Nuttall, Zelia Maria Magdalena

Nuttall, Zelia Maria Magdalena (1857–1933) archaeologist, ethnologist; born in San Francisco. Daughter of an Irish-born physician, she was educated in Europe and would later live there for many years. She used family wealth to pursue archaeological interests throughout her life, although she was associated at one period with Harvard's Peabody Museum. She published important findings in pre-Columbian and colonial Mexican culture and is credited with the discovery of two ancient Mexican codices (one of which is known as the Codex Nuttall). The character of "Mrs. Norris" in D. H. Lawrence's Plumed Serpent is based on her.