Artist, architect, and archaeologist, Tania Proskouriakoff began her career in Maya archaeology in 1936 when
she was asked to serve as surveyor and draftsperson for the University of Pennsylvania expedition to the Maya archaeological
ruins of Piedras Negras. In the lush rainforest on the border between Mexico and Guatemala, she worked under difficult
conditions, measuring the ruined pyramids and plazas of this grand site. She later used this information to make reconstruction
drawings of how the site may have appeared one thousand years before. The results of this and later expeditions
to other archaeological sites were published in her Album of Maya Architecture. For the rest of her life, Tania strove to
understand the ancient Maya, making major contributions along the way. It was a remarkable life.
I had the opportunity to work for Tania as a volunteer assistant from 1972-'73 at Harvard's Peabody Museum.
Through stories she shared with me, as well as her archived diaries and field notebooks and interviews with her
colleagues, former students, and relatives, I pieced together the story of her adventurous life. The resulting book
includes previously unpublished photographs from private family collections, as well as photographs of the Carnegie Institution
of Washington, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. I was supported in my work in part by the Cabarrus Arts Council
( www.cabarrusartscouncil.org) and by a Regional Artist's Grant from the Arts and Science Councils of NC.
Articles and Other Pieces
"Off and Running," article on an 85-year-old North Carolina woman marathon runner, in the April,
2008 publication in Our State magazine.
Tatiana Proskouriakoff (1909-1985) Online article at:
"Reconnecting the Pieces: A Journey through the Life of Tatiana Proskouriakoff," University of Oklahoma
Press Fall, 2002 Academic Catalog
"A Pioneer in Maya Archaeology," Fall, 2003 issue of American Archaeology Magazine, part
of the Legends in Archaeology feature.
Book Review of Ian Graham's Alfred Maudslay and the Maya: A Biography, appears in the journal
Mesoamerica #47, pg. 176. (Translation into Spanish by Sara Martinez Juan)
"Captive Audience," creative non-fiction essay, winner in its category '08 Cabarrus Silver Arts. Chosen
to be entered in the State Silver Arts competition in fall, '08.
"Singing to the Fairies in the Doghouse," an essay which won a first place award in the '06 Silver Arts
competition, Cabarrus County Senior Games.
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If you are part of a group or organization that would be interested in having a presentation on Tania's life, you
can e-mail me by clicking on the Contact Me button at the left of this page. It's always a pleasure when folks
who are intrigued by what they read of Tania's life take the time to drop me a note. I continue to feel grateful I had
the opportunity to write her life story!
This year, a new film, Cracking the Maya Code, has been shown as part of the NOVA series on
PBS which explores the history of the breaking of the Maya glyphic code. It contains a section devoted to Tania's life
and work for which I contributed photographs and was consulted. For more on this, check the following website: www.nightfirefilms.org
EVENTS:
September 16, 2008: Black Mountain, NC: Highlander's Club Talk and Booksigning: 3:30 PM Highland Farms, Black
Mountain, NC
June 10, 2008: Black Mountain, NC: Rotary Luncheon Talk and Booksigning, 12 PM, Highland Farms, Black Mountain,
NC
June 6-7, 2008: Beech Mountain, NC: Guest of the Chamber of Commerce 5K Race with Margaret Hagerty, subject
of my article "Off and Running."
April 15, 2008: Lanier Library, Tryon, NC Noon: Talk/Booksigning "Writing a Life: the process of researching
and distilling the events in the life of Mayanist Tatiana Proskouriakoff."
PAST EVENTS:
Spring Writer's Conference, Greensboro, NC
Cabarrus Arts Council Exhibition of Regional Artist Grant recipients, Old Courthouse, Union Street,
Concord, NC.
Burke County Public Library, lecture/slide presentation for the Continuing Education Program,
Morganton, NC
Morningside of Concord, lecture/slide presentation, Concord, NC
Duke/UNC Center for Latin American Studies, Chapel Hill, NC
Black Mountain Public Library, Friends of the Library Author's Event, Black Mountain, NC
The Frame Gallery, Statesville, NC
Black Bear Books, Boone, NC
Was consulted for a PBS special, "Breaking the Maya Code"
Mint Museum of Art Curator's Circle Lecture, Charlotte, NC
Hofstra University Author's Event, Hempstead, NY
WRHU Radio Interview on Dr. Linda Longmire's program: Visions & Choices
Archaeological Institute of America, Charlotte chapter, Charlotte, NC
Cannon Memorial Library - Kannapolis Branch, Kannapolis, NC
Cabarrus Arts Council, Concord, NC
Meet the Authors at Barnes and Noble, Huntersville, NC
Soul Food Book Club, Harrisburg, NC
Athenaeum Book Club of Monroe, Concord, NC
Prime Timers Club, St. John's Episcopal Church, Charlotte
Cannon Memorial Library-Concord Branch, Concord, NC
University of North Carolina - Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Sydney Lanier Book Club, Concord, NC
Cabarrus Arts Council Breakfast, Concord, NC
Second Tuesday Book Club, Concord, NC
Ethel Williams/Virginia Dare Bookclubs, Concord, NC
Appeared in "Code of the Maya Kings," National Geographic Channel special.
I recently attended a wonderful writers conference in Greensboro and came back quite charged up. I was happy to find
a number of very interesting and supportive people at the conference who are all currently working on their own writing projects,
and I'm hoping to maintain contact with them.
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