Family Archeologist

Origins of an Explorer

Michael Alexander Arbuthnot was born on June 9, 1974, and grew up with a curiosity that pulled him

toward the edges of maps and the mysteries beneath the surface of things. His early academic path was unconventional for an archaeologist: a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a minor in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Philosophy sharpened his instinct for questioning assumptions; anthropology gave him the tools to seek answers in the material traces of human lives. By the time he entered Florida State University for his master’s degree, he had already begun to gravitate toward the world beneath the waves. He graduated magna cum laude, specializing in underwater archaeology—a field that would define much of his career.