Renowned archaeologist Lewis Larson used his expertise to promote the value of historic preservation. According to his nephew, Jeff Larson of Mannford, Okla., “Dr. Larson felt that archaeology, as a science and an art, should be strictly about who was here before us.”
An expert in Southeastern archaeology, Larson’s dedication to historic preservation spanned over 50 years. His body of work included excavation on St. Catherines Island, Pine Harbor, Sutherland Bluff and the Sapelo Shell Ring on the Georgia Coast. In 1954, he began work on the Etowah Indian Mound site in Cartersville, and his fieldwork on Mound C provided important artifacts and knowledge on prehistoric Native Americans who lived in Georgia.
Lewis H. Larson Jr. of Carrollton died Nov. 25 of a heart attack. He was 85. The body was cremated. No service is planned. SouthCare Cremation and Funeral Society of Marietta was in charge of arrangements.
Born in 1927 in South St. Paul, Minn., Lewis Larson was a dedicated student. His nephew said Larson never graduated from high school. Instead, his studies took him straight to college. Larson graduated from the University of Minnesota, and he received his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
In 1972, Larson was appointed Georgia’s first state archaeologist. He also directed the archaeological program for the Georgia Historical Commission, was a founding member of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, and later became a permanent member of the National Register Review Board.
Larson taught at a number of universities, including Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University and Eastern Kentucky University. In 1998, he retired as professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of West Georgia.
George Stuart of Barnardsville, N.C., considered his longtime friend a mentor, though the two were not far apart in age. Stuart began his career working with Larson at the Etowah site in 1954 and was with him when two 3-foot-tall stone effigies were discovered. “I was always impressed with his methods and vast knowledge of Southeastern archaeology,” Stuart said.
According to Jeff Larson, his uncle had not kept any mementos of his work. “When you went to his home, there were no artifacts. He always believed that whatever he found belonged either to whomever put it there, or to the public. He never thought he was entitled to what he found.”
While Larson was dedicated to his craft, he did have outside interests. Jeff Larson said his uncle was a big supporter of the arts; enjoyed the opera and owned an extensive library.
In his later years, Lewis Larson’s health declined. His nephew said that he had a lung condition that caused him to use oxygen tanks for the last several months. He said that while his uncle’s mobility had become limited and he was using a wheelchair, his mind was still very sharp.
“He was a great guy; very astute,” his nephew said. “He was very adamant about his work and had a strong belief in the way things should be done.”
Longtime family friend Simon Williams of Carrollton described Larson as “a person that always tried to help people so they could have a better life.”
About the Author
