I’m proud to continue my brother’s work. I went to Yemen to fulfill Wendell’s unfinished dream. After my first excavation at Marib, it became my passion.
Merilyn Phillips Hodgson graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor’s degree in art. It was not until after the premature death of her brother and mentor, Wendell Phillips, that she decided to become involved with the American Foundation for the Study of Man (AFSM) and to continue his work. She now serves as the president of AFSM.
The first archaeological expedition of the newly reformed AFSM occurred in 1982 at the Wadi al-Jubah. Completed five years later, it resulted in the publication of a series of five scientific volumes. It was a proud moment in 1998 when the Foundation returned to the Awam Temple in Marib, Yemen, a site Wendell and his team had to abandon back in 1952. As of 2006, AFSM has conducted eight field seasons at Marib and has made major strides in adding to the knowledge and understanding of this important site and of Yemeni archaeology in general.