'Ephraim George Squier' (
June 17,
1821 –
April 17,
1888) was an
American archaeologist.
Squier collaborated with Edwin H. Davis on the book, ''
Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley'', which was issued in
1848. The work was a landmark in American scientific research, the study of the prehistoric
Mound Builders of North America, and the early development of Archaeology as a scientific discipline. The book was the first volume of the
Smithsonian Institution's ''Contributions to Knowledge'' series and the Institution's first publication.
Among Squier and Davis' most important achievements was their systematic approach to analyzing and documenting the sites they surveyed, including the
Serpent Mound in Peebles,
Ohio, which they discovered in 1846, and the mapping of the Mound City Group in
Chillicothe, Ohio, which has been restored using their data and is now part of
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.
From 1846 to 1869, Squier was a diplomat, representing the United States in
Latin America. One of his accomplishments was the
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. During this time, he conducted archeological and ethonlogical studies, especially in
Honduras and
Peru.