Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski (1910-2007) was a faculty member in the University of Maryland History Department renowned for her expertise in Roman gardens, specifically those in Pompeii. Through her research and excavation work, she helped to develop the field of garden archaeology. Jashemski began teaching at Maryland in 1946 and remained until her retirement in 1980. This collection chronicles Jashemski's archaeological trips to Pompeii and other Roman ruins and includes her research notes on the subject of Roman gardens, extensive drafts from several of her books and essays, grant applications, speeches, teaching materials, and awards. In addition, there is a significant amount of correspondence from publishers, faculty, and other Roman scholars, as well as personal correspondence from family members and friends. Highlights in the collection consist mainly of drafts, notes, and correspondence related to two of her notable publications The Gardens of Pompeii and A Pompeian Herbal. An entire box is devoted to essays, maps, and correspondence from Gardens of the Roman Empire, a scholarly compilation edited by Jashemski and published after her death. Drafts of letters to be included in Letters from Pompeii, Jashemski's epistolary-style book for young people, are also included.
