The “Glimpse Series” offers a closer view of the AAR community’s current Rome Prize winners by delving further into their studios or studies, their daily routines or work in progress. The scholarly and artistic work being pursued continues to be as varied as the fellowship recipients themselves. The following “Glimpse” focuses on Margaret Marshall Andrews, Paul Mellon/Samuel H. Kress Foundation/Helen M. Woodruff Pre-Doctoral Fellow of the Archaeological Institute of America and a member of the Graduate Group in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World at the University of Pennsylvania.
Describe a particularly inspiring moment or location you’ve experienced in Rome thus far.
I just recently gave my shoptalk to members of the community, and the quality and diversity of feedback I received was just stunning. Because there are so many people here with so many different fields of expertise, each person picked up on a certain aspect of my project and provided insights or advice about how to develop it further. It was inspiring and motivating to say the least; I would need fourteen Rome Prizes to pursue them all!
To what extent, if any, has your proposed project changed since your arrival?
My examination of the changing topography and shifting character of Rome’s Subura district in the first millennium AD hasn’t really changed; it’s just become much more focused. When I arrived in September, I only had a general idea of what kind of research I’d be doing. My initial approach was essentially to find out as much as I could about all the structures that we’ve documented in the Subura, a historically marginalized and crowded residential and commercial district east of the historic center that has never been systematically studied. After three months of research here, however, a theme that I can follow through the evolution of the district has become clear to me, and I feel much more confident moving forward knowing which path to take. What lies at the end will no doubt keep changing, as it should, but that’s what makes the hunt so thrilling!
Have you had any “ah-hah!” moments or unanticipated breakthroughs in the course of your work here?
Too many to count! I’ve been extremely fortunate this autumn. Several of my mentors have been in Rome for extended periods of time, so we’ve been able to walk through the neighborhood that I’m working on and discuss aspects of its development right on the spot. So many more facets of the structures and the terrain become apparent when you experience the actual space and its features. Having several pairs of expert eyes with me when doing this has brought issues, connections, and questions to my attention that I never would have conceived of on my own. Each one of them has transformed the project to such a degree that it’s hard to know where I’d be without their input.
What's your favorite dish in the Rome Sustainable Food Project (RSFP) kitchen?
That’s easy! Without a doubt, the fior di latte gelato with salted caramel sauce. I’m usually perfectly content with simple bowl of vanilla ice cream, so you can imagine how much I enjoy this as a significant step up. I could write a book about all its virtues! The other desserts are fabulous, as well, though. I always love it when the entire table breaks into spontaneous cheers and shrieks of delight when certain ones are served. The cakes spark this reaction pretty often….
What aspect of your project are you most looking forward to?
I love fieldwork, but my project involves no excavation. However, I’m planning on carrying out a survey of the natural topography of the Subura valley since it must have played a large role in how the area developed. From this data, I’ll try to approximate and visualize the Subura in a terrain model as it evolved over the millennium, treating the city essentially as a landscape. I look forward to creating this technical reconstruction to complement my archival and library research. It will give me a taste of the hands-on work that I enjoy so much.