Munro Sterling Edmonson (May 18, 1924 – February 15, 2002) was an American

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

and

anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...

, renowned for his contributions to the study of

Mesoamerican languages Mesoamerican languages are the languages indigenous to the Mesoamerican cultural area, which covers southern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize and parts of Honduras and El Salvador and Nicaragua. The area is characterized by extensive linguistic ...

and

Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica. W ...

n cultural heritage. At the time of his death in 2002, Edmonson was Professor (

Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

) in Anthropology at

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. Edmonson authored a 1971 edition of the Popol Vuh entitled ''The Book of Counsel: The Popol Vuh of the Quiche Maya of Guatemala'' published by the

Middle American Research Institute The Middle American Research Institute was established at Tulane University in 1924. Mission The Middle American Research Institute seeks to study and safeguard the culture and history of the areas of Mesoamerica and lower Central America. The Ins ...

(MARI) at Tulane University in New Orleans. His edition was the first to espouse the theory of multiple Popol Vuh manuscripts. In February 2002 Edmonson died in New Orleans, at the age of 77 from an incurable

blood disease Hematology ( always spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the produc ...

.Bricker (2003, p.682)

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* 1924 births 2002 deaths American Mesoamericanists Mayanists Mesoamerican anthropologists Linguists of Mesoamerican languages Linguists from the United States Tulane University faculty 20th-century Mesoamericanists 20th-century American anthropologists {{US-linguist-stub