UNIVERSITY of New England Archaeologist Professor Mike Morwood who discovered a new human species, Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the ‘Hobbit’, on the island of Flores in East Indonesia has passed away.
Vice-Chancellor Jim Barber said Prof Morwood’s passion for researching indigenous peoples led to a significant discovery which changed our understanding of human evolution.
“In 2003 Professor Morwood was a leader of the team which discovered the ‘Hobbit’,” Prof Barber said.
“The discovery of the skeleton of a tiny woman, who died about 18,000 years ago, has been hailed as one of the most important finds in human evolution since the discovery of the Neandertals in the middle of the nineteenth century.
“This remarkable discovery gained Prof Morwood and his team international recognition,” he said.
During his 32-year career at UNE, Prof Morwood worked as a lecturer, senior lecturer, Associate Professor, Professor of Archaeology, and Adjunct Professor, a position he stood down from earlier this year. He died from cancer, aged 62.
His long and outstanding contribution to scholarship included research in the fields of human dispersal and evolution, culture contact and change, Aboriginal rock art and Ethnoarchaeology.
Emeritus Professor Iain Davidson said Prof Morwood’s work was characterised by his single-minded pursuit of interesting research questions and by his engagement of students in that research.
“He often spoke of teaching as being principally about inspiring people with the wonder of the archaeological story,” Emeritus Professor Davidson said.
“By pursuing these objectives, he inspired devotion among many students, both those of the highest quality and those less gifted. He embodied what archaeology in a University Department should be about – both creating and passing on knowledge about the past.
“It is typical, also, that he understood that the past, in this part of the world, is the past of indigenous peoples both in Australia and Indonesia, and his ability to work with them and with Indonesian scholars is testament to his humanity.
“He will be sorely missed by both colleagues and students.”
Prof Morwood is survived by his wife, Francelina, his former wife, Kathryn, a daughter and two grandchildren.
