Welcome 3

WELCOMING REMARKS

Yesterday morning, Jack Davis suggested that I would say something today about Marion Rawson, after whom the Chair I hold has been named. I met Marion Rawson in 1979, when I first came to Cincinnati, but only gradually in conversations with others became aware of the importance of her contribution to the study of Aegean prehistory. Marion Rawson graduated from Bryn Mawr in 1922, but never took any classes in archaeology. She studied politics, economics and psychology. However, as Pat Boulter put it, she “undoubtedly learned there an appreciation for scholarship and a desire for knowledge.” She became associated with the University of Cincinnati five years later, and at that point, archaeology became her main and consuming interest. In order to increase her effectiveness as a volunteer at archaeological excavations, she studied at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Architecture and received a degree in 1931. As an architect and skilled excavator, she was in charge of the excavation of some of the most important areas at both Troy and Pylos. Thanks to her, it is possible to find the exact description of most of the objects and most of the find contexts from Troy and Pylos. The practical organization was also very much her responsibility. It is possible that her Bryn Mawr studies in politics, economics and psychology also became useful at the excavations. Marion Rawson participated in the University of Cincinnati excavations at Troy and Pylos for 22 years, first as an architect and excavator, and later, when the time came for the monumental task of publication, as a co-author and editor. Marion Rawson was the one who held the projects together, urging other co-authors, and Carl Blegen himself, on to study the finds and to finish their parts of the volumes. She was responsible for the final version of the publications, and the publications themselves became a model and a standard of excellence for archaeological publishing. Yesterday, Jack Davis mentioned a number of scholars with a doctorate in Classics from the University of Cincinnati, who are present at this conference. I would also like to mention some scholars who are not present, but who are making their mark in scholarship in continuing the Cincinnati tradition: David Wilson, Maria Iacovou, Diane Bolger, and Ruth Palmer. I would now like to welcome the lecturers and participants to the third day of the symposium, especially those who came all the way across the Atlantic or from far-away parts of the United States. The topic of the first session today is the ‘Inf luences East and West.’ I am especially happy to welcome Dr. Katie Demakopoulou, Director of the National Museum in Athens, who excavates in the West Gate of Midea, and Professor Paul Åström, who excavates in the East Gate. The finds from Midea have shown that a number of activities of palatial character took place at the site. Among them are the find of a large, complete female terracotta from the West Gate, an amethyst rhyton, and a jewelry mold. The finds from Midea also include seals, sealings and Linear B inscriptions, ivory and multicolored stone inlays, sherds of a number of chariot kraters and of a bathtub. Since 1994, I have been excavating a megaron-complex on the Lower Terrace. Ivory objects will be the topic of one of the papers and Aegean writing that of another paper this morning. After the coffee break, the papers will deal with the directions of future scholarship. Welcome to the third day of the symposium! Gisela WALBERG