Anna Curtenius Roosevelt facts for kids

Anna Curtenius Roosevelt was born in 1946. She is an American archaeologist and a special professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois Chicago. She studies how humans have changed over time and how people have interacted with their environment for many years.

Anna Roosevelt is one of the top American archaeologists who studies early people, called Paleoindians, in the Amazon rainforest. She has made important discoveries at places like Marajo Island and Caverna da Pedra Pintada in Brazil. She has also done research in the Congo Basin in Africa. She is the great-granddaughter of former United States President Theodore Roosevelt.

Becoming an Archaeologist

Anna Roosevelt became interested in archaeology when she was nine years old. Her mother inspired her through books and a trip to Mesa Verde, a famous archaeological site.

Her Education

Roosevelt finished high school at Foxcroft School in Virginia in 1964. She then went to Stanford University, graduating in 1968 with degrees in History, Classics, and Anthropology. In 1977, she earned her Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University.

Her Career Journey

From 1975 to 1985, Anna Roosevelt worked as a curator at the Museum of the American Indian. A curator is someone who manages and takes care of a museum's collections. She was also a guest curator at the American Museum of Natural History from 1985 to 1989. Later, she became a curator of archaeology at the Field Museum of Natural History. Her early research took her to the Andes mountains in Peru, and then to Mexico and Venezuela. Today, she is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Discoveries on Marajo Island

Praia de São João - Marajó Island

In 1991, Anna Roosevelt published a book about her work on Marajo Island in Brazil during the 1980s. This island is near the mouth of the Amazon River. It holds clues about the ancient pre-Columbian people who lived there.

Challenging Old Ideas

Before Roosevelt's work, many people thought the Amazon rainforest was a "counterfeit paradise." This meant they believed it couldn't support large, complex human societies. However, Roosevelt's team used special tools, like ground-penetrating radar, to study the land without digging. They also did excavations.

Her research showed that the ancient Marajoara culture on the island was very advanced. It had a large population, a big territory, and used advanced farming methods. They also built public works, like large mounds. These findings proved that the Amazon could support complex societies. Her discoveries have led to many discussions and new research in South American archaeology.

Secrets of Painted Rock Cave

From 1990 to 1992, Anna Roosevelt led excavations at the Painted Rock Cave (Caverna da Pedra Pintada) in Brazil. This cave is famous for its ancient rock paintings, which include handprints, human and animal figures, and geometric shapes.

Ancient Art and Life

Scientists believe these paintings are some of the oldest art in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt's research found evidence that people lived in the Amazon much earlier than previously thought, possibly twice as long ago.

For about 1,000 years, around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago, early humans used this cave. They left behind unique spear points and evidence that they brought plant seeds from far away. These people lived differently from the earliest known big-game hunters in the Americas. Instead, they relied on the rivers and forests for food.

Oldest Pottery in the Americas

Roosevelt's team also found pottery at the site that was about 7,500 years old. This makes it the oldest, or one of the oldest, pottery discoveries in the Americas. Her findings suggested that scientists needed to rethink how humans first moved into the Americas and how civilizations developed in the Amazon.

Current Research

Anna Roosevelt continues her field work in Brazil. Recently, she has been exploring underwater sites in the middle Xingu River. She is looking for signs of early people in the areas between the Amazon's rivers.

She has also started researching in the African Congo Basin. Her archaeological work there focuses on sites where people lived before they started using pottery. These sites are in Bayanga, in the southwestern Central African Republic.

Awards and Honors

Anna Roosevelt has received many awards for her important work.

• She was chosen as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• She received the Explorers Medal and the Gold Medal from the Society of Woman Geographers.
• Brazil honored her with the Order of Rio Branco and the Bettendorf Medal.
• In 1988, she received a special five-year fellowship from the MacArthur Fellows Program, which is given to talented individuals.
• She has also received honorary doctorates from Mount Holyoke College and Northeastern University.
• In 2012, she was recognized with the University Scholar and Distinguished Professor awards from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
• Her research has been supported by grants from many organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Fulbright Commission.

Family Connections

Anna Roosevelt is the daughter of Quentin Roosevelt II and Frances Blanche Webb. Her grandfather was General Theodore Roosevelt Jr.. Her great-grandfather was the 26th United States President, Theodore Roosevelt. Her sisters are Susan Roosevelt Weld and Alexandra Roosevelt Dworkin.

See also

In Spanish: Anna Curtenius Roosevelt para niños