Archaeological Institute of America

Microdebris and room functions at Olynthos
2026-03-26 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | NY
Dr. Britt Hartenberger will discuss microarchaeological approaches to life at the northern Greek city of Olynthos. Her research has included archaeological excavation and lithics and ceramics analysis at urban sites in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, and Iraq. Her specialty is craft production and household organization in the Bronze and Iron Ages, as attested by numerous published papers.
Her work at Olynthos (Greece) focused on household analysis, based on the study of microdebris (microscopic remains of human activity) and how these materials illuminate our understanding of domestic life in this vibrant ancient city.

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.

New Archaeological Research in the Republic of North Macedonia.
2026-03-28 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
ZOOM Lecture by Prof. Barbara Klesig, Dept. of Anthropology at Cal Poly Humboldt discussing new archaeological discoveries in the Republic of North Macedonia.

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East Tours Led by Harvard Students
2026-03-29 13:00 - 13:45, 2026-04-05 13:00 - 13:45, 2026-04-12 13:00 - 13:45 (America/New_York) | Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, 02138
Available during the Harvard academic year Sundays at 1:00 pm, October 5, 2025–April 26, 2026. See blackout dates.*
*Blackout dates: November 30, 2025–January 25, 2026, March 15, 2026 and March 22, 2026
This free tour, led by Harvard students, explores the Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World exhibition and how the movement of goods, peoples, and ideas around the ancient Mediterranean transformed the lives and livelihoods of people at all levels of society. Touch replicas and smell “ancient” scents as the students bring the past alive.
Visitors may drop in at the scheduled times. No reservation is required. Tours meet in the lobby and last approximately 45 minutes.
Groups of 10 or more may contact reservations to request other times. Please complete the reservation request form.

Stress, Sex and Death: Health and Survival in the Context of Medieval Famine and Plague
2026-03-29 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | 303 Paterson Hall, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Ann Santen Endowed Lecture

“The Search for Coffins and Carpenters: Insights into Technology and Religion in Ancient Egypt”
2026-03-29 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Jepson Hall, Room 118, Richmond Way 221, Richmond, VA, 23226, United States
Lecture by Carrie Arbuckle MacLeod (University of Saskatchewan). 15th Stuart L. Wheeler Gallery of the Ancient World Lecture, followed by open house reception at the Ancient World Gallery, Humanities Building 419.

Diving the Pyramids: Underwater Tombs and Excavation at the Royal Cemetery of Nuri, Sudan
2026-03-31 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | TBA (Northern New Jersey), Montclair, NY, United States
The Frederick R. and Margaret B. Matson Lectureship for Near Eastern Archaeology and Archaeological Technology

Justinian’s Tree: Underwater Environmental Histories in Byzantine Harbors
2026-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | UT San Antonio, Downtown Campus, Durango Building, Room 1.116, La Villita, Durango Building, San Antonio, TX, 78207, United States
Anna Marguerite McCann and Robert D. Taggart Lectureship in Underwater Archaeology

Next to Turquoise Domes: Archaeological Investigations in the City of Bukhara
2026-03-31 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Semans Auditorium (Room 117), Belk Visual Arts Center, 315 N. Main St., Davidson, NC, 28036, United States
About the lecture:
Five extensive seasons of archaeological fieldwork have yielded a veritable treasure trove of new information about the long, complex history of the city of Bukhara, which was once a key node along the fabled “Silk Roads.” This presentation will introduce new data derived from finds and observations made at a series of fortifications, various kinds of dwellings, workshops, and burial contexts. They speak to a wide range of historical phenomena and problems, such as the potential existence of a Seleucid military colony in the area of the later city during the 3rd century BCE, the roots and stages of Bukhara’s urban growth as an important node within the Sogdiana trading networks during Late Antiquity (3rd to 8th centuries CE), transcontinental connections during the city’s heyday under the Samanid dynasty during the 10th century, and the health status of the urban populace on the eve of the Mongol invasion (late 12th/early 13th century).
About the speaker:
Dr. Sören Stark, Professor of Central Asian Archaeology at New York University, has close to two decades of experience in conducting and directing archaeological fieldwork in Central Asia. His current research interests are, among others, on Hellenistic and Late Antique/Early Medieval Sogdiana and the archaeology and history of nomadic groups close to oasis territories in Western Central Asia. His publications include a monograph on the archaeology of the 6th-8th century Türks in Inner and Central Asia, an exhibition catalogue on Early Iron Age kurgans from Kazakhstan, and numerous articles and book chapters on the history and archaeology of Sogdiana between the Hellenistic and the Islamic periods.

Justinian’s Tree: Underwater Environmental Histories in Byzantine Harbors 2
2026-04-01 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | TBA (Austin), Austin, TX, United States
Anna Marguerite McCann and Robert D. Taggart Lectureship in Underwater Archaeology Time TBA

Archaeology-Hour Screening: Dating Australia's Oldest Rock Art
2026-04-02 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Whitman College Maxey Hall 207, 173 Stanton St., Walla Walla, WA, 99362, United States
Please join us for an in-person screening and informal discussion of the Archaeology Hour talk by Helen Green (University of Melbourne).
Australia hosts the world’s oldest continuing culture, and Aboriginal rock art represents one of its most significant records of knowledge. These paintings and engravings remain of deep importance to Aboriginal people today and provide valuable evidence for researchers seeking to understand long-term human-environment interactions. Yet one of the greatest challenges in rock art research is determining age. Without knowing how old the paintings and engravings are, it is difficult to understand how the artworks relate to past changes in climate, environment, or culture. In this talk, Dr. Helen Green will outline the latest scientific techniques used to establish the age of Australia’s oldest rock art, and the innovative, multi-disciplinary projects that bring together traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western science to deepen our understanding of these remarkable cultural records and how we might protect them into the future.
This event is free and open to the public.

TBA (Kansas City/Lawrence)
2026-04-02 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Chicago) | TBA (Kansas City/Lawrence), Lawrence, KS
George M.A. Hanfmann Memorial Lecture Time TBA

Ancient Cities of Guatemala’s Pacific Coast
2026-04-02 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Free Hybrid Lecture
Ancient Cities of Guatemala’s Pacific Coast
Thursday, April 2, 6:00–7:00 pm ET, Advance registration recommended for in-person and online attendance
2026 Gordon R. Willey Lecture
Speaker: Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Yale University
On Guatemala’s western Pacific coast, the region of Escuintla is home to many ancient cities, and for thousands of years it has been an important crossroads, drawing traders, migrants, and invaders. In this lecture, archaeologist Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos will present discoveries from three decades of research at the Classic-period cities of Montana and Cotzumalhuapa (250–900 C.E.), highlighting how people moved, interacted, and recorded their histories along the Pacific coast. The discovery of causeways, or raised roads, has revealed the size and organization of these cities, while refined dating methods have allowed researchers to trace their connections to other urban centers across Mesoamerica. Close study of Cotzumalhuapa’s monumental sculptures has further illuminated these networks through new readings of their intricate reliefs and hieroglyphic texts. Join us to explore how archaeology is reshaping our understanding of Guatemala’s Pacific coast and its place in Mesoamerican history.
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Free admission. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture.
Photo of Monument 82 from El Baúl, Cotzumalguapa by Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

Exhibiting the Etruscans at UC Berkeley: The Phoebe A. Hearst Collection Unveiled
2026-04-07 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Dwinelle Hall, South Drive, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States
A lecture by Dr. Lisa Pieraccini, AIA SF Society president, on her recent work with UC Berkeley students on exhibiting the Etruscan material from the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. We will begin on Berkeley time at 5:10pm in Dwinelle Hall, Room 3335. Light snacks to follow.

Walking Among Pharaohs: The Spectacular Career of Archaeologist George Reisner in Egypt and Nubia
2026-04-08 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | ONLINE/ZOOM
Please join us for the fourth and final lecture in The World Between: Egypt and Nubia in Africa series, sponsored by the Page-Barbour Committee, the Archaeological Institute of America and the Interdisciplinary Program in Archaeology.
Our speaker is Peter Der Manuelian, Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and the Anthropology Departments at Harvard University, and director of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. Specializing in Egyptology, he is also the director of the Giza Project run by Harvard University. Among his recent work is Walking Among Pharaohs: George Reisner and The Dawn of Modern Egyptology, which explores Reisner’s problematic legacy in Egyptological thought about Africa.
The lecture examines the life and work of America’s greatest Egyptian archaeologist, George Reisner (1867-1942). His legacy of forty-three years of breathtakingly successful excavations at twenty-three different archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan (ancient Nubia) included pyramids, colossal statues, gold jewelry, decorated tomb chapels, temples, settlements, fortresses, ceramics, furniture, stone vessels, and hieroglyphic inscriptions everywhere. Leading the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, Reisner put American Egyptology on the world stage. The talk presents Reisner’s undeniable impact and considers his life within the context of Western colonialism, racism, and nationalism. It will also explore new visualization technologies, particularly at the Giza Pyramids, that Reisner’s work makes possible today.
Online only, please register in the link below.

Highly Educated Slaves and Freedmen in Republican Rome
2026-04-08 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/Rome) | John Cabot University – Aula Magna Regina, Via della Lungara 233, Roma, Roma, 00165, Italy
Slaves and freedmen played an important yet understudied role in the literary culture of the Roman Republic. Though their work went largely uncredited, they fulfilled vital roles as editors, researchers, and collaborators in the service of Rome’s literary and political elite.
During this public lecture, Prof. Flower (Princeton University) — Rome-SPQR Society Choice Lecturer – – will illustrate the stories of these gifted and highly educated young men, from Licinius the flute-player, who shaped the rhetorical style of the orator Gaius Gracchus, to the grammarian and teacher Tyrannio of Amisus, who was brought to Rome as a war captive.
Highlighting the unique social prestige of literary production and intellectual performance in a society pervaded by slave labor, Prof. Flower will show how the exorbitant prices paid for the highly educated encouraged a complex system of training young boys for the marketplace or acquiring educated captives as booty. Enslaved and manumitted intellectuals, far from being menial workers, shared close relationships with leading Romans of the day, and were relied on as coauthors and collaborators in a range of genres, with some gaining fame as authors themselves.
With lively case studies and insightful new interpretations of the ancient sources, this lecture will paint a more nuanced picture of enslaved labor in ancient Rome, revealing how the contributions of enslaved intellectuals were closely linked to the ambitious development of Latin literary culture and the dissemination of knowledge.

…but for us, oceans unite: traditional tangible and intangible maritime cultural heritage in the Mariana Islands
2026-04-08 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, 44106, United States

Interpreting Variability in Ancient House Forms: the example of Iron Age Greece
2026-04-09 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | UNC Chapel Hill, 114 Murphey Hall, 204 Lenoir Dr, Chapel Hill, 27514, United States
George M.A. Hanfmann Memorial Lecture

Daniela Solis
2026-04-09 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Free Hybrid Lecture
The Archaeology of Boston’s Revolutionary Past
Thursday, April 9, 6:00–7:00 pm ET, Advance registration recommended for online and in-person attendance
Speaker: Joe Bagley, City Archaeologist and Director of Archaeology, Boston Archaeology Program
Join Boston City Archaeologist Joe Bagley for a presentation on archaeological research that is deepening our understanding of Boston’s role in the American Revolution. Bagley will share new findings on the impact of the Siege of Boston and the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill—the first major battle of the war—on the people of Boston. Although named for Bunker Hill, the highest hill in Charlestown, north of Boston, the battle actually took place on Breed’s Hill, located closer to the Charles River. Bagley will outline plans to pinpoint the exact location of the Breed’s Hill redoubt and to search for more than 200 unmarked graves of fallen soldiers. He will also discuss forthcoming investigations of the “lost forts” of Roxbury, once positioned on a hill overlooking Roxbury Neck, the only land route out of Boston in the late eighteenth century. Explore the hidden Revolutionary War landscape beneath modern Boston and Charlestown with the city’s lead archaeologist as your guide.
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Free admission. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture. This lecture is presented to mark the 250th Anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Photo © City of Boston Archaeology Program

A Deep Dive into Deep Time: Archaeology Underwater
2026-04-10 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Toledo Museum of Art (Little Theater), 2445 Monroe St., Toledo, OH, 43697, United States
A lecture: The phrase “underwater archaeology” conjures notions of shipwrecks, ships lost at sea, and the dramatic catastrophes that sank them; however, the archaeology underwater can also reveal details about ancient landscapes that contain a record of past human occupations. Many of these sites are on the earth’s continental shelves where vast stretches of shallow, coastal lands were exposed at the end of the last Ice Age. These once dry landscapes supported life for plants, animals, and humans for thousands of years. Learn about these ancient submerged sites, the role they play in the global archaeological record and what unique data they have about the past. The talk will provide a general overview and the focus on 9,000 year old submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes.

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.

Teen Saturdays Workshops / ¡Sábados de Jóvenes
2026-04-11 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Teen Saturdays Workshops / ¡Sábados de Jóvenes
April 11 and May 16. Advance registration required
1:00–3:30 pm
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge
Leer en español
Join Teen Saturdays Workshop at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology this spring! High school teens, ages 13–18, are invited to explore ancient cooking in two workshops.
Each workshop combines hands-on activities, historical insights, and artifact exploration, allowing you to learn more about ancient ingredients and food preparation. Make new friends, challenge yourself, and discover how the past continues to inspire us today! Sign up now—spaces are limited for these workshops!
April 11: Ancient Flavors of Peru. This workshop invites teens to explore the cuisine of the ancient Inca. Learn about traditional cooking technologies and tools featured in museum exhibits, and experience new smells and flavors with guest educator Esther Gomez. Prepare a simple Peruvian dish to enjoy during the program.
May 16: Crispy Critters. Throughout history, bugs have been part of cuisines around the world. Teens are invited to explore how insects add flavor, protein, and crunch to meals. With guest speaker and insect enthusiast Javier Marin, participants will visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History galleries to learn about different species and their habitats. A snack will be available for those brave enough to try.
Teen Saturdays Workshops are offered bilingually in Spanish and English. They are designed to build community and enrich the museum experience for multicultural teens.
Teens receive a free admission pass (worth $15) for a return visit if they attend one of the two sessions.
Details:
$10 per session includes free admission to the museums immediately following the workshop
Advance registration is required. Register for one or more sessions.
For teens in high school
All workshops meet at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Accessible by public transportation

Amazing Archaeology Fair at Harvard
2026-04-12 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
All Ages Special Event
Journey from the Stone Age to the American Colonial era with archaeology at two museums. Meet experts in animal bones, Egyptian tombs and hieroglyphs, cave art, Inka khipus, ancient chemical mysteries, and more. Try flint knapping (shaping stone tools) and uncover Harvard Yard’s hidden past. Collect a souvenir at each museum you visit. Perfect for curious minds of all ages!
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge
Regular museum admission rates apply. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 12:00 pm.
Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.

Dung and Desert Copper: Environmental archaeology at the macro- and microscale
2026-04-12 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | TBA (Orange County)
Kershaw Lectures in Near East Archaeology Time TBA

Thracian Rock Monuments: the cult complex at Gluhite Kamani in SE Bulgaria
2026-04-13 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton Art Museum, Tuttle Lecture Hall (Room 134), 45 Elm Dr, Princeton, 08544, United States
The Elizabeth S. Ettinghausen Lecture

Spinning Tales: Material Culture and the “Invisibility” of Women’s Labor in Ancient Greece
2026-04-14 15:30 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McCune Conference room, HSSB 6020, UCSB, Santa Barbara, California, 93117, United States
Katherine Harrington (UNC Greensboro)

Cities and Politics of Ecology in the Hittite Borderlands: the Fortress and Urban Settlement of Karaköy Kale Tepesi
2026-04-14 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | TBA (Orlando 2), Orlando, FL, United States
Charles Eliot Norton Memorial Lectureship Time TBA

Provincial Coin Portraits of Roman Imperial Women and the Portrait Dissemination System
2026-04-14 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Cornell University, G22 Goldwin Smith Hall, Ithaca, NY, United States
William E. Metcalf Lectures in Numismatics
