September 1, 2018
In just a few weeks, we’ll be marking the occasion of the eighth International Archaeology Day (IAD). As of July, we had over 100 Collaborating Organizations signed up for the 2018 celebration of archaeology and we’re adding more every day. Collaborating Organizations include museums, historical societies, libraries, universities, and several U.S. national parks. Events are being planned all around the world, including in Georgia, Italy, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, the UK, and, of course, the United States.
The annual celebration, established by the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) in 2011, continues to expand globally. In 2017, more than 900 events were organized by over 500 Collaborating Organizations in two dozen countries. More than 200,000 people attended these IAD events around the world. In comparison, the first Archaeology Day featured 115 events, 14 Collaborating Organizations, and participation by just over 15,000 people.
IAD events vary greatly and include archaeology fairs, laboratory open houses, classroom visits, special tours of museums or archaeological sites, symposia, conferences, meetings, student presentations, and lectures. In 2018, IAD will include a performance art event organized by the Samara State Institute of Culture in Russia: Archaeology as Scene of Culture: Voices of Things/Art-Archaeological Performance, on view October 20–22, 2018. To see a full list of Collaborating Organizations and events, go to archaeologyday.org.
Although IAD officially takes place on the third Saturday in October, Collaborating Organizations hold events throughout the month. IAD, in addition to celebrating archaeology, is an opportunity for Collaborating Organizations to highlight the important work they do. Collaborating Organizations and their activities are featured on the IAD website (archaeologyday.org) and included in the main IAD calendar.
We are pleased to announce that the U.S. National Park Service and Nationwide, one of the world’s largest insurance and financial services companies, are once again joining IAD as sponsors. The support provided by these organizations will enable us to further expand our efforts in making IAD a truly global event. The AIA thanks the National Park Service and Nationwide for their generous support of archaeology and public outreach.
The AIA is the world’s largest archaeological organization and your membership supports archaeological research, outreach, and education, and the conservation and protection of archaeological sites around the world. More than 100 AIA Local Societies in the United States and abroad provide members with the opportunity to connect to archaeology and each other in their own communities. Joining is easy: Visit archaeological.org/join to become an AIA member.
We have an exclusive membership offer to Archaeology subscribers: For just $40, you can upgrade to a Supporting Membership in the AIA. As a Supporting Member, you will be able to join an AIA Local Society near you and attend AIA member events. Go to archaeological.org/upgrade to take advantage of this special deal.
More than 150 stunning photographs taken in 25 countries were submitted to the AIA for the 2018 AIA Photo Contest. As in past years, AIA members and friends selected the winners. More than 13,000 votes were cast over the weeklong voting period. The big winner was Gavin McGuire, who won three of the five contest categories (Archaeological Landscapes, Excavation, and Fun Finds). Luis Alberto Martinez Castro was the winner in the Monuments category and Alexia Giglio topped the Field Life category. You can see all the winning entries at archaeological.org/aia-2018-photo-contest-results/. A dozen of the top photographs submitted to the 2018 AIA Photo Contest will be featured in the AIA’s 2019 calendar. The calendar will be available this fall.
If you are interested in sharing your amazing archaeological photographs with the AIA—and the world—enter next year’s contest. We accept photographs in the five categories mentioned above.
Each year the AIA offers fellowships and grants for travel, study, and publication to deserving scholars and students. Please note that to be eligible for an AIA grant or fellowship, applicants must have been AIA members in good standing for at least two consecutive years (one year for students) by the application deadline. To read more about the scholarships and grants and their application guidelines and requirements, please visit archaeological.org/grants.
AIA Members’ Forums are new events designed to provide opportunities for Local Society members to meet for engaging and meaningful conversations about archaeological issues. They are available to any Society interested in hosting one. Each Forum has a specific topic chosen by a task group within the AIA Societies Committee. The task group will have researched the topic and provided the Society with a study guide with background information as well as lists of resources and Forum questions.
Once a Society schedules a Forum, its leaders appoint a local committee or expert to lead the discussion. Materials can be distributed to members before the event. The Forum itself is meant to be a participatory conversation about the topic. The ground rules for the discussion can be set by each Society, and can vary depending on location, audience, amount of time available, and other factors they regard as pertinent.
As an example, and to read about a Forum on looted art that took place at the AIA Local Society in Minnesota, go to aiamn.blogspot.com/2017/12/forum-on-looted-art-archaeology-and.html.
If you want to learn more about running a Forum, have ideas for a future topic, or are interested in serving on a task group, please contact Meredith Langlitz at mlanglitz@archaeological.org.
We encourage you to join the AIA. Your membership dues support archaeological excavations and research around the world. To become a member, go to archaeological.org/join. Archaeology magazine subscribers can upgrade their membership—which will include membership in their nearest AIA Local Society—for just $40. To upgrade, go to archaeological.org/upgrade.
