Tribute to Bill Solheim in Antiquity

The journal Antiquity has a tribute to the late Bill Solheim written by Prof Miriam Stark of the University of Hawaii.

Dr Wilhelm G. Solheim II
Appreciation by Miriam Stark

Wilhelm G. ‘Bill’ Solheim II affected most Southeast Asian archaeologists trained from the 1960s to the 2000s in one way or another. That most of us did not study under his tutelage was no matter to him; he knew many of us, and treated all with warmth and collegiality. Jack Golson and Jean Kennedy (2004: 8), his colleagues and former students, noted that his “most important motive has always been an open-minded curiosity”. To that I would add his deep affection for Southeast Asia its lands, its history and its people. I once tasked Bill with discussing heritage preservation for a UH Manoa class visit more than 15 years ago. When he reached the subject of Angkor, he choked up and could not speak for a moment. After recovering his composure, he spoke fondly of the temples, the archaeologists… and the Khmers. In losing Wilhelm G. Solheim II, Southeast Asian archaeology has lost an advocate, a scholar and a friend.

Read the full piece here.