The Viking Fund Medal is an annual award given out by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research for distinguishing research or publication in the field of Anthropology. From 1946 to 1961, nominees were selected by their respective societies: The American Anthropological Association, the Society for American Archaeology, and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, respectively for the fields of General Anthropology, Archaeology, and Physical Anthropology. In 1961, the selection procedure was modified for international nominees selection to increase the number of qualified applicants; the Viking Fund Medal has no longer been awarded annually, due to the embezzlement SEK 40,000,000 from the foundation by the trustee, Birger Strid, who was convicted of financial irregularities in 1975, with many years between awards.

Beginnings

The Viking fund medal was created in 1946. The award was created by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research as a means of recognizing major breakthroughs or research in the field of anthropology. The first award in archaeology would be awarded to Alfred Vincent Kidder for his work at Pecos Historical National Park in New Mexico . The first award in general anthropology would be given to Alfred Kroeber in the same year. Kroeber was awarded for his vast contributions to the field of anthropology; such as being a founding member and later president of the American Anthropological Association and becoming president of the Linguistic Society of America .

Notable winners

In 1951, Wilton Marion Krogman would be the fifth person to win the Viking Fund Medal. He won his award specifically in the field of physical archaeology.

In 1957, Dr. Raymond Arthur Dart would win the award for physical anthropology. Dart's most well known contribution in the field of anthropology was the discovery of the primitive hominid known as Australopithecus Africanus.

In 1959, Irving Rouse won the Viking fund medal for archaeology. Rouse was both a professor and the head of the department of archaeology at Yale University, and was recognized for his diligence in administration, roles in the Society for American Archaeology, and his years of service in the fields of both archaeology and anthropology.

Cancelation

Between 1964 and 1972; Birger Strid, the general manager of the Wenner-Gren Foundation, would be convicted for fraud and breach of trust in the manipulation of funds. This would cause the award to not be given out for several years. After the scandal, the Viking fund award would be reinstated in 2003, and would be awarded to Professor Dame Marilyn Strathern. Strathern was the mistress of Girton Collage at Cambridge University, and was given the award for her contributions to anthropology such as her analysis on gender based on her New Guinea ethnography. Year General Anthropology Archaeology Physical Anthropology1946Alfred KroeberAlfred KidderFranz Weidenreich1947Robert LowieJohn BrewEarnest Hooton1948John SwantonAlex KriegerAdolph Schultz1949George MurdockHallam MoviusWilliam Gregory1950Clyde KluckhohnEmil HauryWilton Krogman1951Ralph LintonFrank H. H. RobertsCarleton Coon1952Julian StewardAlfonso CasoWilliam Straus1953Melville HerskovitsGordon WilleyT. Dale Stewart1954Robert RedfieldWm. Duncan StrongWilliam Howells1955A.I. HallowellJ. Eric ThompsonW.E. LeGros Clark1956Fred EgganJunius BirdMildred Trotter1957Margaret MeadJames GriffinRaymond Dart1958Raymond FirthJesse D. JenningsHenri Vallois1959Leslie WhiteIrving RouseWilliam Greulich1960Leslie SpierS.K. LothropSherwood Washburn Year Recipients1961E. E. Evans-PritchardRobert Heine-GeldernLouis S.B. LeakeySol Tax1966Claude Lévi-Strauss1972Grahame Clarkaward suspended 1972-2003 (funds embezzled from foundation)2003Marilyn Strathern2004Jane H. Hill2005George Armelagos

See also

List of anthropology awards List of archaeology awards

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6. Stanlaw, James. “Kroeber, Alfred.” The International Encyclopedia of Linguistic Anthropology, 9 Nov. 2020, pp. 1–3, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118786093.iela0494. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.

7. “Viking Fund Medals and Awards.” American Antiquity, vol. 25, no. 4, Apr. 1960, pp. 589–589, www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-antiquity/article/abs/viking-fund-medals-and-awards/FF9AC6CBEA5E2FF76BCB943924FECAE7, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0002731600038051. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

8. Krogman, Wilton Marion. “Fifth Recipient of the Viking Fund Medal and Prize in Physical Anthropology.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 9, no. 1, Mar. 1951, pp. 107–112, https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330090109. Accessed 28 Apr. 2020.

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10. Leonard, Frank. "HIGH FINANCE AND LOW MODERNISM:: The Failure of the Wenner-Gren British Columbia Project, 1956-61." BC Studies, no. 210, summer 2021, pp. 45+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A681584715/AONE?u=azstatelibdev&sid=googleScholar&xid=1a31d86f. Accessed 8 May 2026.

11. “2003 VIKING FUND MEDALIST PROFESSOR MARILYN STRATHERN.” Anthropology News, vol. 44, no. 7, Oct. 2003, pp. 26–26, https://doi.org/10.1111/an.2003.44.7.26. Accessed 17 Oct. 2019.