No Pay, Low Pay, and Unequal Pay: The TrowelBlazers Perspective on the History of Women in Archaeology

Abstract

In this chapter, we will consider how women have worked in archaeology, largely in Anglophone contexts; the methods and means by which they could achieve significant contributions and careers despite considerable obstacles to their participation solely based on their sex. We will examine how the interactions between individuals work to build networks of support and mentorship that allow them to participate in a male-dominated field and, occasionally, to thrive there. Using the examples available from our experience running the TrowelBlazers project, a non-profit community project recognising women’s contributions to the ‘digging’ sciences, we will discuss linkages in the past and how we can still see the legacy of successful women in today’s archaeology.