Teuku Jacob
Encyclopedia
Teuku Jacob was an influential Indonesia
n paleoanthropologist. As a student of Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald
in the 1950s, Jacob discovered and studied numerous specimens of Homo erectus
. He came to international prominence as a vocal critic of scientists who believed remains discovered in Flores belonged to a new species in the genus
Homo
, Homo floresiensis
.
's School of Medicine from 1950–1956; University of Arizona
from 1957–1958; Howard University
from 1958–1960, and finally Utrecht University
, where he completed his doctorate
in anthropology in 1967. As a young adult, Jacob actively participated in the Indonesian National Revolution
, producing a nationalist radio program. Following the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
during World War II
, Jacob served in the Indonesian armed forces. From 1982 to 1987 Jacob was also a member of the People's Consultative Assembly
. Jacob died in Dr. Sardjito Hospital at the age of 77 after suffering from a debilitating liver disease.
constituted a new human species, labeled Homo floresiensis. Jacob insisted that the remains were those of microcephalic modern humans. In early December 2004, Jacob removed most of the remains from Soejono's institution, Jakarta
's National Research Centre of Archaeology, for his own research without the permission of the Centre's directors. Jacob eventually returned the remains with portions severely damaged. and missing two leg bones on February 23, 2005 Reports noted the condition of the returned remains included "long, deep cuts marking the lower edge of the Hobbit's jaw on both sides, said to be caused by a knife used to cut away the rubber mould"; "the chin of a second Hobbit jaw was snapped off and glued back together. Whoever was responsible misaligned the pieces and put them at an incorrect angle"; and, "The pelvis was smashed, destroying details that reveal body shape, gait and evolutionary history" and causing the discovery team leader Morwood to remark "It's sickening, Jacob was greedy and acted totally irresponsibly". Jacob, however, denied any wrongdoing. He stated that such damages occurred during transport from Yogyakarta
back to Jakarta despite the physical evidence to the contrary that the jawbone had been broken while making a mold of bones.
In 2005 Indonesian officials forbade access to the cave and thus no other excavations in the place were possible. The BBC
expressed the opinion that the reason for the restriction was to protect Jacob from being proven wrong. Scientists were allowed to return to the cave in 2007, the same year that Jacob died from liver disease.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n paleoanthropologist. As a student of Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald
Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald
Professor Dr. Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Koenigswald was a distinguished paleontologist and geologist who conducted research on hominins, including Homo erectus. Ralph von Koenigswald made many contributions to paleontology during his career...
in the 1950s, Jacob discovered and studied numerous specimens of Homo erectus
Homo erectus
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
. He came to international prominence as a vocal critic of scientists who believed remains discovered in Flores belonged to a new species in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Homo
Homo
Homo may refer to:*the Greek prefix ὅμο-, meaning "the same"*the Latin for man, human being*Homo, the taxonomical genus including modern humans...
, Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium...
.
Career
Jacob studied at Gadjah Mada UniversityGadjah Mada University
The Gadjah Mada University is the largest and the oldest national university in Indonesia . founded on December 19, 1949; although the first lecture was given on 13 March 1946. The name was taken from the name of Majapahit's Prime Minister, Gajah Mada.UGM is located in Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa...
's School of Medicine from 1950–1956; University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
from 1957–1958; Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
from 1958–1960, and finally Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
, where he completed his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in anthropology in 1967. As a young adult, Jacob actively participated in the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
, producing a nationalist radio program. Following the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Jacob served in the Indonesian armed forces. From 1982 to 1987 Jacob was also a member of the People's Consultative Assembly
People's Consultative Assembly
The People's Consultative Assembly is the legislative branch in Indonesia's political system. It is composed of the members of the People's Representative Council and the Regional Representative Council. Before 2004, and the amendments to the 1945 Constitution, the MPR was the highest governing...
. Jacob died in Dr. Sardjito Hospital at the age of 77 after suffering from a debilitating liver disease.
Homo floresiensis
Jacob came to international prominence when he expressed his disagreement with scientists who claimed that remains found on the island of FloresFlores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".Flores is located east of Sumbawa...
constituted a new human species, labeled Homo floresiensis. Jacob insisted that the remains were those of microcephalic modern humans. In early December 2004, Jacob removed most of the remains from Soejono's institution, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
's National Research Centre of Archaeology, for his own research without the permission of the Centre's directors. Jacob eventually returned the remains with portions severely damaged. and missing two leg bones on February 23, 2005 Reports noted the condition of the returned remains included "long, deep cuts marking the lower edge of the Hobbit's jaw on both sides, said to be caused by a knife used to cut away the rubber mould"; "the chin of a second Hobbit jaw was snapped off and glued back together. Whoever was responsible misaligned the pieces and put them at an incorrect angle"; and, "The pelvis was smashed, destroying details that reveal body shape, gait and evolutionary history" and causing the discovery team leader Morwood to remark "It's sickening, Jacob was greedy and acted totally irresponsibly". Jacob, however, denied any wrongdoing. He stated that such damages occurred during transport from Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (city)
Yogyakarta is a city in the Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. Yogyakarta was the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 to...
back to Jakarta despite the physical evidence to the contrary that the jawbone had been broken while making a mold of bones.
In 2005 Indonesian officials forbade access to the cave and thus no other excavations in the place were possible. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
expressed the opinion that the reason for the restriction was to protect Jacob from being proven wrong. Scientists were allowed to return to the cave in 2007, the same year that Jacob died from liver disease.