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Strange things have been happening to Dr Dorothy King. In August last year, she was at her mother's house in the South of France when it was broken into. Some of Dorothy's jewellery was taken, along with sunglasses and an evening bag; but, more mysteriously, the thieves also took a computer, some films waiting to be developed and all her box-files. No other room in the house was touched.
Twice before she had been the victim of similarly puzzling thefts. On both occasions her bag had been stolen - first at Athens airport, and later at the city's railway station. Both times her passport, credit cards and cash were returned, but her notebooks and Filofax were missing.
"Who on earth would be interested in my latest article?" she wonders. Since she thinks her learned papers should be "on sale next to Nytol in Boots", the only conclusion the 30-year-old archaeologist can draw is that someone wants to foil her plans for saving the site of the Battle of Marathon.
For nearly three years she has been running a campaign to prevent the Greek government from building an Olympic rowing lake on the seaside plain where in 490 BC the Greeks defeated Persian invaders, thereby preserving the world's first democracy. The site is the habitat of rare species of seabirds and pines, so it has ecological as well as historical importance. And yet, while Waterloo and Gettysburg are protected, Marathon is being turned into a lake, with grandstands to seat 14,000, a three-storey starting tower, a four- storey finishing block and an Olympic village.
The irony of Marathon (known today as Schinias) being built over in the name of sport is inescapable. From here, Pheidippides ran to Athens to announce the victory, giving the world one of its most exhausting sports (he
died after delivering the news). "And yet the Athens Olympic Committee decided to build there; no one can understand why," says Dorothy, tossing back a stray lock of blond hair.
As archaeologists go, Dorothy King is unusual. Young, glamorous and rich, she has been given a walk-on part in the next Indiana Jones film. She is also prone to outspokenness - a trait that caused an infuriated Greek to turn to her, after...