TrowelBlazers is a project aimed at increasing the representation of women in the fields of archaeology, geology and palaeontology. The project is run by Brenna Hassett, Victoria Herridge, Suzanne Pilaar Birch and Rebecca Wragg Sykes.[1]

TrowelBlazers
AbbreviationTB
Formation2019
TypeLearned society
PurposeWomen archaeologists, palaeontologists and geologists
Location
Leader
  • Brenna Hassett
  • Victoria Herridge
  • Suzanne Pilaar Birch
  • Rebecca Wragg Sykes
Websitetrowelblazers.com

Blog

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TrowelBlazers began as a blog dedicated to women archaeologists, palaeontologists and geologists. As of 2019, the website hosted over 200 biographies.[2] The project originated in a conversation on Twitter, and is noted for utilising a range of digital technologies, including crowdfunding, blogging, digital and print media.[2]

Fossil Hunter Lottie

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The TrowelBlazers team co-designed Fossil Hunter Lottie, a palaeontologist doll.[3]

Raising Horizons exhibition

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An exhibition of photographs, entitled Raising Horizons, taken by Leonora Saunders showcased the diversity of archaeology and geoscience. The exhibition contained portraits of 14 contemporary female scientists, dressed as their historical counterpart. The exhibition displayed at the Geological Society in 2017 and 2019,[4] the British Science Festival, the University Women's Club, London, the Alexander Keiller Museum and the Women Firsts Reception, UK Parliament.[5]

TrowelBlazers

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Trowel-blazing women featured on the website include:[6]

References

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  1. ^ "About | TrowelBlazers". Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  2. ^ a b Cook, Katherine (2019). "EmboDIYing Disruption: Queer, Feminist and Inclusive Digital Archaeologies". European Journal of Archaeology. 22 (3): 398–414. doi:10.1017/eaa.2019.23. ISSN 1461-9571.
  3. ^ "Fossil Hunter Lottie Doll". Lottie Dolls - UK Store. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  4. ^ "The Geological Society of London - Raising Horizons Photography Exhibition". www.geolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  5. ^ "Raising Horizons | About". raisinghorizons.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-18.
  6. ^ "Articles". TrowelBlazers. Retrieved 7 October 2020.

Further reading

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  • Wragg-Sykes, B., Herridge, V., Hassett, B. R., & Pilaar-Birch, S. 2013. A Splendid Regiment of Women: 20th century research networks among women scientists in archaeology, geology and palaeontology. In S. Charman-Anderson (Ed.), A Passion For Science. London: Finding Ada Project.
  • Hassett, Brenna, Suzanne Pilaar Birch, Victoria Herridge, and Rebecca Wragg Sykes. 2018. TrowelBlazers: accidentally crowdsourcing an archive of women in archaeology. In Shared Knowledge, Shared Power, pp. 129–141. Springer, Cham.
  • Hassett, Brenna R., Victoria L. Herridge, Rebecca M. Wragg Sykes, and Suzanne Pilaar Birch. 2019. Activism from the Archives: Changing Narratives to Engage New Communities."In Transforming Heritage Practice in the 21st Century, pp. 399–413. Springer, Cham.
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