Childhood and Education
Born in 1871 in Boston, United States, Harriet Ann Boyd was the only daughter among her siblings. Harriet lost her mother at a young age, and it was her father and older brothers who raised her. She attended Prospect Hill School in Massachusetts, where she developed a passion for classical sciences. In 1892, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in classical sciences from Smith College.
Excavations in Crete
After her father’s death and rejecting Victorian society’s stereotypes, Harriet chose to settle in Athens, Greece, to take courses in archaeology and history at the “American School of Classical Studies. While archaeology was a scientific discipline dominated by men, Harriet obtained permission to excavate on” the island of Crete, on behalf of the government. Sir Arthur Evans, a prominent English archaeologist who was excavating on the “island, advised Harriet to” study the region of Kavousi, a village located in eastern Crete.
During her first excavation in 1900, Harriet meticulously explored the site by adopting a systemic approach and scientific method. In three weeks of research, Harriet discovered a series of precious and fascinating objects, such as pottery, jars, and tombs dating from the late “Bronze Age and early” Iron Age. These excavations thus brought to light the presence of an ancient village. From 1901 to 1904, Harriet obtained grants from the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania to continue her research in Crete. During this period, she was the first female archaeologist to lead an excavation team of over 100 people to explore the site of Gournia. Harriet and her team unearthed the remains of the Minoan town, a prehistoric settlement built between 1700 and 1400 BC. The remarkable degree of preservation of the stone pavements, including the 30 x 40 meter “Palace” of Gournia and a cemetery, emerged during the excavations. Located on the largest island of Greece, in Crete, a few meters from the sea, the archaeological site of Gournia or “Pompeii of the Minoan” welcomes a large number of visitors fascinated by history and its well-preserved architecture every day.
Harriet Boyd Hawes on the Front Line
A trained nurse, Harriet volunteered with the Red Cross during several wars in Europe, including the Greco-Turkish War in 1897, the Spanish-American War in 1898, and humanitarian aid to Serbian refugees in Corfu in 1915. During World War I, Harriet founded and directed the Smith College Unit Relief, a group of Smith College alumnae with the mission of delivering humanitarian aid in France. For her dedication to aiding combatants, Harriet received the Red Cross medal from Queen Olga of Greece, the War Medal in 1919, and the Silver Medal of Recognition in 1920.
The Legacy of Harriet Boyd Hawes
Once married and a mother of two children, Harriet “moves away from field research and dedicates her energy to sharing her findings from Gournia. During five years of excavations, Harriet meticulously cataloged, described, illustrated, and organized her archaeological work. Her exceptional discoveries include fragments, small animal figurines, and intact objects such as jars. Harriet publishes several books titled ‘Crete, the Forerunner of Greece’ (co-written with her husband) and ‘Gournia, Vasiliki and Other Prehistoric Sites on the Isthmus of Hierapetra’. Watercolors depicting the main discoveries at the archaeological sites, created by artist Adelene Moffat, are used to illustrate the publications. Her notebooks and extensive collection are preserved at the University of Pennsylvania Museum (United States) and the Heraklion Museum (Greece). Throughout her career, Harriet is also a teacher. For over 30 years, she teaches Greek and modern archaeology and” epigraphy (the study of inscribed texts).
Harriet Boyd Hawes paved the way for many women archaeologists, so why not you?
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Written by Akila R. and edited by Tiffanie C.
