author
James Schoenwetter
1935–2015
An archaeologist and teacher who helped make the science of dating the past understandable, he spent decades studying how pollen can reveal ancient environments and human activity. His work connected field archaeology, ecology, and careful lab research in ways that shaped Southwestern archaeology.
1 Audiobook
How Old Is It? The Story of Dating in Archeaology
by James Schoenwetter
About the author
James Schoenwetter was an American archaeologist and anthropology professor whose career was closely tied to Arizona State University. Born on January 2, 1935, he earned his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in 1967, joined the ASU faculty that same year, and later became Professor Emeritus after retiring in 2000.
His research focused on prehistoric cultural ecology, archaeological method, and especially palynology—the study of pollen. Through ASU's anthropology palynology lab, he and his students used pollen evidence to reconstruct past landscapes, climates, and patterns of human land use, with projects ranging across the American Southwest and beyond.
Schoenwetter also wrote for general readers, including How Old Is It? The Story of Dating in Archaeology, a clear introduction to the ways archaeologists figure out the age of sites and artifacts. He died on August 22, 2015, at age 80, and is remembered for bringing together scientific precision, interdisciplinary thinking, and a gift for explanation.