Born: 1897 (Tripoli, Greece)
Died: 1994
Biography:
Semni Papaspyridi-Karouzou (Greek: Σεμνή Παπασπυρίδη-Καρούζου; 1897 – 8 December 1994) was a Greek classical archaeologist who specialized in the study of pottery from ancient Greece. She was the first woman to join the Greek Archaeological Service, leaving an indelible mark on the field of archaeology in Greece. Throughout her career, she conducted numerous excavations in various regions of Greece and worked as the Curator of ceramic collections at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens for over thirty years. Her dedication to her work and her resilience in the face of political persecution during the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 cemented her as a trailblazer and an influential figure in Greek archaeology.
Born in 1897 in Tripoli, Greece, Semni, also known as Polysemni Papaspyridi, had a childhood marked by constant movement due to her father’s military career. Her father was a military officer, and her mother was the French-educated daughter of a judge. Eventually, her family settled in Athens. Semni grew up with a passion for archaeology, and she pursued her studies at the University of Athens under the guidance of renowned archaeologist Christos Tsountas.
In 1921, Semni made history by becoming the first woman to join the Greek Archaeological Service as a curator of antiquities at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. This achievement was groundbreaking at a time when women’s participation in such professions was limited. She quickly proved her expertise and dedication by working on excavations at Bronze Age sites in Herakleion, Crete, and the classical site of Eretria on Euboea.
In 1928, Semni was awarded a Humboldt Fellowship, along with her husband Christos Karouzos, to study at the universities of Munich and Berlin. Upon their return to Greece in 1930, Semni’s accomplishments were acknowledged with a promotion to the post of Ephor of Antiquities, which made her the head of an ephorate, an archaeological administrative district. This achievement was celebrated as a significant victory for feminism in Greece.
During her tenure as Ephor of Antiquities, Karouzou excavated tombs from the Mycenaean and classical periods in the Argolid and worked in ancient Epidaurus. She also played an instrumental role in preserving historic buildings in the town of Nafplio, where she later published a guide. Her work and discoveries not only contributed to the understanding of ancient Greek history but also brought attention to the importance of historical preservation.
In 1933, Karouzou assumed the position of curator of the ceramic collections at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Her tenure in this role lasted for more than thirty years, until 1964. During this time, women faced restrictions on joining the Archaeological Service, and existing women members were denied promotion to higher positions. Despite these obstacles, Karouzou passionately dedicated herself to the museum’s collections. She meticulously reorganized the collections, identified and cataloged artifacts that had been overlooked, and designed new displays. This meticulous work, which she referred to as invisible service, greatly enhanced the accessibility and understanding of the museum’s ceramic collections. Karouzou also wrote extensively about the museum’s ceramics and stone collections, further contributing to the field of archaeology through her scholarly publications.
Karouzou’s contributions to Greek archaeology earned her recognition as a pioneer and a significant figure in the field. She was described by archaeologists Marianna Nikolaidou and Dimitra Kokkinidou as perhaps the most important woman in Greek archaeology. The newspaper To Vima also hailed her as the last representative of the generation of great archaeologists. In addition to her archaeological achievements, Karouzou endured political persecution during the Greek military junta of 1967-1974. Despite these challenges, she continued to pursue her passion for archaeology and left an indelible mark on the field.