Dorothy Burr Thompson facts for kids
Dorothy Burr Thompson (born August 19, 1900 – died May 10, 2001) was an American classical archaeologist and art historian. She was an expert on ancient Greek terracotta figurines. These are small statues made of baked clay.
Biography
Early Life and Education
Dorothy was born into a well-known family in Philadelphia. Her father was a lawyer, and her mother was a writer. From a young age, Dorothy loved learning about ancient cultures. She started studying Latin at age 9 and ancient Greek at age 12.
When she was 13, Dorothy went on a "Grand Tour of Europe." This was a long trip where she visited many museums and ancient sites. In 1919, she began her studies at Bryn Mawr College. She graduated in 1923 with the highest honors. She was the first student there to major in both Greek and archaeology. She won a special scholarship to study in Europe. This allowed her to work on excavations in Greece.
Discoveries and Career
In 1925, Dorothy made an exciting discovery. She found an ancient burial place called a tholos tomb. It turned out to be where the king and queen of Midea were buried. She earned her Ph.D. in 1931. Her research focused on 117 ancient Greek clay figures from Myrina. These figures were kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
In 1932, Dorothy became the first woman to be a Fellow at the Athenian Agora excavations. The Agora was the ancient marketplace and meeting place of Athens. She worked with Canadian archaeologist Homer Thompson. They got married in 1934.
Dorothy and Homer had three daughters between 1935 and 1938. Even with a family, Dorothy stayed very involved in her work. In 1936, she discovered the garden of the Temple of Hephaistos at the Athenian Agora.
Later, Dorothy moved to Princeton, New Jersey. She continued her research and writing there. In 1971, she published a book called An Ancient Shopping Center: The Athenian Agora. This book was about her work at the Agora. In 1987, she received a special Gold Medal award. It was for her amazing achievements in archaeology. Dorothy Burr Thompson passed away in 2001. She is remembered as a pioneering archaeologist.
