Mary Ann Eaverly

Eos spoke with Dr. Eaverly in May 2021.

Please tell us about your work:
I am a Professor of Classics and the outgoing Chair of the Department of Classics at the University of Florida. I received my A.B. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from Bryn Mawr College and my PhD in Classical Art and Archaeology from the University of Michigan. My monographs, Archaic Greek Equestrian Sculpture (University of Michigan Press 1995) and Tan Men/Pale Women: Color and Gender in Archaic Greece and Egypt, a Comparative Approach (University of Michigan Press 2013) focus primarily on issues of iconography in early Greek Art. I am also interested in the use of mythological and archaeological imagery in the work of women poets, especially H. D. (Hilda Doolittle), and I have co-authored several articles on this topic with my colleague in the Department of English Marsha Bryant, including most recently “Excavating H. D.’s Egypt” in Approaches to Teaching H. D.’s Poetry and Prose (MLA 2011). My current research project is a study of the iconography of the female nude in Archaic Greek art.

How did you become interested in your field?
It has long been a family tradition to study ancient Greek and Latin. My paternal great-grandfather was a Classicist; he was listed in the 1920s edition of Who’s Who in Colored America. Following his grandfather’s footsteps, my father studied Greek, and both of my parents studied Latin. When I was at Bryn Mawr College, I began developing an interest in sculpture. From my family, I learned that Black people can study Classics, and from Bryn Mawr, I learned that women can study Classics. Brunilde Sismondo Ridgway’s archaeology course was especially influential early in my college career; I returned to her scholarship in graduate school and beyond.

What do you find most exciting about teaching Classics? What challenges have you faced in teaching in this field?
I derive energy and joy from teaching; my students help open up my own research interests. In fact, my second book (Tan Men/Pale Women) grew out of a teaching experience when students’ queries regarding the hierarchy of art prompted me to dig deeper into the role of color in ancient Egyptian art. Earlier in my career, service obligations risked overwhelming me, but my department was very supportive in helping me protect my time for research.

Tell us about a teacher whose work (in research, teaching, or beyond) inspires you:
My undergraduate professor Brunilde Sismondo Ridgway immediately comes to mind. In addition to giving me a thorough education while I was an undergraduate, she invited me back to Bryn Mawr College to review the manuscript for my first book. I remain in admiration of the ways that she integrated open-ended questions into her scholarship and welcomed engagement from her readership. My graduate advisor, John Pedley, also gave me sound advice when he told me that my perspective was important and valuable to the field of archaeology.

What advice do you have for students or scholars interested in working in your field?
I always remember my mother’s advice when I informed her that I wanted to pursue a career in Classics: she told me that I am not a Vanderbilt so I will have to work for a living, but I should see if I could get a job doing the thing that I loved. That being said, I encourage students to pursue whichever career they are interested in while also reminding them that they have developed transferable skills during their time in school. For instance, I highlight that their public speaking skills are an asset. In addition, I point out that there are many career opportunities for people with Classics degrees, not least teaching in secondary schools or working in the technology/computer sector (consulting for games, movies, etc.).

How has your field changed since you started working in it? Where do you think it needs to go next?
Archaeology has changed for the better, in that archaeologists have a more global perspective. There has also been a shift from examining statues as pure art to examining statues as part of a complex religious/cultural system. In addition, I appreciate the shift from studying the life of elite to a focusing on working-class people; these are important changes. Finally, I always delight in witnessing students and scholars interrogate long-held beliefs with the simple but poignant query, “but why?”.

What have been the top five most influential texts to your work?
Some books that influenced me as a person include: Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi, and Negroland by Margo Jefferson.

Literature that influenced my work includes: The Archaic Style in Greek Sculpture by Brunilde Sismondo Ridgway, Not the Classical Ideal by Beth Cohen, and Archaic Greek Epigram and Dedication by Joseph Day.