Weidenreich, Franz [key], 1873–1948, German anatomist and physical anthropologist. He was educated at the universities of Munich, Kiel, Berlin, and Strasbourg. In 1921 he became professor of anatomy at the Univ. of Heidelberg; his work there stimulated his interest in anthropology and laid the groundwork for his later achievements in that field. Weidenreich was (1928–35) professor of anthropology at the Univ. of Frankfurt and worked (1935) on the excavation and study of Sinanthropus fossils from caves near Beijing (Peking), China. Later he was associated with the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. He is known for his descriptions of Peking man (Homo erectus; described by Weidenreich as Sinanthropus pekinensis) in 1943 and of Solo man (H. erectus soloensis) in 1948. His most famous work, The Skull of Sinanthropus Pekinensis, was published by the Geological Survey of China in 1943.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Anthropology: Biographies
