Margaret A. Murray : the contributions of a woman archaeologist in early twentieth-century Malta

Abstract

This research is meant to explore the contributions made by Margaret A. Murray (1863 - 1963), a British female archaeologist, to the formative years of archaeology in Malta. It will investigate her fieldwork and publications, as well as her intellectual background and how this may have influenced her contributions. This will consider the social spheres at the time, mainly the struggle for women to break out into this predominantly male field and the effect of the colonial sphere. It will critically examine how her work also intersected with her background in folklore and witchcraft, the colonial framework and the influence it had on her career, and the extent to which her achievements and contributions were acknowledged. The study aims to address the research gap when studying the contributions made by women in the archaeological field in Malta, using information from gender studies and colonial archaeology studies. By integrating feminist theories and historiographical analysis, this research aims to provide a more inclusive narrative of Maltese archaeology, bringing forward Murray's legacy and its broader implications for gender and postcolonial studies in the field of archaeology.