Richard D. Hansen

Dr. Richard D. Hansen, Ph.D, is an American archaeologist and currently Chief Senior Scientist in the Institute for Mesoamerican Research in in the Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University. Dr. Hansen is a specialist on the ancient Maya and also a director of the Mirador Basin Project, which investigates the mainly unexplored territory in Petén, northern Guatemala. [ [http://weather.msfc.nasa.gov/archeology/peten.html Archeological Research in the Petén, Guatemala - NASA ] ] [ [http://www.miradorbasin.com/About/hansen.htm Mirador Basin National Monument: The Cradle of Maya Civilization ] ]

Career

Hansen is founder and president of the non-profit Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES). In December 2005 he was given the National Order of the Cultural Patrimony of Guatemala by the Guatemalan President, Oscar Berger, and in 2008 was named Environmentalist of the Year for Latin America by the Latin Trade Bravo Business award. He has published over 93 scientific papers, a book and popular articles plus another 190 professional papers in scientific conferences. He has conducted and directed archaeological research across the world from Israel, the U.S. Great Basin, the U.S. Southwest, and Central America.

Most of his achievements have been gained in the Mesoamerican region and Mayan civilizations. In 1989, discoveries by Hansen and his colleagues established the idea that ancient Maya rulers had centralized their roles far earlier than once supposed, building several massive centers with the help of commoners as early as 800 B.C. Hansen also identified data for an extensive collapse of the Preclassic Maya about A.D. 150. The Classic Maya cultural history lasted for another 600 years, ending around A.D. 850 with the collapse of the use of ceremonial centers in what are now parts of Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. [ [http://www.globalheritagefund.org/apocalypto.html Global Heritage Fund ] ]

Hansen worked as a historical consultant on the 2006 Mel Gibson film, "Apocalypto", .

Notes

External links

*worldcat id|lccn-nr92-45140
* [http://www.miradorbasin.com Mirador Basin Project] , directed by Hansen
* [http://www.fares-foundation.org Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES)] , established by Hansen
* [http://www.globalheritagefund.org/where/mirador_scroller.html Global Heritage Fund in Mirador, Guatemala]