In Memoriam: Maria Coutroubaki Shaw

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Maria Coutroubaki Shaw, on December 7th 2025. Maria taught for more than three decades at UofT, starting in Classics at what was then Scarborough College in 1971, before becoming Professor in the Department of Fine Art. After receiving her PhD from Bryn Mawr in 1967, Maria wrote several important articles on Minoan frescoes; besides this specialism she was also well known for her collaboration with husband Joseph Shaw at the archaeological site of Kommos on the south coast of Crete. Starting in 1976, together they conducted extensive excavations for many years, revealing a unique Bronze Age harbour settlement with monumental buildings and ship sheds. Perhaps even more impressive is the way in which they coordinated the complete publication of their finds across several volumes; Maria herself authored much of House X at Kommos, volume 1 (2012). Maria and Joseph received the highest honour of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) in 2006, the Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement. Maria was also a true stalwart of the archaeological community in Toronto, helping to run the AIA’s Toronto chapter for many years. An endowed scholarship in her and Joseph’s name is awarded each year by UofT’s Archaeology Centre. Through her foundational work on Minoan wall painting and her co-direction of the Kommos excavations, Maria Coutroubaki Shaw was vital in establishing University of Toronto as a leading centre for research in Aegean prehistory.