Dr. R. E. Taylor was on my dissertation committee while I was a graduate student at the University of California between 1984 and 1992.  His intellectual contributions to my future career proved to be innumerable, from my first seminar on the Peopling of the New World taken from him my very first semester at UCR, up until the signing of my dissertation signature page eight years later. Over the subsequent years, we remained in contact as I worked on various projects of mutual interest during my years as the State Archaeologist in Idaho, and more recently during my time as a professor of Anthropology at California State University, Bakersfield.  Erv was a stern taskmaster, but it was because of this trait that I am a better archaeologist.  Working in his radiocarbon laboratory at UCR tasked with running my own dating samples from my excavations at the Rose Spring site (CA-INY-372) taught me more about C-14 dating than I had ever hoped to know!  I last spoke to him about 12 years ago in relation to my more recent work in Egypt and had planned to contact him in the near future about certain issues related to AMS dating.  Sadly,  I missed the opportunity and was stunned to hear of his passing within the last 10 days.  His legacy will live on in his numerous books and articles as well as the many students he enriched with his knowledge of radiometrics, archaeological science,  the history of archaeology in the New World, and his special interest in Mesoamerican prehistory.  May he rest in peace.

Robert M. Yohe II, Ph.D., RPA
Professor of Anthropology
Director, Laboratory of Archaeological Sciences
California State University, Bakersfield

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Royal Ervin Taylor

January 15, 1938 – May 9, 2019

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