvanus Morley
| Sylvanus Griswold Morley | |
|---|---|
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| Born | June 7, 1883 Chester, Pennsylvania |
| Died | September 2, 1948 (aged 65) Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Residence | United States; Mexico |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Anthropologist and Mayanist scholar (archaeology, epigraphy) |
| Institutions | • School of American Archaeology (1907–13) • Carnegie Institution of Washington (1913–40) • SAR and Museum of New Mexico (1946–48, director) |
| Alma mater | • Pennsylvania Military College (1904, civ. eng.) • Harvard (1907 AB; 1908 MA) |
| Known for | •Maya region archaeology and directorship of Carnegie programs • research on Maya calendar and inscriptions • "Old Empire" theory of Classic-era Maya polities • excavations at Chichen Itza • popular writings in archaeology • World War I espionage |
Sylvanus Griswold Morley (June 7, 1883 – September 2, 1948) was an American archaeologist, epigrapher, and Mayanist scholar who made significant contributions toward the study of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the early 20th century.
Morley made extensive excavations of the Maya site of Chichen Itza that he directed on behalf of the Carnegie Institution. He also published several large compilations and treatises on Maya hieroglyphic writing, and wrote popular accounts on the Maya for a general audience.
To his contemporaries, "Vay" Morley was one of the leading Mesoamerican archaeologists of his day. Although more recent developments in the field have resulted in a re-evaluation of his theories and works, his publications, particularly on calendric inscriptions, are still cited. In his role as director of various projects sponsored by the Carnegie Institution, he oversaw and encouraged many others who later established notable careers in their own right. His commitment and enthusiasm for Maya studies helped inspire the necessary sponsorship for projects that would ultimately reveal much about ancient Maya civilization.
Morley also conducted espionage in Mexico on behalf of the United States during World War I, but the scope of those activities only came to light well after his death. His archaeological field work in Mexico and Central America provided suitable cover for investigating German activities and anti-American activity at the behest of the United States' Office of Naval Intelligence.
Morley was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the eldest of six children. His father, Colonel Benjamin F. Morley, was at the time vice-president and professor of chemistry, mathematics and tactics at Pennsylvania Military College (PMC). His mother Sarah also had a connection with the college, where her father Felix de Lannoy had been a professor of Modern Languages. Felix (Sylvanus' maternal grandfather) was an immigrant to the United States from newly independent Belgium, where his father had been a judge in the Belgian Supreme Court.
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