Archaeology Day at the Frontier Culture Museum
2024-10-19 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Frontier Culture Museum, 1290 Richmond Ave, Staunton, VA, 24401, United States
Saturday, October 19th is International Archaeology Day, and the Frontier Culture Museum is offering archaeological activities all day!
But just what is archaeology and why are we talking about it at a living history museum? Archaeology is the study of patterns of material culture, the tangible things that people made and used. Things that are still around, just in the ground beneath us. Archaeology gives us a snapshot of the past. Objects enter the ground, a house decays leaving only the foundation. We only get to see the remnants, not the activity. History, on the other hand, is the study of human behavior in the past, based on the records people themselves have left behind. You can see where one might inform the other. Both involve asking questions, forming hypotheses and doing research.
We look at all of these clues, carefully piece the fragments of a moment in time together, and create a picture of what life was like, for example, on the frontier.
So, what does Archaeology Day at the Frontier Culture Museum mean? It means walking around our Old World loop, the farms from places people left behind to come to the New World, and learning about different types of artifacts, like metal and ceramics, and also a little bit about experimental archaeology. It also means heading over to the New World section and being able to try your hand at excavation in our dig boxes and learning a bit about what happens after the artifacts are excavated. We hope to see you here at the museum, as we celebrate International Archaeology Day!

Animating Ancient Assyria: Teen Saturdays Workshop
2024-11-09 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Take a time machine to an ancient Assyrian royal palace! In this workshop, teens will be introduced to augmented reality using Snapchat features to overlay digital content on exhibits.
Explore art from 640 BCE that depicts royal victories, lion hunts, epic battles, and ancient rituals. Watch stone monuments spring to life with color and movement. Through activities, teens will decide what other exhibits should get the Snapchat lens treatment.
Teen Saturdays Workshops are designed to build community and improve the museum experience for multicultural and Spanish-speaking teens. Workshops are presented bilingually in Spanish and English. Snacks provided!
$10 fee includes free admission to all HMSC museums following the workshop.
Teens in high school ages 14–18 receive a membership worth $100 after attending three or more 2024 fall semester Teen Saturday Workshops. Or, receive a free admission pass (worth $15) for a return visit if you attend one of the four sessions.
September 14: Inside Egyptian Tombs
October 5: Creative 3D Design
November 9: Animating Ancient Assyria
December 7: Marvelous Holograms
Bring a smartphone. A limited number of tablets will be available for loan. Make a note on your registration form if you want to borrow one.
Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.

ArtsThursdays: Ancient Game Night
2025-03-27 17:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join us for a free night of friendly competition at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.
Come with a date, come with friends, or make new friends while strolling through the galleries.
Explore the galleries of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Learn to play the ancient board games Royal Game of Ur, Senet, and al-qirkat
Bring ancient relief sculptures to life with the augmented-reality app: Art of Intimidation: Journey to Ancient Assyria
Create a clay medallion inscribed with your own personalized cuneiform symbol
Enjoy beverages available for purchase (a valid government ID required to consume alcohol)
Enter a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership
Free and open to the public. Let us know you are coming! RSVPs are encouraged, but walk-in visitors are always welcome. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

New Hampshire Archeological Society Spring
2025-04-05 09:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | MA
New Hampshire Archeological Society Spring Meeting
Co-hosted by UNH Anthropology Club and the New Hampshire Archaeological Society.
9:00 am – Registration opens. Morning refreshments.
9:55 Welcome, Elizabeth Chilton, UNH President, Professor of Anthropology
10:00 to 10:45 The Shock of Colonialism in New England: Fragments from a Frontier, Meghan Howey, Professor of Anthropology and in the Earth Systems Research Center and she is currently the Director of UNH’s Center for the Humanities.
11:00 to 11:45 Native American Sites and Landscapes in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, Bob Goodby, Professor of Anthropology at Franklin Pierce University, the owner of Monadnock Archaeological Consulting, LLC
Lunch on your own
1:00 to 1:45 Student papers
Transitional Embodiment, Meredith Rafferty
A Historic Case of Tertiary Syphilis from Cypress Grove Cemetery #1, New Orleans, Louisiana, Connor Lincoln
Buried Stories of Durham, New Hampshire – the UNH President’s Residence and its Evolving Role in the Community, Chase Johnson
2:00 to 2:45 Applied Bioarchaeology at the Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery (F.A.I.R.) Lab, University of New Hampshire, Alex Garcia Putnam, Postdoctoral Diversity and Innovation Scholar, Co-Director, Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery (F.A.I.R.) Lab
2:45 to 3:15 Archeology Lab Tour
Registration opens at 9 am with sessions starting at 10 am. Registration: $10 at the door, Complimentary with Student ID. No pre registration required. Virtual Zoom registration bit.ly/NHASregister
LOCATION: Huddleston Hall, UNH, 73 Main St, Durham, NH 03824
PARKING: Lot B and other parking is free on weekends

The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival
2025-05-14 - 2025-05-18 | Sheffer Recital Hall, 285 E Broadway, Eugene, OR, 97401, United States
The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival is a juried international competition in the cultural heritage film genre, bringing you the world’s best films relating to the human past and our shared cultural heritage. These are great films for the whole family!
Our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Eske Willerslev, will kick off the event at the Festival Banquet, on May 14, 2025, 6-9pm, at the Gordon Hotel in Eugene. This is followed by four days of juried films and videos on archaeological and indigenous topics, screened in the Sheffer Recital Hall at The Shedd Institute in Eugene. We plan other festival activities at other downtown venues as well. Event details are posted on TAC web site at archaeologychannel.org/festival.

Community Data Collection Day at Providence’s North Burial Ground
2025-09-18 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology, Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, 60 George Street, Providence, RI, 02912, United States
Help preserve Providence history! Join the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World and the staff of Providence’s North Burial Ground for a community data collection day within the cemetery’s old Colonial sections. Founded in 1700, North Burial Ground predates the founding of the United States and the charter of the City of Providence. Help document the oldest tombstones at NBG to aid in research about Providence’s history and future preservation decisions. You will also learn about the cemetery’s history and many of the stories within it. Free and open to the public, and all ages are welcome. Please bring a pencil and a writing, though a limited number of clipboards and pencils will be available at the event.
Location: North Burial Ground, Rochambeau Entrance. Free parking on Main Street, or take the R bus line.
Contact: jiaaw@brown.edu or (401) 863-3188.

2025 Archaeological investigations at Fort Brewerton.
2025-10-04 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Fort Brewerton & Oliver Stevens Blockhouse Museum, Box 392 9 US Route 11, Brewerton, NY, 13029, United States
Join us for a day of archaeological investigations at Fort Brewerton.
Following a successful ground penetrating radar and magnetometer survey in the spring, we can now use this new data to give us more confidence in finding the remains of the north wall of blockhouse # 4. Previous excavations in this area over the last 4 years have yielded many interesting artifacts and features, giving us clues and its layout and use. Our first excavation on the 4th will be followed up by our second excavation on the 18th on international archaeology day.
Current Fort Brewerton Historical Society members are welcome to assist in the excavation, members of the public are welcome to observe. Please message us if you plan on volunteering to assist in the excavation. The blockhouse museum will not be open for tours on the 4th.
Additionally, members of the New York State Archaeological Association are welcomed to participate with written permission from their chapter representative. Please contact us for more information.

Arkansas ArcheOlympics
2025-10-04 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Arkansas Archeological Survey Research Station, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, 1 Rockefeller Dr, Morrilton, AR, 72110, United States
The ArcheOlympics is an annual competition that brings together teams of archeology students, Arkansas Archeological Society members, middle school students, and anyone else interested in archeology and having fun. The games consist of 3 events in which teams compete to show off their skills and knowledge in archeology-based games. The first is throwing a spear with an atlatl. This takes some skill, so most teams get together and practice before the event. Archeoletes throw for both distance and accuracy during the competition. The second event is the trivia contest. This event changes slightly each year based on the gameshow format that we choose, but archeoletes answer questions about archeology, important archeological sites, archeological ethics, and other topics related to the theme. This event directly pits teams against each other in answering the questions. The third event is the Excavation to Curation Obstacle course. The course changes slightly each year, but teams work together to make their way through the simulated stages of archeological research. They must lay out a 1m x 1m unit, “excavate” the unit, collect artifacts and interpret them, curate the artifacts, write the report, and get it accepted for publication.

Archaeology Walk of the Nauset Marsh Trail
2025-10-17 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Cape Cod National Seashore, Salt Pond Visitor Center, 50 Nauset Road, Eastham, MA, 02642, United States
Join National Park Service Archaeologist Dan Zoto for a guided walk of the Nauset Marsh Trail to learn about the archaeology, geology, and history of the Nauset estuary. The program will include an approximate 20-minute terrace talk at the Salt Pond Visitor Center and a 1.5-hour trail walk. Topics will include Native American and historical period land use. The trail is 1.3 miles and classified as easy with some long steps, moderate grade, and an elevation change of 37 feet. The event is free. Rain or shine.

International Archaeology Day at the Parthenon
2025-10-18 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Nashville Parthenon, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37203, United States
On October 18, 2025, the Archaeological Institute of America-Nashville Society and the Nashville Parthenon are teaming up to join hundreds of archaeological organizations around the world to celebrate International Archaeology Day and the Tennessee STEAM Festival. Museum visitors at this archaeology fair event will view two special exhibits, Goddess In Progress in the East Gallery and The Role of Replica in the West Gallery, explore Level 2’s replica interior of the ancient Parthenon, participate in activity stations, and earn an “Official Archaeologist of the Nashville Parthenon” sticker! Stop by activity stations from 9 AM – 12 PM.
What is international archaeology Day at the Parthenon?
International Archaeology Day is a morning full of family-friendly STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities that highlight archaeological work and artifacts to share the legacy of Greek culture to raise awareness of the ancient world.
RSVP in advance below for free museum admission for this event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parthenon-international-archaeology-day-tickets-1505905647329?aff=oddtdtcreator
You can also mention visiting for International Archaeology Day the day of for discounted admission.
Activities include:
–Ask an Archaeologist, 9 AM – 12 PM: Meet Dr. Debby Sneed, an archaeologist who and will answer questions about all things archaeology and ancient Greece. About Dr. Sneed: Dr. Debby Sneed is assistant professor of classics at California State University, Long Beach, and an archaeologist whose research focuses on disability in ancient Greece. She is also field director of the Agora Excavations in Athens, conducted by the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, which is the preeminent research center for US scholars and students studying Greek culture from antiquity to the present. She earned a Ph.D. in archaeology from UCLA, and a MA in classics from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Bonus: Register for a free virtual Symposium with Dr. Sneed, Sunday, October 20, at 10 AM Central!
–Gold Leafing Demonstration, 9 AM – 12 PM: Meet Micki & Mitch Cavanah of Reed’s Gold Leaf, the experts who helped gild Athena! They will be demonstrating the gold leafing process LIVE inside the Parthenon in honor of The Society of Gilders’ worldwide gilding symposium. The Society of Gilders is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of the gilding arts.
–The Role of a Replica Talk, 10:30 AM: Join a Parthenon staff member for a special tour at 10:30 AM about the making of the exhibition in the West Gallery, The Role of a Replica.
–Polychromy at the Parthenon, 9 AM – 12 PM: Work with archaeologists from AIA-Nashville Society to create colorful masterpieces just like ancient statues and buildings.
–Conservation Station, 9 AM – 12 PM: Work to piece together ceramic fragments just like conservators study how broken fragments join to form a complete artifact. Many of the ceramics come from the Centennial Art Center, which used to be the Centennial Park Pool but now hosts art classes and workshops.
–Experimental Archaeology, 9 AM – 12 PM: Build miniature ancient structures with blocks and assorted materials just as archaeologists learn about the past by testing out ideas through experimentation of architectural steps and processes.
–Research Station, 9 AM – 12 PM: Designated the Quiet Area, this inclusive space offers books and resources on archaeology, ancient Greece, and mythology.
–Exterior Architecture Audio Tour, available 24/7: Free audio tour in English, Spanish, or Arabic!
IAD Helpful Information:
Never been to International Archaeology Day at the Parthenon before? This list of tips will help you prepare for a fun visit!
–We recommend arriving early to ensure enough time to explore and visit each activity station.
–AIA-Nashville Society members receive free museum admission.
–Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation employees receive free museum admission.
–RSVP in advance for free museum admission: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parthenon-international-archaeology-day-tickets-1505905647329?aff=oddtdtcreator
–If you miss the advance RSVP, mention visiting for International Archaeology Day on site at the museum Ticket Counter for discounted admission.
About International Archaeology Day
International Archaeology Day is a celebration of archaeology and the thrill of discovery. The Archaeological Institute of America and collaborating archaeological organizations across the United States, Canada, and abroad present archaeological programs and activities for people of all ages and interests. Whether it is a family-friendly archaeology fair, a guided tour of a local archaeological site, a simulated dig, a lecture or classroom visit from an archaeologist, interactive, hands-on International Archaeology Day programs provide the chance to indulge your inner Indiana Jones and be an archaeologist for the day. For more information about International Archaeology Day, visit http://www.archaeologyday.org.
About Tennessee STEAM Festival
Founded by the Discovery Center, the Tennessee STEAM Festival is a 10-day statewide celebration designed to build interest and excitement in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). For more information about the Tennessee STEAM Festival, visit www.tnsteam.org.

Newlin Grist Mill
2025-10-18 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Newlin Grist Mill, 219 S. Cheyney Rd., Glen Mills, PA, 19342, United States
Public Archaeology Day. Join us in our excavations by a 1739 Mill Owner’s House. Ages 5 and up may participate. Watch trained archaeologists excavate a his site. Help screen soil to recover artifacts. a Kid’s dig will also be available.
Closed toe shoes are required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own gloves. Gloves will be provide for those who do not have them.

Archaeology of College Hill Community Archaeology Day
2025-10-18 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | MA
Be part of an active archaeological excavation! Brown University students will be digging on the grounds outside the List Art Building, uncovering the foundations of a 19th century home and processing artifacts from that household. Stop by (with your family or on your own) any time to see what our students are uncovering — or even try your hand at digging. All ages are welcome.

Slip Into the Past
2025-10-25 12:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N Union St, #327, Alexandria, VA, 22314, United States
Experiment with 19th-century pottery slip designs, like marbling and dendritic patterns, and apply your own temporary tattoo in the style of transfer printed ceramic. Take part in this free, walk-in activity between 12 and 4 p.m. at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. While supplies last. This event coincides with the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Art Safari, happening throughout the building.

Tour of the Princeton Cemetery – Nassau Presbyterian Church
2026-03-28 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton Cemetery, 29 Greenview Avenue, Princeton, NJ, 08542, United States
Join us for a tour of Princeton Cemetery, a burial ground established in 1757 that is presently operated and maintained by the Nassau Presbyterian Church. The cemetery serves as the final resting place for a President and a Vice President of the United States, most of the Presidents of Princeton University and the Princeton Theological Seminary, as well as soldiers from the Revolutionary War, professors, politicians, musicians, scientists, business executives, writers, a Nobel Laureate, Pulitzer Prize winners and many who have called the Princeton area home. Participants on this tour will learn about many of the cemetery’s historic inhabitants from Princeton Cemetery historian and guide Linda Gilmore. The tour will begin at the Princeton Cemetery entrance at Witherspoon Avenue and Green Street. You do not have to be a member of the AIA to attend, and there is no charge to attend this event, but participants are asked to RSVP in advance.
This event has been graciously supported by the AIA’s Society Outreach fund.

Tour of the Princeton Battlefield State Park and Clarke House
2026-04-11 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Princeton Battlefield State Park and Clarke House, 500 Mercer Road, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United States
Join us for a tour of the Princeton Battlefield State Park and Clarke House, the place where American independence took root. The Princeton Battlefield State Park is one of the most significant Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey, where General George Washington led American troops to a pivotal victory on January 3, 1777. Likewise, the historic Clarke House, home a third-generation Quaker family of the Stony Brook Quaker Settlement, was transformed into a field hospital after the battle, taking in both British and American wounded. Participants on this tour will learn about these important landmarks and historical era from Resource Interpretive Specialist at the Princeton Battlefield State Park, Will Krakower. The tour will begin at Clarke House. You do not have to be a member of the AIA to attend, and there is no charge to attend this event, but participants are asked to RSVP in advance.
This event has been graciously supported by the Albert H. Clayburgh Lecture in Archaeology fund.

A Tour of the Ancient Mediterranean Galleries of the Princeton University Art Museum
2026-04-16 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Princeton University Art Museum, 45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJ, 08544, United States
Join us for a tour of the ancient Mediterranean galleries of the newly re-opened and highly anticipated Princeton University Art Museum (PUAM). The Museum’s collection of ancient Mediterranean and Byzantine art numbers more than 7,000 objects that were made and used throughout the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Ancient Mediterranean art is foundational to the Museum. Participants on this tour will learn about some of the collection’s highlights from the PUAM’s Curator of Ancient Mediterranean Art, Carolyn M. Laferrière. The tour will begin in the Grand Hall of the PUAM. You do not have to be a member of the AIA to attend, and there is no charge to attend this event, but participants are asked to RSVP in advance.
This event has been graciously supported by the Rodney S. Young Memorial Lecture fund.

Book Talk with Sam Kean
2026-05-04 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual Event, hosted by Nashville Parthenon & AIA-Nashville Society, TN, United States
Parthenon Symposium: Book Talk with Sam Kean Author of Dinner with King Tut
Monday, May 4, at 5:00 PM Central
Join author Sam Kean for a firsthand account of his adventures in experimental archaeology while writing Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations.
In his most recent book, Sam Kean joined experimental archaeologists across the globe to fire medieval catapults, perform surgery and tattooing with ancient methods, build Roman-style roads, play ball like an Aztec, and feast Egyptian-style. These eccentric-sounding adventures are part of a serious undertaking—an attempt to recreate the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of ancient cultures. The details of what it was like to live in other times are often forgotten when we study history through famous monuments. As the world’s only full-scale replica of the ancient building, Nashville’s Parthenon serves as a suitable backdrop for an immersive look at ancient cultures.
Registration on Zoom required: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rAnKC38dQfKMmGOSJo39JA#/registration
Following this talk there will be an in-person discussion (author joins virtually) on Monday, May 4, 6 PM.

Book Club: Dinner with King Tut
2026-05-04 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Centennial Park Conservancy, Parks Permit Office at 2565 Park Plaza, Nashville, TN 37203., Centennial Park Conservancy, Parks Permit Office, 2565 Park Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States
AIA-Nashville Society Book Club
Join us for a free Parthenon Book Club meeting on Monday, May 4, at 6 PM. This event is free and open to the public, with RSVP required. All are welcome. RSVP required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parthenon-book-club-dinner-with-king-tut-tickets-1975611659656?aff=oddtdtcreator
*Due to HVAC renovation at the Parthenon, this event will take place at the Parks Permit Office at 2565 Park Plaza, Nashville, TN 37203.
THIS QUARTER’S BOOK SELECTION: We will be discussing Dinner with King Tut by Sam Kean. Reserve your seat with a free RSVP. Looking to purchase the book? Head over to Parnassus Books and mention the Archaeological Institute of America-Nashville Society book club at the Parthenon for a 10% discount.
ABOUT THE BOOK: Dinner with King Tut by Sam Kean
Description from Nashville Public Library:
From “one of America’s smartest and most charming writers” (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankind–and through all five senses–from tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between.
Whether it’s the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of what the past looked like. But what about our other senses: The tang of Roman fish sauce and the springy crust of Egyptian sourdough? The boom of medieval cannons and the clash of Viking swords? The frenzied plays of an Aztec ballgame…and the chilling reality that the losers might also lose their lives?
History often neglects the tastes, textures, sounds, and smells that were an intimate part of our ancestors’ lives, but a new generation of researchers is resurrecting those hidden details, pioneering an exciting new discipline called experimental archaeology. These are scientists gone rogue: They make human mummies. They investigate the unsolved murders of ancient bog bodies. They carve primitive spears and go hunting, then knap their own obsidian blades to skin the game. They build perilous boats and plunge out onto the open sea–all in the name of experiencing history as it was, with all its dangers, disappointments, and unexpected delights.
Beloved author Sam Kean joins these experimental archaeologists on their adventures across the globe, from the Andes to the South Seas. He fires medieval catapults, tries his hand at ancient surgery and tattooing, builds Roman-style roads–and, in novelistic interludes, spins gripping tales about the lives of our ancestors with vivid imagination and his signature meticulous research. Lively, offbeat, and filled with stunning revelations about our past, Dinner with King Tut sheds light on days long gone and the intrepid experts resurrecting them today, with startling, lifelike detail and more than a few laughs along the way.
2026 BOOK CLUB DATES: RSVP!
Monday, August 3, 2026 – Helen of Troy, 1993 by Maria Zoccola
Monday, November 2, 2026 – The Rescue Artist by Edward Dolnick

New on View: Islamic Figural Sculpture—Forbidden or Not?
2026-05-07 12:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Although human and animal imagery, especially in sculptural form, is considered forbidden in Islam, many examples have appeared throughout history. This gallery talk will highlight works in glass, ceramic, and metalwork, particularly those from Iran. The objects are part of Animal Power, a yearlong installation in the galleries of Islamic and South Asian art.
This gallery talk is part of our New on View series, highlighting recent gallery installations and presenting new insights into recent acquisitions or old favorites.
Led by: Ayşin Yoltar-Yıldırım, the Norma Jean Calderwood Curator of Islamic and Later Indian Art, in the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, at the Harvard Art Museums.
Free admission

Book Talk with Mary Beard
2026-05-10 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Paschall Theater @ Montgomery Bell Academy 4001 Harding PikeNashville, TN, 37205United States, Paschall Theater, Montgomery Bell Academy, 4001 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN, 37205, United States
Parthenon Symposium: Book Talk with Mary Beard Author of Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old
Sunday May 10, 2:00 PM Central, at the Paschall Theater
AIA-Nashville Society and the Parthenon are proud to partner with Montgomery Bell Academy to welcome Mary Beard to the “Athens of the South”! Join distinguished classicist Mary Beard for a talk on her most recent exploration of the relevance of the ancient world in our contemporary lives. RSVP required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-with-mary-beard-tickets-1984904305209?aff=oddtdtcreator
In her newest book, Mary Beard explores our ongoing fascination with the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, starting with a personal, childhood encounter with a very old piece of bread on display in a museum. From this, she introduces the idea of the wonder, or “thauma,” that drew her into a lifetime of trying to understand everyday lives in the remote past. She confronts the uses and abuses of symbols from the ancient world, reminding us that although the ancient world is often politicized, it does not belong to partisans. She argues that the classics remain relevant because they teach us to debate complex and difficult topics. She welcomes everyone into classics, bringing curiosity and wonder to the study of the past.
Talk is free and open to the public with an RSVP. Copies of Mary Beard’s new book Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old will be available onsite for purchase through Parnassus Books while supplies last. There will be a signing line following the talk where books can be signed and/or personalized.
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-with-mary-beard-tickets-1984904305209?aff=oddtdtcreator
About the speaker:
Mary Beard is a distinguished classicist, bestselling author, and popular commentator, known for her pioneering scholarship and for her witty approach to making antiquity accessible. She is a professor emerita of classics at the University of Cambridge, a fellow of Newnham College, and professor of Ancient Literature at the Royal Academy, with many additional international academic distinctions. She has served as the classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement. Her books include The Parthenon, one of the most readable accounts of the thousands of years of use and re-use of the ancient Greek building. Among many other wide-ranging works, she is the author of SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome; Women and Power: A Manifesto; and How Do We Look: the Body, the Divine, and the Question of Civilization.
About the book: Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old by Mary Beard
Why the ongoing fascination with the ancient world? This witty, approachable book asks why—for better or (sometimes) worse—antiquity continues to exert such a powerful hold on the contemporary imagination. Recalling a formative childhood encounter with a four-thousand-year-old piece of bread in a museum, Beard introduces the idea of thauma, or wonder, that kick-started a lifetime engaging with classics. It was not the canonical “greats” of ancient literature and art that initially drew her in, she confesses, but rather the more intimate, messy, and humdrum evidence of daily life in the remote past.
Confronting the uses and abuses of symbols of the ancient world, Beard reminds us that the traditions and “masterpieces” of Greece and Rome have certainly been politicized, but they belong to neither the left nor the right. Happily, no one owns the past. She warns us not to let a sense of reverence or overfamiliarity dampen the “shock of the old,” arguing that one of the most important things that classics teach us is how to grapple with complicated and controversial things. “The Greeks and Romans are long dead, they cannot answer back, and you can say what you like about them,” she reminds readers. “The simple fact that classics belong to none of us can offer a safe space to argue about the most difficult debates we face now.”
Beard welcomes everyone into classics. “It is not compulsory to be excited by the ancient world,” she writes. “But it can be a shame not to be.” This charming, sharp, and readable book from one of the world’s most entertaining classicists offers something for both new and established fans of classics, bringing new wonder and curiosity to even the most ancient of ideas.

Exhibition Tour: Celtic Art Across the Ages
2026-05-21 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join Harvard professor Paul Russell for a discussion about Celtic languages and writing in this tour of the exhibition “Celtic Art Across the Ages.” Focusing on inscriptions and manuscripts, Russell will delve into scripts, language, writing, and surviving texts.
Led by: Paul Russell, Margaret Brooks Robinson Professor of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University
In “Celtic Art Across the Ages” (March 6–August 2, 2026), discover the many forms of Celtic creativity and their artistic legacies in this sweeping story that spans ancient to modern times.
This is a free event.
Image: Page with Ad Dominum in Psalm 119 (folio 73v) from the Blickling Psalter, c. 730 CE. Ink and paint on vellum, folio: 30.6 × 23cm. Morgan Library & Museum, New York, Purchased in 1932, MS M.776.

Archaeological Field Sampling and Material Selection for Radiocarbon Dating
2026-05-28 11:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom, Virtual, FL, 33155, United States
Join us for a complimentary webinar on best practices for archaeological field sampling and material selection for radiocarbon dating. Designed for archaeologists, geoarchaeologists, and heritage professionals, this session will provide practical guidance on selecting the right samples in the field to build robust site chronologies, avoid common pitfalls, and improve the reliability of dating results.
What you’ll learn:
– Radiocarbon dating in the archaeological context
– Building a robust site chronology: multiple samples, replication, and stratigraphic logic
– Best practices for sample selection & Field sampling strategy: charcoal, bone, seeds, carbonates, sediments, and mixed materials
– Key assumptions & challenges: old wood effect, reworking, intrusive material, reservoir effects, and preservation biases.
– Case studies
– Sample submission

Different Eyes—Abstraction in Celtic Coins
2026-06-25 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Have you ever wondered why some ancient cultures do not seem as “skilled” as later societies in representing the natural world? If so, you are not alone. Many people assume that early art history is a story of technical progress toward better reproductions of reality. But what if it is less a matter of skill than of interest? Celtic coins offer a perfect opportunity to explore this idea. Join coins curator Laure Marest for this hands-on session with 2,300-year-old coins and discover the ancient Gallic fascination with abstraction.
The seminar is held in conjunction with the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages (March 6–August 2, 2026).
This seminar is part of Gray Area, a series that features members of our curatorial staff exploring artworks that capture the complexities of humanity, political landscapes, ethics, ideologies, power dynamics, and critical thinking in our times. Through this series, we hope to encourage people to observe and consider their own individual gray areas, and to think about how their unique experiences guide the choices they make.
This is a free event. Registration required.
Image: Quarter stater of the Parisii, uncertain mint in Northern Gaul, 1st century BCE. Gold, 1.86g. Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Loan from the Trustees of the Arthur Stone Dewing Greek Numismatic Foundation, 1.1965.38.

Exhibition Tour: Celtic Art Across the Ages
2026-06-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join Christian Dupont, Boston College’s Burns Librarian, for a tour of the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages. He will discuss the re-emergence of Celtic mythologies and motifs in literature and art during the 18th and 19th centuries. The so-called Celtic Revival was nourished by Romanticism and achieved visual expression through the Arts and Crafts movement.
Led by: Christian Dupont, Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and Burns Librarian, Boston College
In Celtic Art Across the Ages (March 6–August 2, 2026), discover the many forms of Celtic creativity and their artistic legacies in this sweeping story that spans ancient to modern times.
This is a free event.
Image: Eva McKee, Celtic spiral design with bird, c. 1920s. Print on paper. John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Exhibition Tour: Celtic Art Across the Ages
2026-07-23 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Go behind the scenes to learn more about the design, production, and installation of the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages, with exhibition designer Robert Checchi.
Led by: Robert Checchi, Assistant Director for Exhibitions
In Celtic Art Across the Ages (March 6–August 2, 2026), discover the many forms of Celtic creativity and their artistic legacies in this sweeping story that spans ancient to modern times.
This is a free event.
Image: Installation view of Celtic Art Across the Ages. Photo: Robert Checchi

Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology (CRITA)
2026-09-12 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | MA
AIA-Nashville Society is excited to invite you to Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology (CRITA) on September 12, 2026! Organized by the Tennessee Division of Archaeology, this special program will be held in person from 9:00-3:30 at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. See details below for free parking information. With morning and afternoon talks, this free day-long showcase is open to the public, bringing together professional archaeologists, students, and the interested public to learn about recent research into Tennessee’s archaeological heritage. This event is free and does not require registration.
More info: https://bit.ly/CRITA-2026
See website above for venue information, morning and afternoon program abstracts, and associated events.
Due to the January 2026 ice storm, CRITA has been rescheduled to September 12, 2026!
Full website link: https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/arch-archaeology/current-research-in-tennessee-archaeology–crita-/2026-crita-program.html
