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Archaeological Legacy

Goell’s Legacy

Goell is largely responsible for introducing Commagene to the world and laying the groundwork for modern tourism in the region.

Goell’s work explored and illuminated the region’s history in the religious transition between Paganism and Christianity. Prior to her excavations, Nemrud Dagi was often dismissed, ignored, or misunderstood by the scholarly community. But she recognized the importance of the remote site, and made its exploration her life’s work, highlighting and clarifing the blending of Eastern and Western religious and artistic traditions there, and blazing a trail for future investigation and scholarship.

Headshot of Theresa Goell.

Goell’s Records

Goell was an avid letter writer. Her archive of letters, excavation notes, and drawings was donated by her family and remain in the collections of Radcliffe College and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, where it has been and will continue to be used as a resource for scholarship. 

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Archives, ©President and Fellows of Harvard College 

A Theresa Goell sitting in the front row with a group of men and boys from the region.

Giving Back

In the 1970s, Goell was heavily involved in restoration of Nemrud Dagi and its preparation as a tourist site, although she had laid the groundwork for such tourism as early as 1956. Today, due to her work and that of her team’s (such as the one pictured here), the site is a major tourist destination, complete with hotels, shops, and restaurants. 

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Archives, ©President and Fellows of Harvard College 

Cover of documentary about Theresa Goell called Queen of the Mountain.

Queen of the Mountain

Goell’s life was documented in the film, Queen of the Mountain, in 2005. The film was produced and directed by Martha Goell Lubell, Theresa’s niece. 

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Archives, ©President and Fellows of Harvard College 

HMSC Connects Podcast Logo

Podcast: Theresa Goell’s Archaeological Legacy with Archaeologist Donald Sanders

Listen to host Jennifer Berglund interview archaeologist and architect, Donald Sanders, about what it was like to compile Theresa Goell’s life’s work and how that informs Donald’s own practice in the field.