On This Day In History: Adolph Bandelier Swiss-American Who Studied The American Indian Cultures – Born – August 6, 1840

AncientPages.com - On Aug 6, 1840,  Adolph Bandelier, a Swiss-American anthropologist famous for his studies of the American Indian cultures, was born.

Bandelier was the first historian and archaeologist to study American Indian cultures in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Peru-Bolivia.

Bandelier Kiva, Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier Kiva, Bandelier National Monument

He was one of the first to use the methodology of participant observation by living with the Indians and studying their culture, artifacts, and ruins on their land.

He followed their ancestors' migration from northern Mexico to central Mexico down the Rio Grande Valley.

Even though Bandelier was criticized for being untrained and forming premature conclusions, he proved that working and training in the field was just as effective as going to school.

With many archaeological sites, the Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico was named after him.
Bandelier died in 1914.

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