Pirates, Noblemen and Codfish: The Archaeology of 17th Century Newfoundland

Sylvia Teaves has had a life-long passion for archaeology, although life led her in quite a different direction before she eventually came to pursue her dream full time.

She immigrated to Canada on her own at the age of 22, ending up in Toronto where she worked for many years as assistant to the President of a major teaching hospital. During that time, she obtained her BA in Humanities from York University, working full-time during the day and attending classes at night. She went on to obtain her MHSc in Healthcare Administration from the University of Toronto, and then spent a dozen years as administrator of a cognitive neuroscience research institute.

A few years ago, an inheritance enabled her to quit work and follow her passion for archaeology. She is currently working towards an Archaeology Specialist degree at the University of Toronto where she is pursuing her special interest in Canada's early colonial period (17th and 18th century). She spends her summers volunteering on archaeological digs in Ontario and, more recently, in Newfoundland. She has served for three years as President of the Toronto Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society.

Sylvia is a member of Toronto Mensa where for many years she contributed a regular humourous column to the local newsletter. Her column, A-Musings, now appears in MC2, to which she has also contributed photographs and poetry. She is a co-founder of Special OPS (the Special Ontario Party SIG) which organizes a variety of fun events for Mensans throughout southwestern Ontario.

When she has time, Sylvia dabbles in painting landscapes in acrylics. She has a special fondness for dreadful puns, word games and cats.

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