Mercy Seiradaki

Note: In the Greek language Seiradaki is the customary last name for a woman married to someone called Seiradakis. More information here.

Mercy Seiradaki (née Money-Coutts; 16 April 1910 – 1 September 1993) was a British archaeologist who worked in

When, at the age of 37, she married Michael Seiradakis, a Cretan from an ordinary village background, her parents did not go the wedding,[2] though a conventional announcement appeared in The Times.^[3]

Education and work

After graduating in Modern History^[4] in 1932 she asked Arthur Evans to accept her as a student helper at Knossos.^[2] Evans had led this major project for decades but by this time excavations were directed by John Pendlebury, who became a mentor to Seiradaki.^[5] As well as excavating he undertook a major reorganisation of the on-site Stratigraphical Museum, a task in which Seiradaki would take a large part. She was accepted as a student of the British School at Athens at the same time as Edith Eccles who became a friend with whom she worked and travelled. Her endurance and stamina on difficult journeys over mountain tracks were noteworthy. There were several young women archaeologists from the UK and all were determined not to be put off by difficult terrain and challenging routes, and yet Seiradaki stood out for her reluctance even to ride a mule instead of walking.^[2]

After a winter in Athens studying prehistoric pottery she and Eccles went to Crete to help complete the catalogue of the museum at Knossos. Pendlebury and his wife worked to date one third of a huge collection of

In 1934 she explored a variety of archaeological sites in the

She was whole-hearted not only about her work but also about life on Crete. She learned modern Greek, got to know the island, its people and culture and was known for her ability to get on with local workers on site. In this way, she can be seen as a pioneer of contemporary approaches to archaeological work, while she also fitted the early 20th century pattern of women assisting senior male archaeologists.[7]

In the early years of the Second World War she worked, probably as a secretary,

After marrying and having a son (John Hugh Seiradakis, astronomer) and daughter (Sophia Hester) she lived in Crete until 1962. She continued her Red Cross work, her involvement with archaeology on the island, and offered "open house" hospitality to English-speaking visitors. She worked on her drawings for the Karphi pottery book and was a member of the first British Council in Chania. When the family moved to Athens in 1962 Seiradaki was active in the British School library.^[2] She died on 1 September 1993.

References