Margaret Elizabeth Ashley-Towle facts for kids
Margaret Elizabeth Ashley-Towle (1902/1903 – November 2, 1985) was a very important woman in the world of archaeology. She might have been the first professional woman archaeologist in the southeastern part of the United States! Margaret was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father, Claude Lordawick Ashley, was a leader in the Atlanta city council. Her mother was Elizabeth Miller.
Becoming an Archaeologist
Margaret Ashley loved learning. After finishing her studies at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta in 1924, she went to Columbia University. There, she studied anthropology, which is the study of human societies and cultures. She learned from a famous professor named Franz Boas.
In 1926, Margaret started working at an important archaeological spot in Georgia. It is now called the Shinholser site.
Early Discoveries in Georgia
By 1927, Margaret was already seen as an expert in her field. She started working on her master's project, which was about finding and mapping archaeological sites in Georgia.
That same year, Emory University asked her to help start an archaeology department. She also represented Emory at digs led by Warren K. Moorehead at the Etowah site in northern Georgia. Margaret took these exciting jobs and left her studies at Columbia for a while.
While working for Emory, Margaret and another archaeologist, Frank T. Schnell Sr., did important work at a place called Lockett Mound. This site is now known as the Neisler site. They spent three weeks digging there. They found two old fire pits and 14 ancient burials.
Later Studies and Work
On February 18, 1930, Margaret married Gerald Towle. He was also an archaeologist and worked with Warren Moorehead. After getting married, Margaret stopped working in archaeology for about 14 years. She never went back to field work in Georgia.
In 1944, after Gerald passed away, Margaret started volunteering at the Harvard Botanical Museum. A few years later, she went back to Columbia University to finish her studies. This time, she focused on ethnobotany. This is the study of how people in different cultures use plants.
In 1958, Margaret earned her Ph.D. Her big research project was about how ancient people in Peru used plants, based on what archaeologists had found.
After finishing her studies, Margaret Ashley-Towle continued to work at the Harvard Botanical Museum. She worked there as an unpaid associate until she passed away on November 2, 1985. Her work helped us understand more about ancient cultures and how they lived.
