Many of the fundamental cultural features of modern western societies have their origins in the civilizations of Mesopotamia, which flourished from 3000 to 323 BCE in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, now modern Iraq. This exploration will highlight aspects of this lasting legacy, with special reference to the collections on display in the Middle East Galleries.

Holly Pittman, Ph.D., Curator in the Near East Section and Bok Family Professor in the Humanities, Penn History of Art, has excavated in Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. She has had primary publication responsibilities of the art, especially the glyptic art, from the sites of Malyan in the Fars province of Iran, Uruk-period Tell Brak, and Uruk-period Hacienbi Tepe. She co-curated the Museum’s Middle East Galleries as well as the traveling exhibition of the Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur. Her current research interests revolve around the excavations of the sites of Konar Sandal South and North in the region of Jiroft, in south-central Iran. Dr. Pittman has participated in two seasons of excavation of these two mounds and the exploration and survey of the region.
$5 per lecture.