Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963

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Kidder was an archaeologist who excavated sites in the Southwest. He became a member of the Advisory Board for the Laboratory of Anthropology in 1927.

From the description of Alfred Vincent Kidder Pecos papers, 1915-1935. (Museum of New Mexico Library). WorldCat record id: 37992640

Kidder was an archaeologist who excavated sites in the southwest. He became a member of the Advisory Board for the Laboratory of Anthropology in 1927.

From the description of Alfred Vincent Kidder, Cannonball and McElmo Canyon site records, [1908?]. (Museum of New Mexico Library). WorldCat record id: 37992641

Alfred V. Kidder was an archaeologist and conducted excavations in the southwestern United States. He and Neil Merton Jedd, also an archaeologist, were colleagues and friends.

From the description of Correspondence, 1920-1962 : with Neil Merton Judd. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122364917

Born in 1885, Alfred Vincent Kidder received both the A.B.(1908) and the Ph.D. (1914) from Harvard. His Ph.D. in archaeology was the first effective application of pottery typology to the problem of prehistory in the American Southwest. From 1927 to 1950, Kidder was research associate and chairman of the Division of Historical Research at the Carnegie Institute. He was also a member of the faculty of the Peabody Museum at Harvard University from 1939-1950. Kidder died in 1963.

From the description of Papers of Alfred Vincent Kidder, 1896-1963 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76977306

Born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on October 25, 1885, Alfred V. Kidder enjoyed an outstanding education. As a student at elite prep schools in Cambridge and Boston, Mass., and Switzerland, he entered Harvard, where a childhood interest in Indians blossomed into a profession when he was introduced to the formal study of anthropology. After receiving his bachelors in 1908, he became one of the first Americans to receive a doctorate in archaeology in 1914, working on the pottery of the Southwest.

Working at the Phillips Academy, Andover, until 1929 (primarily on the site at Pecos dekl Arroyo), and thereafter as Chair of the Division of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution, Kidder's interests remained centered on the Southwest. In addition to the Pecos site in New Mexico, he made valuable contributions to the archaeology of Mesoamerica through the Carnegie, coordinating excavations of Mayan sites at Chichen Itza and Uaxactun in Yucatan and Kaminaljuya in Guatemala. Although he was often denigrated by critics in the profession for being too little concerned with synthesizing the abundant data he collected in the field and for reaching too limited conclusions, many of his conclusions on the classification of southwestern basketry, for instance, endured for many years. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1934, and the American Anthropological Association named an award for eminence in New World archaeology in his honor in the early 1950s.

Kidder retired from the Carnegie in 1950, teaching briefly at the University of California before retiring to his home in Cambridge. He died on June 11, 1963, leaving behind his wife, Madeleine, whom he married in 1910, and five children.

From the guide to the Alfred Vincent Kidder Papers, 1920-1962, (American Philosophical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology (Museum of New Mexico). Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology archives, 1927-[ongoing]. Museum of New Mexico Library
referencedIn Stuart, George E. George E. Stuart collection of archaeological and other materials, 1733-2006. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Miscellaneous documents concerning American slavery, 1803-1863 and undated. Houghton Library
creatorOf Kidder family papers, 1797-1974 (bulk 1862-1919) Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Frank G. Speck papers, 1903-1950 American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Alfred Vincent Kidder, Cannonball and McElmo Canyon site records, [1908?]. Museum of New Mexico Library
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred. [Letter to Walter Kidder about 1868 fire in Marquette] / Fred. Marquette County Historical Society
referencedIn John Alden Mason papers, 1911-1967 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Boaz Long Files concerning the History of the School of American Research, 1930-1962 University of New Mexico. University Libraries
referencedIn Elsie Clews Parsons papers, 1880-1980 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Sitio Conte, Panama expedition records, 1929-1970, 1939-1942 (bulk) University of Pennsylvania: Penn Museum Archives
creatorOf Robina, Ricardo de, 1919-. Ricardo de Robina papers, circa 1946-1960 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Mark Anthony De Wolfe Howe additional papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Kidder family photographs, 1864-circa 1955 Massachusetts Historical Society
creatorOf Morss, Noel, 1904-1981. Noel Morss papers, 1927-1980 Peabody Museum Archives, Harvard University
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Papers of Alfred Vincent Kidder, 1896-1963 (inclusive). Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Morris, Earl Halstead, 1889-1956. Earl Halstead Morris papers, 1923-1930. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
creatorOf Proskouriakoff, Tatiana, 1909-1985. The Alfred Vincent Kidder Award for Achievement in American Archaeology [realia / designed by Tatiana Prosouriakoff]. Harvard University, Tozzer Library
referencedIn William N. Fenton papers, 1933-2001 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn American Council of Learned Societies Committee on Native American Languages, American Philosophical Society, 1882-1958 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1874-1941. Papers, [ca. 1882]-1978. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn William N. Fenton papers, 1933-2001 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Leslie A. White Papers, 1921-1974 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Alfred Vincent Kidder Pecos papers, 1915-1935. Museum of New Mexico Library
referencedIn Tax, Sol (1907-1995). Sol Tax papers, 1923-1989 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
referencedIn Davenport, Charles Benedict, 1866-1944. Charles Benedict Davenport papers, 1874-1944. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Notes of 1923 exploration : New Mexico + Arizona ; Notes on ruins 21-31 given to J.O. Brew when Awatovi excav. being planned / A.V. Kidder. Peabody Museum Archives, Harvard University
creatorOf Alfred Vincent Kidder papers, 1920-1962 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn John Alden Mason papers, 1904-1967 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1875-1941. Papers, 1835-1944. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Harvard University Archives Photograph Collection: Portraits, ca. 1852-ca. 2004 Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Langford, George, 1876-1964. George Langford papers, 1916-1964. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Papers of J.O.Seth and Oliver Seth, 1947-1963 School for Advanced Research
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Correspondence to Van Wyck Brooks, 1933-1938. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn George G. Heye autograph collection, 1886-1928 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Library. Records of the Library, 1884-1984 Peabody Museum Archives, Harvard University
referencedIn George Sarton additional papers, 1901-1956 Houghton Library
referencedIn Kenneth M. Chapman collection, 1848-1968 (bulk 1928-1968) Fray Angélico Chávez History Library, New Mexico History Museum.
creatorOf Proskouriakoff, Tatiana, 1909-1985. The Alfred Vincent Kidder Award for Achievement in American Archaeology [piece mold / designed by Tatiana Prosouriakoff]. Tozzer Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf White, Leslie A., 1900-1975. Leslie A. White papers, 1921-1974. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn American Council of Learned Societies Committee on Native American Languages, American Philosophical Society [ACLS Collection], 1853, 1882-1959 American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. Correspondence, 1920-1962 : with Neil Merton Judd. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Du Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni), 1835-1903. Paul B. Du Chaillu letters [manuscript], 1894-1899. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Moorehead, Warren King, 1866-1939. Warren King Moorehead papers, 1875-1939 Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Kidder, Alfred V. Chaco Research Archive
Relation Name
associatedWith Ablon, Joan person
associatedWith Alfred V. Kidder Award Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith American Council of Learned Societies. Committee on Native American Languages. corporateBody
associatedWith Boas, Franz, 1858-1942 person
associatedWith Davenport, Charles Benedict, 1866-1944. person
associatedWith Du Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni), 1835-1903. person
associatedWith Fenton, William N. (William Nelson), 1908-2005 person
associatedWith George G.(George Gustav), Heye 1874-1957. person
associatedWith Guthe, Carl E. (Carl Eugen), 1893-1974. person
associatedWith Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith Heye, George G. (George Gustav), 1874-1957. person
correspondedWith Howe, M. A. De Wolfe (Mark Antony De Wolfe), 1864-1960 person
associatedWith Judd, Neil Merton, 1887-1976 person
associatedWith Kelly, Isabel T. (Isabel Truesdell), b. 1906. person
associatedWith Kidder family. family
associatedWith Kidder family. family
associatedWith Kidder, Walter. person
associatedWith Langford, George, 1876-1964. person
associatedWith Long, Boaz W. (Walton), 1876-1962 person
associatedWith Mason, John Alden, 1885-1967. person
associatedWith Moorehead, Warren King, 1866-1939. person
associatedWith Morley, Sylvanus Griswold, 1883-1948. person
associatedWith Morris, Earl Halstead, 1889-1956. person
associatedWith Morss, Noel, 1904-1981. person
associatedWith Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology (Museum of New Mexico) corporateBody
associatedWith National Geographic Society (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1874-1941. person
associatedWith Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Proskouriakoff, Tatiana, 1909-1985. person
associatedWith Robina, Ricardo de, 1919- person
correspondedWith Sarton, George, 1884-1956 person
associatedWith Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950. person
associatedWith Stuart, George E. person
associatedWith White, Leslie A., 1900-1975. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
McElmo Canyon (Colo.)
Chaco Canyon (N.M.)
Yellow Jacket Site (Colo.)
Colorado
Hovenweep National Monument (Utah and Colo.)
New Mexico
United States
Cannonball Ruin (Colo.)
Southwest, New
New Mexico
Pecos National Monument (N.M.)
Chaco Canyon (N.M.)
San Juan Basin (N.M. and Colo.)
Subject
Anthropology
Anthropology publishing
Archaeological surveying
Archaeology
Chaco Canyon (N.M.)
Excavations (Archaeology)
Excavations (Archeology)
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Pueblo Bonito (N.M.)
Pueblo Indians
Pueblos
Southwest, New
Occupation
Activity

Person

Active 1797

Active 1957

Birth 1885-10-29

Death 1963-06-11

Americans

English

Information

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