Archaeologist

Archaeologist
Statistics
Japanese Name:	考古学者
Romanized Name:	Kōkogakusha
Official English Name:	Archaeologist
First Appearance:	Chapter 114; Episode 67

An archaeologist, or scholar, is a particular type of individual who steps beyond the confines of study and ventures out into the field to discover the remnants of antiquity and study them first-hand. Their pursuit is the understanding of long-vanished civilizations, piecing together evidence from ancient ruins and scripts to uncover the lost history of the world.

Role and Duties

The Ohara medal of certification for scholars.

Archaeologists work to unearth what time has long concealed beneath the earth, driven by a fervent desire to uncover new truths about the past. They play an indispensable role in reconstructing the story of nations, peoples, and cultures—tracing the arc of human development from fragmentary remains. Given the depth of knowledge demanded by their vocation, archaeologists must pass a rigorous doctoral examination before earning formal recognition, upon which they are awarded a medal as a mark of their certification.

Though not considered essential members of a pirate crew, archaeologists are a rare yet invaluable presence aboard such vessels. Very few crews are known to have an archaeologist as their crewmate, but those who do are greatly advantaged. An archaeologist is far from useless since their deep knowledge and experience allows them to gather important data from ancient artifacts, as well as make treasure hunting in ancient ruins easier and more fruitful.

A young Robin studying a Poneglyph.

In the New World, archaeologists capable of reading the ancient script of the Poneglyphs are deemed figures of extraordinary worth. Through their rare gift, the enigmatic Road Poneglyphs may be deciphered, revealing the locations of four elusive islands that together chart the course to the fabled island of Laugh Tale. Owing to this, any archaeologist possessing such knowledge is at constant risk of abduction by powerful pirates. Barring the rare exceptions—like those who possess the ability to hear the Voice of All Things and the supposedly deceased Kouzuki Sukiyaki—Nico Robin is the only known living reader of Poneglyphs, making her a prime target of the Four Emperors, as well as the World Government.

Archaeologists

See also the associated category: Archaeologists.

[Click here to see the legend of the symbols used][Hide the legend]

•  ^{(Deceased)†}: the character is deceased.
•  ^{(Unknown status)?}: the character's status is unknown.
•  ^{(Non-Canon)≠}: the character is non-canon.
•  ^(Former)‡: the character is no longer part of this group. Hovering the symbol may give further details.
•  ^(Note)*: other relevant information. Hovering the symbol gives further details.

Void Century Censorship

The World Government does not oppose archaeology in principle. However, should any archaeologist—or, indeed, any individual—dare research the mysteries of the Void Century or attempt to decipher the Poneglyphs, they would face grave consequences. Imprisonment, execution, or, in the case of those who evade capture, an enormous bounty placed upon their head, are the fates that await such transgressors.

Ohara was once home to the most esteemed archaeologists in the world, and their Tree of Knowledge safeguarded the recorded histories of nations far and wide. But when the World Government discovered that its scholars were probing into forbidden truths, the island was annihilated. All perished save for a single survivor—Nico Robin—who, having escaped the slaughter, was branded a criminal and burdened with a bounty from childhood.

Few individuals in the world generally show interest in the past, and the existence of the Void Century remains largely unknown to the wider populace. Archaeologists are not universally scorned, yet those who pursue the forbidden histories are swiftly condemned as evil and dangerous. In the shadow of the Ohara Incident, the number of surviving archaeologists appears to have dwindled to a mere handful.

Demons of Ohara

For the chapter titled "Demons of Ohara", see Chapter 394.

The Ohara archaeologists copying the contents of a Poneglyph for studying.

The Demons of Ohara (オハラの悪魔達, Ohara no Akuma-tachi^?, Funimation: "Devils of Ohara") is a politically charged term coined by the World Government to vilify a distinguished group of scholars and archaeologists once known as the Ohara Archaeologists (オハラの考古学者たち, Ohara no Kōkogakusha-tachi^?). These learned men and women resided on the island of Ohara in the West Blue, devoting their lives to the study of the past. Though the World Government regarded their research with unease and suspicion, it tolerated their pursuits—so long as they refrained from investigating the Void Century or the Poneglyphs that concealed its secrets. But when the scholars dared to breach this boundary, they were branded "demons" for daring to study this forbidden history, which, according to Government doctrine, held the potential to bring about the very destruction of the world.

Olvia kept prisoner by the Marines for forbidden research.

Twenty-eight years before the beginning of the current timeline, Nico Olvia, together with thirty-two fellow scholars, embarked on an expedition to study the Poneglyphs and shed light on the Void Century. For six years they pursued their research in secrecy—until the Marines discovered their mission. The entire expedition was annihilated, except for Olvia. Fearing that the World Government would trace the forbidden inquiry back to Ohara, Olvia returned in a desperate attempt to warn her comrades—her warning ultimately came too late.

History

Upon discovering Nico Olvia and thirty-two other Ohara scholars engaged in their six-year quest to study the Poneglyphs, the World Government deemed the continued existence of Ohara's scholarly community too great a threat to tolerate. In response, they authorized a Buster Call. In order to preserve their reputation, the World Government propagated the lie that the archaeologists of Ohara sought forbidden knowledge capable of bringing about the world's end. Thus, the archaeologists were branded the "Demons of Ohara" and scorned by the wider world.

This term has cast a long shadow over the life of Nico Robin, the sole known survivor of the Ohara archaeologists. For that fact alone, she has been met with fear, suspicion, and hostility by nearly all who cross her path. Her infamous epithet, the "Demon Child," arises not from any crime of her own, but from her association with those scholars unjustly branded as threats to the world.

Trivia

• Although he is not an archaeologist, Marshall D. Teach appears to have an interest in the subject, as archaeology has been stated to be one of his hobbies and the most likely career Teach would follow if he lived in the real world.

External links

• Article about real-life archaeology