Jonathan Haas has been working in anthropology and archaeology for more than 35 years. He specializes in political anthropology with a particular focus on the origins and evolution of political systems from their roots in the ancient past. His interests include the origins of warfare and the development of early stages of government. He has conducted extensive archaeological fieldwork in the southwestern United States as well as in Peru, where he is now investigating the very beginnings of civilization in South America in the 3rd millennium B.C.

Haas has also published on the role of anthropology museums in the contemporary world, and The Ancient Americas exhibition represents a broad implementation of his vision for using The Field Museum's magnificent collections to provide new insights into the world around us. A major part of this effort is to tear down the barriers that separate the visitor from the cultures on display, and to show the common humanity of all cultures across time and space.

Dr. Jonathan Haas Interview
"The Ancient Americas offers a wonderful opportunity to present the latest findings and insights of over a century of archaeological research from throughout the Western Hemisphere. In this exhibition we tell the phenomenal story of 15,000 years of human creativity, innovation, and success from the time of the first peoples in the Americas to the empires of the Aztecs and Inca. This is a story, not of "progress," but of people interacting with their neighbors and the natural environment, and adapting to the changing world around them."

To learn more about Dr. Haas's research on why ancient peoples went to war, check out The Ancient Americas Warfare Video.

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