Archaeologist: Dr. Fredrik Hiebert

Transcription

1 ProfileArticle Archaeologist: Dr. Fredrik Hiebert Real-world geography. Explore cool careers. For the complete profile with media resources, visit: By National Geographic Education Staff Friday, September 9, 2011 Fred is an archaeologist. He mostly studies ancient trade routes, such as the Silk Road, a network that stretched from China to Europe. He also leads underwater archaeology projects, such as searching for evidence of prehistoric settlements on land that is now beneath the Black Sea. Another part of Fred s job is putting together exhibits of archaeological discoveries for museums and other venues. I am lucky enough to have two interesting jobs, Fred says. I m a field archaeologist as well as a museum curator. EARLY WORK Fred has a strong background in both archaeology and education. After earning a PhD from Harvard University, he spent 10 years as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania before joining the National Geographic Society as its archaeology fellow. Although Fred s early work mostly focused on trade routes, he has since studied civilizations and artifacts from places as diverse as Lake Titicaca, Peru; Athens, Greece; and Kabul, Afghanistan. 1 of 7

2 MOST EXCITING PART OF YOUR WORK Being an educator. MOST DEMANDING PART OF YOUR WORK Fundraising and making a sales pitch to a general public that has now decided that science isn t interesting. One of Fred s projects for 2012 involves studying the ancient Maya. Many people immediately react to the doomsday Mayan calendar date of 2012 instead of the rich, varied culture, he says. That s a misreading of the calendar, by the way! The Mayan calendar doesn t end, and there is no doomsday. But the reality is better! Fred says. HOW DO YOU DEFINE GEOGRAPHY? Fred defines geography as the ability to identify regions and put them in context in terms of conflict, history, and culture. The need for geographic literacy is one of the reasons I left U-Penn. In October 2001, I gave a map quiz on Central Asia in my seminar on the Silk Road. I realized a lot of my students couldn t find Iraq or Afghanistan on a map. Here we [the U.S.] were in two major conflicts, and these smart college kids didn t know where these places were. I felt like I was wasting what I know. I realized this needs to be an educational experience for the public. GEO-CONNECTION Fred is enthusiastic about bringing educational experiences to the public, and doesn t limit himself to traditional venues like schools or museums. Fred explains one recent exhibit that brought rare treasures to Singapore and Oman. 2 of 7

3 We just finished a small exhibit on the maritime Silk Road in Arabia and Asia. Well, a lot of people don t go to museums in Southeast Asia. So we have this selfcontained exhibit in malls and parking lots! Thousands of people go to malls in Singapore, and so thousands of people were able to see this marvelous exhibit. Fred also worked with Lucasfilm, the film studio of Star Wars and Indiana Jones producer George Lucas, to develop the exhibit Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology. The exhibit links the fictional quests of Indiana Jones to real-life archaeological sites and discoveries. Lucasfilm provides video clips of the swashbuckling archaeologist hero, as well as movie memorabilia. National Geographic and the Penn Museum provide the archaeological treasures, including gold artifacts from the royal cemetery at Ur; intricately decorated bowls from Nazca, Peru; and one of the world s oldest winemaking presses, unearthed in Armenia. An entire generation was inspired to take Archaeology 101 by Indiana Jones, Fred says. Even though he has discovered valuable artifacts, Fred is quick to note, We don t actually search for treasure. We search for knowledge that s our real gold. That search for knowledge is the other part of Fred s job field archaeology. It has taken him all over the world. His most well-known exhibit is probably Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul. Fred did most of his archaeological work in Afghanistan in 2003, during a lull in the conflict there. I could actually walk to work, he remembers. Fred has gone from walking across deserts to diving hundreds of meters beneath the Black Sea in search of ancient civilizations. Fred and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard worked together to compare topographic and bathymetric maps of the coast and seafloor. Doing underwater research, they were not surprised to find evidence of shipwrecks. We found this shipwreck down there. We thought it was the wreck of a modern boat, but it ended up being Byzantine! Fred says. The structure was so similar, that really surprised us. Fred has also worked on underwater projects in Lake Titicaca, Peru, and Lake 3 of 7

4 Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. His newest proposal has taken him to Greece, where he s developing an exhibit with the government. SO, YOU WANT TO BE AN... ARCHAEOLOGIST There is a lack of broad generalists in our field, Fred says. He strongly encourages students to have a liberal arts background. GET INVOLVED Fred encourages families to visit museums, outdoor parks, and historic exhibits or demonstrations. Vocabulary Term ancient adjective very old. having to do with the study of ancient people and archaeologicaladjective cultures. archaeologist person who studies artifacts and lifestyles of ancient cultures. archaeology study of human history, based on material remains. artifact material remains of a culture, such as tools, clothing, or food. bathymetric representation of spatial information displaying depth map underwater. Byzantine having to do with the Eastern Roman Empire (also called adjective the Byzantine Empire), which flourished from cemetery place for burying the dead. civilization complex way of life that developed as humans began to develop urban settlements. coast edge of land along the sea or other large body of water. conflict a disagreement or fight, usually over ideas or procedures. context set of facts having to do with a specific event or situation. 4 of 7

5 Term culture learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods. curator person who designs, assembles, and manages an exhibit at a museum or other cultural center. desert area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year. diverse adjective varied or having many different types. doomsday adjective, date on which a disaster or the end of the world is predicted to take place. education process of acquiring knowledge and critical-thinking skills. enthusiastic adjective excited. evidence data that can be measured, observed, examined, and analyzed to support a conclusion. exhibit display, often in a museum. pre-eminent explorers and scientists collaborating with Explorer-in- the National Geographic Society to make groundbreaking Residence discoveries that generate critical scientific information, conservation-related initiatives and compelling stories. fiction media, such as books or films, that are imaginative and not true stories. film studio industrial center where movies are filmed and produced. general public large population, not identified by demographic factors such as skills, income, or ethnicity. generation group in a species made up of members that are roughly the same age. geography study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. history study of the past. Indiana Jones series of movies (named after the main character). intricate adjective very detailed and complex. liberal arts wide-ranging course of study including the arts and social sciences. lull calm or still wind. 5 of 7

6 Term map symbolic representation of selected characteristics of a place, usually drawn on a flat surface. maritime adjective having to do with the ocean. marvelous adjective fascinating. Maya people and culture native to southeastern Mexico and Central America. memorabilia souvenirs, or objects associated with a specific collection or set of memories. museum space where valuable works of art, history, or science are kept for public view. National Geographic Fellow experts who provide the National Geographic Society with consultation on projects, education and outreach, and environmental and public policy. National (1888) organization whose mission is "Inspiring people to Geographic care about the planet." Society PhD (doctor of philosophy) highest degree offered by most graduate schools. prehistoric period of time that occurred before the invention of adjective written records. professor highest-ranking teacher at a college or university. rare adjective unusual or uncommon. region any area on Earth with one or more common characteristics. Regions are the basic units of geography. (1942-present) oceanographer and National Geographic Robert Ballard Explorer-in-Residence. royal adjective having to do with a monarchy. seafloor surface layer of the bottom of the ocean. settlement community or village. shipwreck remains of a sunken marine vessel. Silk Road ancient trade route through Central Asia linking China and the Mediterranean Sea. swashbucklingadjective daring and adventurous. 6 of 7

7 Term having to do with maps based on natural and humanmade topographic features of the land, and marked by contour lines adjective showing elevation. trade route path followed by merchants or explorers to exchange goods and services. venue location of an event. Articles & Profiles National Geographic Explorers: Fredrik Hiebert, Archaeologist National Geographic Kids: Interview with Fredrik Hiebert, Archaeologist and NG Explorer Interactives National Geographic Society: Afghanistan Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology National Geographic Society. All rights reserved. 7 of 7