Lifelong Passion

Love at First Site

Following World War II, Goell made her first visit to Nemrud Dagi, a site situated atop one of the highest peaks of the Eastern Taurus mountain range in southeast Turkey.

Nemrud Dagi was the Hierotheseion (temple-tomb and house of the gods) built by the late Hellenistic King Antiochos I of Commagene (69–34 BCE) as a monument to himself. The site had fascinated Goell ever since she learned of it in her archaeology courses in college. As a single woman, she was discouraged from making the trip, but she remained determined to do so. Her first-hand accounts describe difficult travel conditions and a challenging environment. Male escorts took her by truck through 20 miles of extremely rough terrain, and the final leg of the journey involved a difficult ascent by horse and then on foot. Upon her arrival she was awestruck by what she saw and was driven to pursue its excavation. Beginning in 1954, Goell launched a series of expeditions which lasted well into the 1970s.

Theresa Goell sat between two men outside in front of a house.

Meeting the Locals

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East’s photographs and Goell’s letters attest to local interest in her visit as unique: she was the first Western woman within living memory to visit the area. She spent days in formal meetings with local leaders before gaining official approval to visit the site.

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

Friedrich Karl Dorner standing next to Theresa Goell who is sat on a rock wall.

Reluctant Collaborators

Goell was not alone in her desire to excavate at Nemrud Dagi. She and archaeologist Dr. Friedrich Karl Dorner applied separately to the Department of Antiquities in Ankara for excavation permits. After two years of negotiation, they ultimately agreed to work together, but while their partnership worked well during excavation, it became strained as they worked on their publications.

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

A large stone statue head in an archaeological site.

Colossal Head

The excavations on the mound at Nemrud Dagi revealed numerous Greek inscriptions and monumental heads, objects for which the site is now famous. Here is one of those statues, unearthed during Goell’s time. The heads fell from five giant seated limestone statues on an upper level. They are identified as deities in the associated inscriptions.

Five men moving a large lion statue from an archaeological dig.

Unearthing the Lion

The photo shows Goell’s team moving a lion statue. Many of the fallen sculptures were repositioned for the benefit of tourism.

Overcoming Adversity