Donald Neil Abbott was born on April 30, 1935, and grew up in Vancouver. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, He pursued postgraduate studies at the Institute of Archaeology at the University of London, and at Washington State University. In 1960, Abbott joined the Royal BC Museum, eventually becoming its Curator of Anthropology. Referred to as the first professional archaeolist in BC, Abbott conducted fieldwork across southern Vancouver Island. He published a number of books on Coast Salish archaeology, most famously "The World is as sharp as a knife : an anthology in honour of Wilson Duff" (British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1981). Abbot died on 28 July, 2005, survived by his wife, three children, and several grandchildren.