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= Dr Molly Cotton = Mary 'Molly' Aylwin Cotton (nee Marshall), OBE, HON, FBA, FSA (1 August 1902 - 31 May 1984) was a British archaeologist and former doctor. She worked on numerous sites throughout Berkshire, and later in Italy. Her primary research focus was the Iron Age, particularly hill forts. She trained archaeology students at the British School at Rome.

In 1946, Cotton received an OBE for outstanding contributions to the war effort. In 1972, the Dr M. Aylwin Cotton Foundation was established to fund fellowships and publication grants for the study of archaeology.

Molly Cotton was married to Dr Thomas Forrest Cotton, a Canadian cardiologist.

Early Life
Mary Aylwin Marshall was born on 1st August 1902 on the Isle of Man.

Medical career
Molly Cotton was one of the first students to train at the London School of Medicine for Women, and St. Mary's Hospital. In 1928 she was working as a clinical assistant at the National Heart Hospital, where she met Thomas Forrest Cotton. The two married, and Molly retired from medicine. However, she remained honorary medical advisor the the National Children's Adoption Society until 1936.

Archaeology career
Molly became interested in archaeology after visiting Greece. In 1934, Cotton began working on excavations at Maiden Castle, Dorset, with Tessa and Mortimer Wheeler. After Tessa's death in 1936, Cotton became deputy director of the site, alongside archaeologist Kitty Richardson.

In the same year, she began studying Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, London, where she was one of the first to be awarded a post-graduate diploma. She worked at Maiden Castle until 1938.

Between 1938 and 1938, Cotton worked at Calleva Atrebatum, the Roman settlement in Silchester, Hampshire. Here, she focused on the town's defences.

During the war, Molly Cotton served in the Far Eastern Department of the Ministry of Economic Warfare, and the Foreign Office. In 1946, she received an OBE for her contributions to the war effort.

After the war, Molly resumed archaeological work. In 1948, she worked at Hod Hill, Colchester. From 1949 until 1951, she again worked with Mortimer Wheeler, at Verulamium. 1951-1954, Cotton worked as Field Director at Clausentum. During this time, Cotton published numerous archaeological papers, focusing on Iron Age hill forts. In 1953, she undertook excavations at Weycock Hill. Between 1954 and 1958, Cotton administrated the Silchester excavation, and a similar role in Verulamium between 1955-1961. In 1960, she excavated Robin Hood's Arbour.

Her next projects were in Italy, excavating villas at Posto and San Rocco in Francolise, between 1962 and 1965. Here, she was directed by John Bryan Ward-Perkins and Peter von Blanckenhagen, "but essentially the project was hers". This excavation consisted of the first thorough study of Republican villas in Italy, and set a precedent for future research, using stratigraphy and historical sequence.

Move to Italy
In 1965, Molly's husband died. Afterwards, she moved to Rome, where she lived in a flat on the Aventine.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Molly trained students in the British School at Rome archaeology department, known as the Camerone.

Her next excavation was at the Villanovan cemetery of Quattro Fontanili at Veii. Further excavations at Casale Pian Roseto,  South Etruria, Gravina, Cozzo Presepe, and in 1970, Monte Irsi in Basilicata.

In 1972, she set up the Dr M. Aylwin Cotton Foundation, which annually awarded fellowships and publication grants to students. Cotton continued excavating in the 1970s, working in Tuscania in 1972-1973, and Otranto in 1977, where she converted a castle dungeon into her finds department.

Whilst her active excavating career slowed down in the 1980s, she still participated in archaeological works, completing her notes on past excavations and attending events. In 1980 she became an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy. In 1981, she was a Senior statesman at a Siena Congress, and attended a gathering of archaeologists in Italy, in Cambridge, in January 1984.

Molly Cotton died in Rome on 31st May 1984, and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery.

Personality
Molly Cotton was fondly described by friends and colleagues. Referring to Cotton's work at Maiden Castle with Tessa and Mortimer Wheeler, archaeologist Jacquetta Hawkes described her as "perhaps the most fully mature human being in the Wheeler's archaeological circle." Cotton "worked closely with both Wheelers and was fond of both", and actually informed Mortimer of his wife's death, waiting to intercept his train upon his return from France to ensure he heard the news before returning to London. Mortimer noted that "at Victoria I was met by Molly Cotton, a treasured friend and colleague of ours. For two days and nights she had met every continental train, not knowing which would be mine...in case I didn't know".

In her obituary, written by archaeologist Timothy W. Potter, Cotton was described as having a "happy and invigorating personality...Molly was always busy, cheerful and amazingly full of energy - and always helpful towards the young, not least the School's artists", referring to her work in the British School at Rome.

List of excavations

 * 1934-1938 - Maiden Castle, Dorset
 * 1938-1939 - Calleva Atrebatum, Silchester
 * 1948 - Hod Hill, Colchester
 * 1949-1951 - Verulamium
 * 1951-1954 - Clausentum
 * 1953 - Weycock Hill
 * 1954-1958 - undertook administration for Silchester site
 * 1955-1961 - undertook administration for Verulamium site
 * 1967 - Robin Hood's Arbour
 * 1962-1965 - Posto and San Rocco, Francolise
 * - Villanovan cemetery of Quattro Fontanili at Veii.
 * - Casale Pian Roseto
 * -South Etruria
 * - Gravina
 * -Cozzo Presepe
 * 1970 - Monte Irsi, Basilicata
 * 1972 -1973 - Tuscania
 * 1977 - Otranto