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Michael D. Coe (b. 1929) is an American archaeologist, anthropologist, epigrapher and author. Primarily known for his research in the field of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican studies (and in particular, for his work on the Maya civilization, where he is regarded as one of the foremost Mayanist scholars of the latter 20th century), Coe has also made extensive investigations across a variety of other archaeological sites in North and South America. He has also specialised in comparative studies of ancient tropical forest civilizations, such as those of Central America and Southeast Asia. He currently (as of 2005) holds the chair of Charles J. MacCurdy Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus, Yale University, and is Curator Emeritus of the Anthropology collection in the Peabody Museum of Natural History, where he had been Curator from 1968 to 1994.^[1]

With over four decades of active research experience, Coe is a prolific author of scientific papers across a broad range of archaeological, anthropological and ethnohistorical topics. He has also authored a number of popular works for the non-specialist audience, several of which have been best-selling and much reprinted, such as The Maya (1966) and Breaking the Maya Code (1992).

Coe received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Harvard University in the early 1950s. Shortly after commencing his graduate studies program there, in 1955 he married the daughter of the noted evolutionary biologist and Russian émigré Theodosius Dobzhansky, Sophie, who was then an undergraduate anthropology student at Radcliffe College.^[2]

During the course of his lengthy scientific career, Coe has been the recipient of a number of awards in recognition of his substantial contributions to the fields of archaeology and anthropology. These include:

• 1989— Tatiana Proskouriakoff Award. Harvard University.
• 2004— Orden del Quetzal. Republic of Guatemala
• 2006— Orden del Pop. Museo Popol Vuh, Universidad Francisco Marroquín, Guatemala^[3]

• Coe, Michael D. (1992). Breaking the Maya Code. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05061-9. 

• Museo Popol Vuh staff (n.d.). Dr. Michael D. Coe - Orden del Pop 2006. Orden del Pop. Museo Popol Vuh, Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Retrieved on 2007-02-12. (Spanish)

• Peabody Museum of Natural History staff (2005). Anthropology- Michael D. Coe. The Collections. Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.