A Noble Pursuit

Book excerpt: "In A Noble Pursuit, Gloria Polizzotti Greis provides an overview of the European Iron Age and brings the duchess's archaeological career to life. Archaeology as a profession with defined standards and methodologies was still in its infancy at the turn of the twentieth century, and the duchess's fieldwork, which became increasingly sophisticated and scientific over time, mirrored the development of archaeological practice in Europe." "The sites the duchess excavated encompass the scope of Iron Age cultures in Slovenia and form an important resource for studying the cultural history of the region. Most of the materials from these sites reside today in the Mecklenburg Collection at Harvard University's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, where they make up the largest systematically excavated group of European antiquities outside of Europe. This volume presents a selection of artifacts from the collection, photographed by Hillel S. Burger: bronze pendants, bracelets, neck rings, helmets, and armor; glass and amber beads; iron axes, swords, and spears; Roman glassware; and Greek wine vessels." "Greis incorporates previously unpublished archival documents, including the duchess's personal correspondence, to create a portrait of an extraordinary woman. This account of the Duchess of Mecklenburg and her archaeological contributions provides an overview of the scope and importance of the collection as a whole and attests to the enduring quality of the duchess's pioneering work."--BOOK JACKET.