Tessa Wheeler

Tessa Wheeler (* as Tessa Verney, 1893 in Johannesburg, † April 15, 1936 in London) was a British archaeologist.

Biography

Tessa Verney married in 1914 the archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler. A year later their son Michael was born. After her husband had served in the First World War and in 1920 was appointed director of the National Museum of Wales, she followed him and supported him in all respects. In the first period both camped out on cots in the museum. Breakfast began in marriage to kriseln, not least lay at various infidelities of her husband. Tessa wanted these things do not have true or ignore them at least, and buried himself deeper and deeper into the work. Mortimer Wheeler benefited in many ways from the empathy of his wife for his work, which they quickly did their part to more than a mere assistant. Excavations in Segontium she worked, among others, the Fund statistics. In the Welsh press were both, as they appeared as inseparable, only referred to as the Wheelers. In 1926, Mortimer at the Museum of London and the family followed him. The excavation actually acquired in Caerleon now led by Tessa in his place. During this period two, the thought came to an Institute of Archaeology. All plans to the personnel issues were quickly concretely. But it took another ten years until they were implemented in reality. 1936 Tessa Wheeler died at a really unnecessary and harmless operation. Her husband, who was traveling with a female companion straight through Palestine and Egypt learned during his return from the newspaper of the death of his wife. The Institute of Archaeology took a year after her death on the job.

While Mortimer Wheeler was an early favorite of the press and was often prevented his excavations, Tessa Wheeler led by these excavations. They relied on the several decades old but still very progressive and almost forgotten again excavation methods of Augustus Pitt Rivers. This excavation method based on accurate records, was developed by the Wheelers on. They later became known as Wheeler - Kenyon method.