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Marija Gimbutas was a Lithuanian archaeologist and anthropologist renowned for her research on Neolithic and Bronze Age European cultures, particularly her concept of "Old Europe."
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas, a distinguished Lithuanian archaeologist and anthropologist, is celebrated for her seminal contributions to the study of European Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures. Her conceptualization of "Old Europe" significantly shaped subsequent archaeological discourse.
Marija Gimbutas's parents were both academics, with her mother holding a doctorate in history and her father in literature.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Marija Gimbutas's parents were highly educated intellectuals, her mother held a doctorate in ophthalmology, and her father was a medical doctor, not in history or literature.
Marija Gimbutas was born Marija Birutė Alseikaitė on January 23, 1921.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's birth name was Marija Birutė Alseikaitė, and she was born on January 23, 1921.
Gimbutas's parents actively supported Lithuanian arts and culture, which influenced her early interest in folklore and intellectual discussions.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's parents were patrons of Lithuanian arts and culture, frequently hosting intellectuals, which fostered her early engagement with folklore and academic discourse.
Marija Gimbutas made a promise to become a renowned novelist after her father's sudden death.
Answer: False
Explanation: Following her father's sudden death, Marija Gimbutas made a solemn promise to dedicate her life to scholarship, not to become a novelist.
Marija Gimbutas married an architect named Jurgis Gimbutas in 1941.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas married Jurgis Gimbutas, who was an architect, in the year 1941.
Gimbutas and her family fled Lithuania due to the advancing Polish army during World War II.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas and her family fled Lithuania during World War II due to the escalating Soviet and German occupations, not the advancing Polish army.
After leaving Lithuania, Gimbutas's family first moved to Austria, then Italy, before settling in Germany.
Answer: False
Explanation: Following their departure from Lithuania, the Gimbutas family relocated to Vienna, then Innsbruck, before settling in Bavaria, Germany.
Gimbutas emigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1960s.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas emigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1950s, not the 1960s.
Marija Gimbutas had three daughters, all born in the United States.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas had three daughters; the first was born in Lithuania, the second in Germany, and the third in the United States.
Gimbutas completed her postgraduate studies at the Universities of Heidelberg and Munich in Germany.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas pursued her postgraduate academic work at the Universities of Heidelberg and Munich in Germany.
Marija Gimbutas's master's thesis focused on the burial practices of the Iron Age in Lithuania.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's master's thesis, completed in 1942, examined the burial practices prevalent in Lithuania during the Iron Age.
Gimbutas's doctoral dissertation was titled 'Prehistoric Burial Rites in Lithuania' and was completed at the University of Berlin.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gimbutas's doctoral dissertation was indeed titled 'Prehistoric Burial Rites in Lithuania' (Die Bestattung in Litauen in der vorgeschichtlichen Zeit), but it was completed at the University of Tübingen, not Berlin.
Marija Gimbutas's father was a historian specializing in Lithuanian medieval history.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's father was a medical doctor, not a historian specializing in Lithuanian medieval history. Her mother specialized in ophthalmology.
Gimbutas's father published a Lithuanian cultural magazine named *Vilniaus šviesa*.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's father was involved in publishing and produced the Lithuanian cultural magazine titled *Vilniaus šviesa*.
Marija Gimbutas promised her mother on her deathbed that she would become a scholar.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas made her solemn promise to become a scholar on her father's deathbed, not her mother's.
Jurgis Gimbutas, Marija's husband, was a renowned archaeologist.
Answer: False
Explanation: Jurgis Gimbutas, Marija Gimbutas's husband, was an architect, not a renowned archaeologist.
Who was Marija Gimbutas, and what was her primary area of academic focus?
Answer: A Lithuanian archaeologist and anthropologist focused on Neolithic and Bronze Age European cultures, including 'Old Europe'.
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas was a distinguished Lithuanian archaeologist and anthropologist renowned for her extensive research on Neolithic and Bronze Age European cultures, particularly her conceptualization of "Old Europe."
What was Marija Gimbutas's birth name and year of birth?
Answer: Marija Birutė Alseikaitė, 1921
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas was born Marija Birutė Alseikaitė in 1921.
How did Gimbutas's parents contribute to her intellectual development?
Answer: They hosted Lithuanian intellectuals, fostering her early exposure to folklore and academic discourse.
Explanation: Gimbutas's parents actively supported Lithuanian arts and culture, frequently hosting intellectuals, which significantly fostered her early exposure to folklore and academic discourse.
What event prompted Marija Gimbutas to commit herself to becoming a scholar?
Answer: The sudden death of her father, leading her to make a solemn promise.
Explanation: The sudden death of her father profoundly impacted Marija Gimbutas, prompting her to make a solemn promise to dedicate her life to scholarship.
Which of the following describes the circumstances that led to Gimbutas's emigration from Lithuania?
Answer: Escalating Soviet and German occupations during World War II.
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas and her family emigrated from Lithuania due to the escalating political instability and military occupations by Soviet and German forces during World War II.
What was the sequence of Gimbutas's family's movements after leaving Lithuania?
Answer: Vienna, Innsbruck, Bavaria, United States
Explanation: After departing Lithuania, the Gimbutas family's sequence of movements included Vienna, then Innsbruck, followed by Bavaria in Germany, and finally emigration to the United States.
How many daughters did Marija Gimbutas have, and where were they born?
Answer: Three daughters; one in Lithuania, one in Germany, and one in the USA.
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas was the mother of three daughters, with births occurring in Lithuania, Germany, and the United States, respectively.
Where did Marija Gimbutas undertake her postgraduate studies?
Answer: Universities of Heidelberg and Munich
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas pursued her postgraduate academic work at the Universities of Heidelberg and Munich in Germany.
What was the subject of Marija Gimbutas's doctoral dissertation?
Answer: Modes of Burial in Lithuania in the Iron Age.
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's doctoral dissertation focused on the subject of 'Modes of Burial in Lithuania in the Iron Age'.
What was the profession of Marija Gimbutas's husband, Jurgis Gimbutas?
Answer: Architect
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's husband, Jurgis Gimbutas, was a professional architect.
As a female scholar at Harvard, Gimbutas was denied access to the university library because it was reserved for male students and faculty.
Answer: True
Explanation: During her tenure as a scholar at Harvard University, Marija Gimbutas encountered institutional barriers, including being denied access to the university library due to its male-exclusive policy.
Marija Gimbutas held the position of Professor of European Archaeology and Curator of Old World Archaeology at UCLA.
Answer: True
Explanation: At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Marija Gimbutas served as Professor of European Archaeology and Indo-European Studies, and also as Curator of Old World Archaeology.
By the early 1960s, Marija Gimbutas was internationally recognized as an expert in Lithuanian folk art and Baltic prehistory.
Answer: True
Explanation: By the early 1960s, Marija Gimbutas had achieved international recognition for her expertise in Lithuanian folk art and the prehistory of the Baltic and Slavic regions, alongside her work on Bronze Age Europe.
Gimbutas challenged existing views of European prehistory by solely relying on archaeological evidence.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gimbutas challenged traditional perspectives on European prehistory by integrating insights from linguistics, ethnology, and the history of religions into her archaeological interpretations, rather than relying solely on archaeological evidence.
Marija Gimbutas directed excavations at major Neolithic sites such as Anzabegovo, Sitagroi, and Achilleion.
Answer: True
Explanation: Between 1967 and 1980, Marija Gimbutas led significant excavations at prominent Neolithic sites in southeastern Europe, including Anzabegovo in North Macedonia, and Sitagroi and Achilleion in Greece.
During her excavations, Gimbutas primarily unearthed tools made of stone and bone.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gimbutas's excavations yielded a wide array of artifacts, including those related to daily life and spiritual practices, not exclusively tools made of stone and bone.
The *Journal of Indo-European Studies (JIES)* frequently published articles by Marija Gimbutas.
Answer: True
Explanation: The *Journal of Indo-European Studies (JIES)* served as a significant platform for Marija Gimbutas, frequently publishing her scholarly articles, including those detailing her research on the "First Wave of Eurasian Steppe Pastoralists."
Before becoming a professor at UCLA, Gimbutas worked as a translator and lecturer in Anthropology.
Answer: True
Explanation: Prior to her appointment as a professor at UCLA, Marija Gimbutas engaged in professional work as a translator of archaeological texts and as a lecturer within the field of Anthropology.
What significant restriction did Gimbutas face as a scholar at Harvard University?
Answer: She was barred from using the university library, which was reserved for men.
Explanation: As a female scholar at Harvard University, Marija Gimbutas encountered significant institutional limitations, including being denied access to the university library, which was exclusively for male students and faculty.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Gimbutas was recognized internationally for her expertise in which areas?
Answer: Bronze Age Europe, Lithuanian folk art, and Baltic/Slavic prehistory.
Explanation: By the late 1950s and early 1960s, Marija Gimbutas had achieved international recognition for her expertise in Bronze Age Europe, Lithuanian folk art, and the prehistory of the Baltic and Slavic peoples.
How did Gimbutas's approach to European prehistory differ from traditional perspectives?
Answer: She incorporated insights from linguistics, ethnology, and the history of religions into her archaeological interpretations.
Explanation: Gimbutas's approach to European prehistory diverged from traditional perspectives by integrating interdisciplinary insights from linguistics, ethnology, and the history of religions into her archaeological interpretations.
Which of the following was a major Neolithic archaeological site in southeastern Europe where Gimbutas directed excavations?
Answer: Anzabegovo, North Macedonia
Explanation: Anzabegovo, located in North Macedonia, was one of the major Neolithic archaeological sites in southeastern Europe where Marija Gimbutas directed significant excavations.
The Kurgan hypothesis, proposed by Marija Gimbutas, suggests that the Proto-Indo-European language speakers originated in the Balkan region.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis posits that the Proto-Indo-European language speakers originated not in the Balkans, but rather on the Pontic Steppe, a region encompassing the northern Black Sea and Caspian Sea areas.
Gimbutas first presented her Kurgan hypothesis in 1956.
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas formally introduced her influential Kurgan hypothesis to the academic community in 1956.
Gimbutas formulated the Kurgan hypothesis by combining linguistic evidence with geological surveys.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Kurgan hypothesis was formulated by integrating archaeological findings, particularly from Kurgan burial mounds, with linguistic analysis, rather than geological surveys.
The Kurgan hypothesis primarily aimed to explain the development of early agricultural techniques in Europe.
Answer: False
Explanation: The primary objective of the Kurgan hypothesis was to elucidate the origins and migrations of the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples into Europe, not the development of agricultural techniques.
Genetic studies from 2015 supported Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis by linking Y-chromosome haplogroups R1b and R1a expansion to the Russian steppes and Indo-European languages.
Answer: True
Explanation: Genetic research published in 2015 provided empirical support for Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis, demonstrating a correlation between the expansion of Y-chromosome haplogroups R1b and R1a from the Russian steppes and the dissemination of Indo-European languages.
The Yamnaya culture is mentioned in the 'See also' section and is directly linked to Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Yamnaya culture, a significant archaeological entity of the Pontic Steppe, is indeed directly associated with Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis and is often referenced in related discussions.
Gimbutas referred to the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples as "Anatolians" in her Kurgan hypothesis.
Answer: False
Explanation: In her Kurgan hypothesis, Marija Gimbutas referred to the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples as "Kurgans," not "Anatolians."
Genetic studies in 2015 identified the expansion of Y-chromosome haplogroups R1b and R1a from the Russian steppes, supporting Gimbutas's hypothesis.
Answer: True
Explanation: Genetic studies conducted in 2015 provided substantial support for Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis by identifying the expansion of specific Y-chromosome haplogroups (R1b and R1a) originating from the Russian steppes, correlating with the spread of Indo-European languages.
The Yamnaya culture is closely associated with Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis as originating from the Carpathian Mountains.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Yamnaya culture is indeed closely associated with Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis, but it is identified as originating from the Pontic Steppe, not the Carpathian Mountains.
What did Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis propose?
Answer: That the Proto-Indo-European language speakers originated in the Pontic Steppe.
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis proposed that the Pontic Steppe served as the original homeland for the Proto-Indo-European language speakers.
In what year did Marija Gimbutas first introduce her Kurgan hypothesis?
Answer: 1956
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas first presented her seminal Kurgan hypothesis to the academic community in the year 1956.
Which academic disciplines did Gimbutas integrate to formulate her Kurgan hypothesis?
Answer: Archaeology and linguistics
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas formulated her Kurgan hypothesis by integrating evidence from both archaeology, particularly the study of Kurgan burial mounds, and linguistics.
What was the central aim of Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis?
Answer: To trace the origins and migrations of Proto-Indo-European speakers into Europe.
Explanation: The central aim of Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis was to elucidate the origins and subsequent migrations of the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples into Europe.
What did 2015 genetic studies suggest regarding the spread of Indo-European languages and Gimbutas's hypothesis?
Answer: The languages spread from the Russian steppes alongside specific Y-chromosome haplogroups (R1b and R1a).
Explanation: Genetic studies conducted in 2015 suggested that Indo-European languages spread from the Russian steppes, correlating with the expansion of specific Y-chromosome haplogroups (R1b and R1a), thereby supporting Gimbutas's hypothesis.
Which archaeological culture from the Pontic Steppe is closely associated with Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis?
Answer: The Yamnaya culture
Explanation: The Yamnaya culture, originating from the Pontic Steppe, is intrinsically linked to Marija Gimbutas's Kurgan hypothesis as a key component of her theory on Proto-Indo-European expansion.
What term did Gimbutas use to refer to the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples in her Kurgan hypothesis?
Answer: Kurgans
Explanation: In her Kurgan hypothesis, Marija Gimbutas designated the Proto-Indo-European speaking peoples as 'Kurgans'.
Gimbutas's "Goddess" trilogy explored her interpretation of Neolithic European cultures as being goddess- and woman-centered (gynocentric).
Answer: True
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's seminal "Goddess" trilogy critically examined Neolithic European cultures, proposing an interpretation of them as predominantly goddess- and woman-centered, a concept she termed 'gynocentric'.
Gimbutas characterized "Old European" societies as patriarchal and warrior-dominated, contrasting them with later matriarchal Indo-European cultures.
Answer: False
Explanation: Gimbutas characterized the "Old European" societies as peaceful, egalitarian, and gynocentric, contrasting them with the patriarchal and warrior-dominated Indo-European cultures she believed later migrated into Europe.
The term 'gynocentric' in Gimbutas's work describes societies centered around male deities and warrior leadership.
Answer: False
Explanation: In Marija Gimbutas's theoretical framework, the term 'gynocentric' denotes societies that were centered around goddesses and women, indicating a matriarchal or female-dominated structure.
What geographical region did Gimbutas designate as 'Old Europe' in her research?
Answer: The prehistoric cultures flourishing across Europe before the widespread Indo-European migrations.
Explanation: In her research, Gimbutas designated 'Old Europe' as the geographical area encompassing the prehistoric cultures that thrived across Europe prior to the extensive migrations of Indo-European peoples.
What was a central theme explored in Marija Gimbutas's influential "Goddess" trilogy?
Answer: The interpretation of Neolithic European cultures as goddess- and woman-centered (gynocentric).
Explanation: A central theme explored in Marija Gimbutas's influential "Goddess" trilogy was her interpretation of Neolithic European cultures as predominantly goddess- and woman-centered, a concept she termed 'gynocentric'.
How did Gimbutas characterize the societal structure of the invading Indo-European Kurgan peoples?
Answer: Patriarchal and warrior-dominated.
Explanation: Gimbutas characterized the invading Indo-European Kurgan peoples as possessing societal structures that were patriarchal and warrior-dominated.
Marija Gimbutas's book *The Civilization of the Goddess* provided a comprehensive overview of her findings on Neolithic European cultures.
Answer: True
Explanation: *The Civilization of the Goddess: The World of Old Europe* (1991) is recognized as Marija Gimbutas's comprehensive overview of her findings concerning Neolithic European cultures.
The book *The Language of the Goddess* focused on Gimbutas's analysis of Proto-Indo-European verb conjugations.
Answer: False
Explanation: *The Language of the Goddess* (1989) by Marija Gimbutas explored the symbolic systems and religious expressions of Neolithic European cultures, rather than focusing on Proto-Indo-European verb conjugations.
The posthumously published book *The Living Goddesses* was edited and supplemented by Miriam Robbins Dexter.
Answer: True
Explanation: *The Living Goddesses*, a work published posthumously, was meticulously edited and supplemented by Miriam Robbins Dexter.
The collection of selected articles by Gimbutas, published posthumously, is titled *The Civilization of the Goddess*.
Answer: False
Explanation: While *The Civilization of the Goddess* is a major work by Gimbutas, the posthumous collection of her selected articles is titled *The Kurgan Culture and the Indo-Europeanization of Europe*. *The Civilization of the Goddess* itself is not a collection of posthumously selected articles.
Her 1965 book, *Bronze Age Cultures of Central and Eastern Europe*, is considered a definitive major work.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 1965 publication, *Bronze Age Cultures of Central and Eastern Europe*, is widely regarded as a definitive and major contribution by Marija Gimbutas to the field.
Which of Gimbutas's books provided a comprehensive overview of her conclusions about Neolithic European cultures?
Answer: The Civilization of the Goddess: The World of Old Europe
Explanation: *The Civilization of the Goddess: The World of Old Europe* (1991) is recognized as Marija Gimbutas's comprehensive overview of her findings concerning Neolithic European cultures.
What is the significance of Gimbutas's book, *The Language of the Goddess*?
Answer: It explores hidden symbols of Western civilization and Neolithic religious expressions.
Explanation: *The Language of the Goddess* is significant for its exploration of hidden symbols within Western civilization, focusing on the religious expressions and symbolic systems of Neolithic European cultures.
Marija Gimbutas's research materials are housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.
Answer: False
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's extensive research materials and personal collection are preserved at the OPUS Archives and Research Center at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in California, not the Smithsonian Institution.
Joseph Campbell and Ashley Montagu compared the significance of Gimbutas's work to that of the Rosetta Stone.
Answer: True
Explanation: Prominent scholars Joseph Campbell and Ashley Montagu lauded the significance of Marija Gimbutas's archaeological contributions, likening their heuristic value to that of the Rosetta Stone for deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
A primary criticism of Gimbutas's later works was that she lacked rigor in critical analysis and sometimes drew conclusions without sufficient argumentation.
Answer: True
Explanation: A significant criticism leveled against Marija Gimbutas's later scholarly works by some peers was a perceived lack of methodological rigor and insufficient argumentation in drawing conclusions from her data.
David W. Anthony challenged Gimbutas's depiction of a universally peaceful pre-Kurgan European society, citing evidence of prior warfare.
Answer: True
Explanation: Archaeologist David W. Anthony contested Gimbutas's portrayal of a uniformly peaceful pre-Kurgan European society by citing archaeological evidence that indicated the existence of warfare.
Peter Ucko and Andrew Fleming supported Gimbutas's "Goddess" theory without reservation, praising her interpretations of Neolithic figurines.
Answer: False
Explanation: Scholars Peter Ucko and Andrew Fleming expressed reservations regarding Gimbutas's "Goddess" theory, questioning her interpretive methods and specific conclusions about Neolithic figurines and symbolism.
John Chapman wrote a biographical sketch of Marija Gimbutas included in *Excavating Women*.
Answer: True
Explanation: A biographical sketch of Marija Gimbutas, authored by John Chapman, is featured within the compilation *Excavating Women: A History of Women in European Archaeology*.
Where are Marija Gimbutas's extensive research materials and personal collection preserved?
Answer: The OPUS Archives and Research Center, California
Explanation: Marija Gimbutas's comprehensive research materials and personal collection are preserved at the OPUS Archives and Research Center, located at the Pacifica Graduate Institute in California.
Joseph Campbell and Ashley Montagu likened the significance of Gimbutas's archaeological contributions to what?
Answer: The importance of the Rosetta Stone for understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Explanation: Joseph Campbell and Ashley Montagu drew a parallel between the significance of Gimbutas's archaeological contributions and the importance of the Rosetta Stone in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
What was a key criticism leveled against Gimbutas's later works by some archaeologists?
Answer: She lacked rigor in critical analysis and drew conclusions without sufficient argumentation.
Explanation: A primary criticism directed at Gimbutas's later works by some archaeologists was a perceived lack of critical rigor and insufficient argumentation in her conclusions.
David W. Anthony challenged Gimbutas's view of pre-Kurgan Europe by pointing to evidence of what?
Answer: The existence of warfare prior to the Kurgan incursions.
Explanation: David W. Anthony challenged Gimbutas's depiction of a peaceful pre-Kurgan European society by citing archaeological evidence that indicated the existence of warfare.