Ruth DeEtte Simpson facts for kids

Ruth DeEtte Simpson (born May 6, 1918 – died January 19, 2000) was an American archaeologist. An archaeologist is a scientist who studies human history by digging up and examining old objects and sites. Ruth Simpson also started an important group called the Archaeological Survey Association of Southern California.

Who Was Ruth Simpson?

Ruth Simpson was born in Pasadena, California. She loved learning and went to the University of Southern California. In 1944, she earned her master's degree there. This means she studied a lot and became an expert in her field.

Her Work as a Curator

After finishing her studies, Ruth worked at several museums. For two years, she was a curator at the Heard Museum in Arizona. A curator is someone who takes care of a museum's collections. They organize, preserve, and display artifacts.

From 1946 to 1964, she worked as a curator at the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in Los Angeles. Later, she became a county archaeologist for the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands.

Exploring the Mojave Desert

Ruth Simpson spent a lot of her time doing fieldwork. This means she went out to different places to dig and find ancient objects. She mostly worked in the Mojave Desert. This is a large, dry area in the southwestern United States.

One of her most famous projects was at the Calico Early Man Site. Here, she worked with a famous archaeologist named Louis Leakey. They explored this site to learn about early humans who might have lived there a very long time ago.

Important Groups She Joined

Ruth Simpson was also a member of several important groups for archaeologists. She was part of the American Anthropologist Association. She was also a member of the Society of American Archaeology. These groups help archaeologists share their discoveries and learn from each other.