Bruseth, Jim

Dr. Jim Bruseth of Austin is a professional archaeologist and has been active in the field of archaeology for 45 years.  He is a member and former treasurer of the Society for American Archaeology, member and former national Grievance Coordinator for the Register of Professional Archaeologists, and member of the Society for Historical Archaeology, the Texas Archeological Society, and the Texas State Historical Association.. In addition, he is a board member of the Summerlee Foundation.  Bruseth received a Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of New Orleans and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in anthropology from Southern Methodist University. While serving as the Archaeology Division Director at the Texas Historical Commission, he directed the excavation of La Belle, a shipwreck belonging to the French explorer La Salle that wrecked in 1684 along the Texas coast. The excavation gained international attention and was highlighted in publications such as National Geographic, the New York Times, and Smithsonian Magazine.  He has written several books and papers on archaeology. His 2005 book From a Watery Grave (coauthored with his wife Toni Turner) recounts the discovery and excavation of La Belle; the book won two national awards.  His newest book, titled La Belle: The Archaeology of a Seventeenth-Century Ship of New World Colonization (co-edited with Amy Borgens, Brad Jones, and Penelope Ray), won the 2017 Keith Muckelroy Memorial Award from the international Nautical Archaeology Society.

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