Katharine Woolley

Katharine Woolley , widowed Keeling , (* as Katharine Menke in June 1888 , † November 8, 1945 ) was a British illustrator .

Katharine Woolley was born in England to German parents. Many details of her life are hidden, as she spread a picture of herself during her lifetime and after her death all papers were destroyed as requested. She attended Somerville College , where she studied history . She could not finish her studies due to health problems. In the spring of 1919 she married Lieutenant Colonel Bertram Keeling, who, however, died in the fall of that year. In 1924 she came across Leonard Woolley's excavation in Ur as a draftsman . At that time it was very unusual to employ unmarried women on excavations, and it was even considered scandalous. When the relationship reached the donors and led to unpleasant inquiries, both married in 1927.

The character of Katherine Woolley has been described by many people. Gertrude Bell called her "a dangerous woman". One of the few women she liked was Max Mallowan's wife, Agatha Christie . But even she did not have a high opinion of Woolley and described her as une allumeuse , i.e. a woman who plays with people and fire. In her novel Murder in Mesopotamia she erected an eloquent memorial to her: the murdered Mrs. Leidner bears the features of Woolley. Mallowan called her feline . According to all reports, she was a calculating, manipulative woman who did not accept contradictions and who communicated with her surroundings mainly through commands. In doing so, she suited her authoritarian husband well, Mallowan commented on their relationship once they deserve each other . She even used her lifelong illness to her advantage and often kept the entire excavation team in suspense. In addition to her husband, Mallowan in particular had to be at her disposal when she wanted a massage or therapy with leeches. She was also prone to vanity, having appeared in almost every excavation photo, in which she dressed up, since her wedding to Woolley. After her husband was ennobled in 1935 , she too insisted on being addressed as Lady Woolley .

In addition to the negative character traits, Woolley's ability as an excavator remains. Many first-class find drawings come from her hand as well as a portrait bust of the long-time foreman of the excavations in Ur, Hamoudi. In the last excavation campaign of Ur, 1934, she led the excavations.

literature

• Andrea Rottloff : Archaeologists. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 2009, ISBN 978-3-8053-4063-2 ( The Famous ), pp. 149–153.

Web links

• Katharine Woolley