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.

Egyptian Gardens and Greek Grids: The Middle Kingdom Funerary Garden at Dra Abu el-Naga, the Stele of Moskhion, and Greek Stoikhedon
2026-05-10 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The American Research Center in Egypt, Northern California chapter, invites you to attend a lecture by Dr. Patricia Butz, UC Riverside:
“Egyptian Gardens and Greek Grids: The Middle Kingdom Funerary Garden at Dra Abu el-Naga, the Stele of Moskhion, and Greek Stoikhedon”
Sunday, May 10, 3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
Live Oak Community Center (New venue!)
1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
This is an in-person lecture, not virtual. The lecture will not be recorded.
About the Lecture:
Dr. Butz explores her research on a remarkable cross-cultural connection between Egypt and Greece in their use of grids and gridded texts. The word stoikhedon in Greek is used to describe the layout of alphabetic inscriptions in a grid formation from the late 6th century BCE onward. Dr. Butz argues that the phenomenon is attested to by Greeks, not because of a static crossing of horizontal and vertical lines but because of their understanding and incorporation of the dynamic inherent in Egypt’s own use of grids, specifically for garden planning and water distribution. Tomb paintings beginning in the Old Kingdom have long depicted gridded gardens, but the spectacular archaeological discovery in 2017 by Dr. José Galán and his Spanish mission (Scribe 6, Fall 2020) of a gridded funerary garden at Luxor dating to the Middle Kingdom has supplied the on-ground evidence. Dr. Butz shows how modules (stoikoi) were used in Egyptian agriculture, matching the only literary attestation for stoikhedon ever found — on the bilingual (demotic and Greek) magical Stele of Moschion, where the movement of letterforms on magical grids acts like water passing through these squares.
About the Speaker:
Patricia A. Butz (pronounced “Boots”) specializes in research addressing the Greek presence in Egypt and the Egyptian presence in Greece. Her attention to the paleography and layout of ancient inscriptions is longstanding, especially on the Greek stoikhedon style and its origins. She is the author of The Hekatompedon Inscription at Athens and the Birth of the Stoikhedon Style (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2010) and many articles on the subject of visual literacy in antiquity, including, “Dialogue at Edfu? The Dedications of Lichas, Son of Pyrrhus, and the Concept of Egyptian Double Composition” in the Proceedings of the Twelfth International Congress of Egyptologists (2023) and “The Memorial of Metrodoros: Greek Stoichedon from North Africa” in Abgadiyat, the Journal of the Center of Writings and Scripts at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (2013). She received her PhD. from the University of Southern California in Ancient Art History, where she also completed the master’s program in Museum Studies/Art History. She is affiliated with the University of California, Riverside, and is teaching courses, including Egyptian Art History, at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
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Live Oak location and parking:
This month, we’re meeting in the Fireside Room of the city’s Live Oak Community Center in north Berkeley. It’s in Live Oak Park, less than half a mile from the northern edge of campus. Parking is mainly on neighboring streets: Shattuck, Berryman, Milvia, etc. If you need disabled parking, please arrive early as spots are few.
Useful links:
Live Oak Community Center – https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/parks-recreation/facilities/live-oak-community-center
Google map of vicinity – https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8838014,-122.2742405,16z?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQxMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
About Northern California ARCE:
For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://arce-nc.org, https://bsky.app/profile/khentiamentiu.bsky.social, and https://khentiamentiu.org. To join the chapter or renew your membership, please go to https://arce.org/membership/ and select “Berkeley, CA” as your chapter when you sign up.

Online conference on worked shells in the ancient world. Material, use, typology, chronology and contexts in honour of Jean-Paul Descœudres, University of Sydney
2026-05-20 | Izmir, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi, Edebiyat Fakültesi, Izmir, Buca, 35160, Turkey
Dear Colleagues,
We are glad to inform you that an international e-conference on worked shells in the ancient world (material, use, typology, chronology and context) will take place on May 20, 2026 on Zoom.us. This forthcoming online meeting will be an archaeomalacological workshop in honour of Jean-Paul Descœudres from the Universities of Geneva and Sydney. Papers are invited to present evidence of human collection and modification of shells from all over the ancient world (especially the Mediterranean) and over a large chronological range (from Prehistory to Antiquity with a focus on the Roman world). We are interested in worked shells rather than those used as food or as environmental indicators. Our subject groups are as follows: Phylum Mollusca, mollusc shells, mother-of-pearl, purple-dye production, archaeomalacology, archaeozoology, archaeological raw materials, archaeological artefacts, archaeological small finds, archaeological science, conservation of archaeological shells, physical anthropology, osteoarchaeology, bioarchaeology, palaeohistology, ancient history, history of art and cultural anthropology etc.
An abstract of the proposed contribution should be sent to the organizers by February 1, 2026 at the latest. The Proceedings of the conference will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal “Mediterranean Achaeology”, cf. .
Ancient worked shells were found in relatively large quantities in the entire Mediterranean, from Spain to Syria and Egypt to France, where they were manufactured between the Neolithic and Medieval periods. However, the spectrum of the worked shells recovered from Anatolia, the Near East, the Black Sea area and the Balkans is very varied, and reflects different characteristics of ancient daily life. In this conference papers dealing with ancient artefacts or objects manufactured from shells or mother of pearl will be included. The main material groups made by shells are as follows: items connected to personal grooming, artefacts used for spinning or in pottery decoration, artefacts related to cosmetics, jewellery, combs, pins for clothing and women’s hair, items related to dressmaking and textile (particularly sewing needles, weaving implements or buttons), amulets and other magical items, knife handles, frames of various kinds (e.g., of mirrors), furniture (including fittings, wood sidings and inlayed decoration), boxes, plaques, liturgical and religious items (e.g., crosses and reliquaries), half-finished products and miscellanea.
So far the study of this material group has been overlooked, whereas there is still a huge amount of unpublished material from excavations, field surveys and museums in the entire ancient world. There is a regular conference series of the ICAZ Archaeomalacology Working Group (AMWG; cf. ) which includes almost all periods and areas. In our e-meeting in 2026 we attempt to set out a comprehensive model for the study of worked shells, including their definition, typology, chronology, contexts, function, regional characteristics, production and distribution patterns in the ancient world, and more particularly in the Mediterranean, the Near East, the Black Sea area and the Balkans. The increasing number of recent finds in these areas over the last thirty years, thanks to the development of preventive archaeology, has tended to challenge our previous observations and assumptions on worked shells.
It is also our intention to create a complete bibliography of previous publications on worked shells for several areas and chronologies.
We warmly invite contributions by scholars and graduate students from a variety of disciplines related to this material group. Intended to bring together scholars of instrumenta archaeology to discuss a range of issues concerning this material group’s characteristics, this video conference should be an excellent opportunity to increase our knowledge about ancient worked shells. The following theme groups relate to the main questions the conference aims to address:
– Worked shells, Phylum Mollusca, mollusc shells, mother-of-pearl and material related to purple-dye production from archaeological field projects, museums and private collections, for example, Tridacnae shells that are occasionally encountered in the literature as objects found in the Mediterranean and Near East, i.e., large shells, decorated with carvings and/or traces of paint,
– Graeco-Roman worked shells in comparison with the worked shells of the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic periods, Bronze and Iron Ages,
– Graeco-Roman worked shells in comparison with the Minoan and Mycenaean worked shells,
– Etymology of worked shells in ancient Near Eastern, eastern Mediterranean and Aegean languages,
– Ancient Greek, Latin and Byzantine textual sources on worked shells,
– Shell depictions on ancient Greek and Roman visual sources (for example on frescoes),
– Typological evolution and design of worked shells,
– Selection criteria for some certain animal genres for shell-working,
– Decoration of worked shells, as detailed chronologies should be established for both the produced forms and their decoration,
– Chronologies of these objects that can highlight the social spread of these products,
– Manufacturing techniques, manufacturing tools, major production centres and workshops of worked shells, their organisation and interactions.
– Distribution of worked shells, economic and social aspects: in what type of socio-economic context are they found?,
– Typological and functional features of worked shells: what might the utilitarian, social and/or symbolic functions or practices of these objects have been?
– Identification of the economic factors that contributed to the standardization in the shell-working,
– Commodities and their trade through worked shells,
– Relations of worked shells to other bone, metal, terracotta, glass, wooden or stone objects: how did this material group fit in with objects made from different materials, particularly metal, glass, or wood? Can any stylistic links be found between them?
– Conservation of worked shells, especially excavated finds: current strategies and future approaches,
– Archaeometric analyses of these objects,
– Miscellanea.
A special focus of the conference is the identification of workshops from different regions, cities and areas, in particular capital cities (such as Byzantium, Ephesus, Pergamum, Antioch-on-the-Orontes, Alexandria, Athens, Rome etc.).
Another important topic is the manufacturing techniques which were varied and depended on the composition and morphology of each raw material type as much as on the artefact to be produced. Regardless of the raw material, the manufacturing process of an ancient shell object was usually multi-stage:
1. Selection and acquisition of the raw material;
2. Preparation of the raw material, including cleaning, drying and cutting into pieces;
3. The appropriate working processes using instruments like knives, chisels, files, lathes and bow-drills;
4. Finishing the worked objects by grinding, polishing and colouring.
The finds suggest that manufacturing techniques were related to organized production where the different manufacturing stages were standardized and predefined, which can be identified as a chaîne opératoire. Particular attention should be paid to these technical aspects, which are the integral parts of the uniqueness of most of the ancient worked shells.
We also need to look at the distribution of these objects on a local, regional, and even supra-regional scale, and trade networks. Some have crossed overseas; how can these exchanges be explained?
Our conference is primarily virtual, and will take place on Zoom; but if any participant wishes to come to Izmir, she/he is welcome to present her/his paper in our conference room to the audience which will also be livestreamed and broadcast simultaneously on Zoom.
All the readings and discussions in our e-conference will be in English, and recorded for later viewing as a podcast on YouTube. The proceedings of the conference will be published in a forthcoming issue of “Mediterranean Achaeology”. The conference is free of charge.
We would be delighted, if you could consider contributing to our conference and contact us with the registration form below until February 1, 2026. Our e-mail address is paphlagonia@deu.edu.tr
For all your queries concerning the conference our phone and WhatsApp number is +90.544.540 78 34. The organizers seek to widen participation at this conference, and would like to encourage colleagues from all parts of the world to attend. We kindly request that you alert any interested researches, colleagues and students within your research community who would be interested in participating at this e-conference, either by forwarding our first circular and poster through your Academia, Researchgate, Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook accounts, or other similar social media, or by printing them and displaying in your institutions.
We hope that you will be able to join us on Zoom, and look forward to seeing you!

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.

Why Has African Archeology Been Ignored
2026-05-23 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Deepening our understanding of African heritage often starts in spaces that celebrate our history, but while museums house these stories, it is archaeology that unearths them.
While the world is well-acquainted with the architectural wonders of the Mediterranean and the Near East, the vast archaeological landscape of the African continent has often remained on the periphery of global conversation. This session is designed to explore the structural, logistical, and historical reasons behind this gap in our shared human story.
From the complexities of preserving heritage in diverse climates to the economic challenges of long-term excavation, we will look at the practical hurdles that have shaped the field of African archaeology, highlight the groundbreaking work currently being done to bring these ignored narratives back into the global spotlight, and explore opportunities for youth in Africa to participate in fieldwork across the continent and build careers in heritage preservation, culture advocacy, and archaeology.
Join us this May and connect with a continental and international community of storytellers, historians, archaeologists, culture advocates and heritage enthusiasts working to ensure Archaeology in Africa takes center stage in global discourse.
What to Expect:
1. The Logistical Landscape: An overview of the unique challenges of archaeological research on the continent.
2. Beyond the Surface: A look at sophisticated ancient African innovations in metallurgy, urban planning, and trade.
3. The Tech Revolution: How new technologies like satellite imaging and 3D mapping are revealing sites that were previously inaccessible.
4. Future Directions: A discussion on the importance of diversifying the global archaeological record for a more complete understanding of history.

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

Walter Farmer collection and Akenaton
2026-05-30 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Dr. Jack Green (Associate Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs, Washington and Lee University) will present a lecture entitled “Tell es-Sa’idiyeah Cemetery (Jordan) and its connections to ancient Egypt and Persia.” A reception and chance to talk with the speaker will be held afterwards.

2026 archaeological investigations with the Scouts at Fort Brewerton
2026-06-06 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Fort Brewerton & Oliver Stevens Blockhouse Museum, Box 392 9 US Route 11, Brewerton, 13029, United States
Join us for a day of archaeological investigations at Fort Brewerton!
This year we will be spending an additional day on the ditch feature found last year on the north side of the location of barracks building we call blockhouse # 4. Previous excavations in this area over the last 5 years have yielded many interesting artifacts and features, giving us clues about its layout and use. Our plan is to excavate and test for nitrates at different levels. Scouts will be participating to earn their archeology merit badges, learning proper archaeological fieldwork techniques from Dr. Timothy Abel. Our first excavation on the 6th will be followed up by our second excavation on the 13th.
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 may not be open for tours.
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.

Gallery Talk: Celtic Art Across the Ages
2026-06-06 12:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join Harvard graduate student Anthony Ortega for a discussion of an elite Iron Age burial site called Kleinaspergle tumulus. Discovered in southwestern Germany, it contained an assemblage of both imported and locally produced objects. Ortega will focus on a selection of objects on display in the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages, while exploring the history of the tumulus (burial mound) itself and the questions raised by the archaeology of the site.
Led by:
Anthony Ortega, Ph.D. candidate in the History of Art and Architecture, 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.

2026 Day 2 of archaeological investigations with the Scouts at Fort Brewerton
2026-06-13 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Fort Brewerton & Oliver Stevens Blockhouse Museum, Box 392 9 US Route 11, Brewerton, 13029, United States
Join us for a second day of archaeological investigations at Fort Brewerton!
Following our first excavation on the 6th of June , this day will be used to excavate a new radar anomaly found last year during our survey. Ground penetrating radar seems to indicate 2 intermittent linear features in that area. Like dashed or dotted lines, these do not match Fort Brewerton’s plans and may be old fence lines.
Scouts will be participating to earn their archeology merit badges, learning archaeological fieldwork techniques with supervision from Dr. Timothy Abel.
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 may be open for tours.
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.

Materials Lab Workshop: Celtic Knotwork Design
2026-06-14 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-14 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Knotwork has long been associated with Celtic art; it has decorated illuminated manuscripts, been tooled into fine metalwork and jewelry, and been carved into wood and stone. The methods of construction—passed down from master to apprentice for over a thousand years—were nearly lost until rediscovered in the late 20th century.
Join Celtic illuminator Michael Carroll for a hands-on knotwork workshop organized in connection with the exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages (March 6–August 2, 2026). The artist will reveal the ancient secrets of the structure underlying this traditional design and guide participants in various drawing exercises that apply to even the most complex designs. Following the workshop, we’ll visit the special exhibition galleries for a short curatorial tour to observe the application of such patterns.
Pre-registration required.
Fee: $15, paid at registration (materials will be provided)
Image: Michale Carroll, Serpentine, 2009. Detail of an illuminated manuscript. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Accessing Abydos: Excavating Bricks and Archives for Answers About Early Kingship
2026-06-14 15:00 (America/New_York) | Redwood City Woman’s Club, 149 Clinton Street, Redwood City, CA, 94062, United States
About the Lecture:
The site of Abydos is critical for understanding the rise of Egyptian kingship and the foundations of the pharaonic state. The earliest kings built their tombs far in the desert at Abydos, ringing them with sacrificial burials. But the largest monuments built by these kings were not tombs but temples, also at Abydos, and also often provided with sacrificial burials. Built much closer to the floodplain and settlement site, these structures, known to archaeologists as funerary enclosures, remain somewhat enigmatic.
One such funerary enclosure still stands today, its mud-brick walls looming over the landscape some 4700 years after it was built. The standing monument is the last of the line; its predecessors are present only as foundations, no longer visible except when archaeologists clear the sand from them. Why are all earlier funerary enclosures mere stubs? Published explanations have focused on deliberate destruction, arguing that each building “died” as its king did, leaving only one standing at a time. However, recent work in the unpublished archives of the past 30 years of excavations held in New York suggest that neither the evidence nor its interpretation is nearly so straightforward.
In this talk, we will look first at the history of archaeology at the Abydos funerary enclosures and what knowledge has been produced there. We will then dive into the excavation of an archive, the work being done to bring unpublished material to light, and how this is reshaping thoughts about early kingship. In doing so, we will confront important matters not only about the ancient past, but about how archaeologists work, and how exciting it can be to confront evidence that makes us change our minds.
About the Speaker:

Dr. Laurel Bestock is the Joukowsky Family Associate Professor of Egyptology and Archaeology at Brown University, as well as a visiting professor and director of excavations at Abydos at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. A field archaeologist with longstanding interests in kingship and monumentality, she has directed projects at Abydos and at the Middle Kingdom fortress of Uronarti in the Sudan. She is part of a team that is developing Kiosk, archaeological recording software that is used by excavations around the world. Though a native Californian, Laurel left to pursue degrees in the cold way back in 1995 and has missed the West Coast ever since. In her spare time she spins yarn, and is preparing to bring her obsessions together in the classroom next semester by teaching a course on the Archaeology of Textiles.

Redwood City Woman’s Club location and parking:
This month, we’re meeting on the Peninsula, in the Redwood City Woman’s Club, two blocks off Broadway in central Redwood City. The 1911 bungalow, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, dates from the year women won the vote in California and worked in groups like this one to secure their roles in public life. The club is fully ramped and wheelchair-friendly. For users of public transit, it’s walking distance from Caltrain. Best freeway access is from Highway 101’s Whipple Avenue exit. Parking is along the street, though given advance notice, we can set up a couple of disabled spots on the north side of the building.
Useful links:
Redwood City Woman’s Club
Google map of vicinity
About Northern California ARCE:
For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://arce-nc.org, https://bsky.app/profile/khentiamentiu.bsky.social, and https://khentiamentiu.org. To join the chapter or renew your membership, please go to https://arce.org/membership/ and select “Berkeley, CA” as your chapter when you sign up.

America’s First Egyptologist and the Creation of the ISAC Museum
2026-06-20 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | The Historic Longview Farm House, 13525 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO, 63141, United States
Dr. Kate Ayres (Institute for the Study of Ancient cultures at the University of Chicago) will deliver her lecture entitled “America’s First Egyptologist and the Creation of the ISAC Museum.” A reception and chance to talk with the speaker will be held afterwards.

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.

Gray Area: 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).

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

Highlands, Islands & Fjords
2026-07-25 00:00 (America/New_York)
Archaeological Institute of America lecturer and host COLLEEN BATEY has excavated widely at several major Viking sites, including Jarlshof in Shetland, Orphir in Orkney, and Hofstađir in Iceland. Colleen’s main research interests lie in
the field of Viking and Late Norse archaeology, particularly in the Northern Isles of Scotland; Caithness, Scotland; and the North Atlantic region. Most recently, she published a major book on her work at the Earl’s Bu, Orphir, Orkney, where a Norse
horizontal mill was identified as part of the Earl’s Hall and round church complex. This work provides indications of local farming as well as international and national trading connections. In addition, Colleen is actively involved in the research of Viking
pagan graves in Scotland. Colleen has spent nearly 30 years working with small expedition ships, undertaking visits to the main UNESCO site in Orkney, for example, in addition to those in Greenland, Newfoundland, and the Baltic region. This has included seven prior AIA-sponsored cruises in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. She now lives in Orkney permanently. In early 2026, Colleen was appointed Honorary Inaugural Professor for the World Heritage Site in Durham, England. She also holds Fellowships in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Durham (from where she graduated as both undergraduate and Ph.D.) as well as at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.
Join us on the Hebridean Sky which has 59 exceptionally spacious and well-designed suites. Each suite has ocean views, and several suites have private balconies. All suites feature a sitting room, ensuite bathroom, flat screened TV, spacious wardrobes, a dressing table, and beds that can be configured as twins or a double. After a major refurbishment in 2016, and further enhancements since, the Hebridean Sky now boasts beautifully designed public spaces including a large lounge, elegant club and bar with piano, library, and two outdoor seating areas. An elevator services all passenger cabin decks. Onboard chefs prepare international and regional cuisine served at a single open seating in the Restaurant or on the Lido Deck, weather permitting. A friendly crew provides exceptional service with a 1:2 crew to passenger ratio. The ship features advanced satellite navigation and communication equipment, roll stabilizers, and a fleet of Zodiacs to access remote shorelines and islands.
Also offered:
PRE-TOUR EXTENSION
June 26–30, 2027
THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
POST-TOUR EXTENSION
July 11–14, 2027
ART & ARCHAEOLOGY IN OSLO

Petra Byzantine Church
2026-07-25 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Longview Park, 13525 Clayton Road, Town and Country, MO, 63141, United States
Dr. Peter Warnock, Adjunct faculty member in Anthropology at Muskegon Community College, and board member of the St. Louis Society of the Archaeological Institute will discuss the archaeological discoveries at the Byzantine church in Petra, Jordan. A reception will be held afterwards to talk with the speaker.

Exhibition Tour: Celtic Art Across the Ages
2026-07-31 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, United States
Join this tour to learn more about the metalworking and decorative techniques used to make objects on view in the special exhibition Celtic Art Across the Ages. Led by British Museum curator Sophia Adams, the tour will introduce ancient manufacturing techniques and examine how evolving decorative approaches shaped artistic styles during the European Iron Age.
Led by:
Sophia Adams, Curator of First Millennium European and Roman Conquest Period Collections, British Museum
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.

Explore Archaeology with Members of the Rochester Society Archaeological Institute of America
2026-08-08 10:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Irondequoit Public Library room 113, 1290 Titus Ave room 113, Rochester, NY, 14617, United States
Join members of the Rochester Society of the Archaeological Institute of America for hands-on archaeology activities! Appropriate for all ages, this program will give participants the chance to interact with archeology enthusiasts and sample artifacts. Kids can enjoy play-doh, coloring pages, and archaeology toys, and even try out some archaeology for themselves in a sandbox!

Family Archaeology Day at Pittsford Library — Hands-On History with the Rochester Society
2026-08-14 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Pittsford Community Library, 24 State Street, Pittsford, NY, 14534, United States
Dig into history — literally. On August 14, the Pittsford Community Library is hosting a Family Archaeology Day in partnership with members of the Rochester Society, offering an afternoon to explore what’s been found beneath our region’s surface. It’s the kind of afternoon that makes a child look at the ground a little differently on the walk home.

Here Comes the Sun: A diachronic study on the role of music during the Amarna Period
2026-08-16 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FcyP-FNRSbqg_kpujlRXuA
The American Research Center in Egypt, Northern California chapter, invites you to attend a Zoom lecture by Waleed el-Hawatky, The American University in Cairo:
“Here Comes the Sun: A diachronic study on the role of music during the Amarna Period”
Sunday, August 16, 2026, 3 PM PDT
This meeting is virtual, and not in person. It will be recorded.
Zoom registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FcyP-FNRSbqg_kpujlRXuA
Image Credit: Relief of People Driving off Birds, ca. 1352–1336 B.C.E.. Limestone, pigment, 8 1/4 x 21 1/4 in. (21 x 54 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 60.197.3. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum,www.brooklynmuseum.org)
About the Lecture:
Music has played and continues to play a prominent role in the lives of individuals and in society, hardwired into the human experience and integral to our understanding of the world in both its tangible and intangible manifestations. This was no different in dynastic Egypt, where abundant iconographic and physical evidence from the Old Kingdom on shows music being performed in every context and at every level of society. Music appears not only to gain prominence during the Amarna Period but also to develop innovations, including new instrument designs and musical ensembles, all of which are well documented in the rich visual culture of the Amarna Period. This paper explores music in this era, with an emphasis on the royal court, demonstrating its increased role as compared with the first part of the 18th Dynasty with evidence garnered from representations in tombs, temples and texts, as well as physical instruments, amulets, figurines and other material objects associated with music. Through both an Egyptological and musicological approach, this study not only elucidates the function and possibly accelerated evolution of musical innovation in the Amarna Period, but also the implications of the social and gender roles observed in musical practice within the framework of the Aten ideology, perhaps even inspired directly by it.
About the Speaker:
Waleed el-Hawatky is an Egyptologist and Musicologist with an MA in Egyptology & Coptology from The American University in Cairo. Born and raised in California to Egyptian immigrants, el-Hawatky is a newcomer to Egyptology, coming from a background in genetics and public relations, bringing disciplinary versatility to his work. A composer, performer and recording artist of nearly three decades, el-Hawatky specializes in ancient Egyptian musicology, seeking new approaches to the study of ancient music in hopes of eventually constructing a comprehensive lexicon on the ancient Egyptian musical tradition, contributing to the wider study of daily life in ancient Egypt.
How to Register:
Register for the lecture by clicking on this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FcyP-FNRSbqg_kpujlRXuA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture.
There are a few things you should know before you join the lecture:
* Advance registration is required. When you click on the link to register. you will receive instructions by email on how and when to join, along with a link on which you will click to join the meeting. Save the email, as you will need the link it contains to join the meeting. Please register now. Please do not share the join link with anyone, it is unique to your email address. Try to join at least 10 minutes before the meeting. When you do join the meeting, be prepared to be put in the waiting room until the lecture starts at 3 pm. This is a security measure.
* If you haven’t already installed Zoom, you should download and install the Zoom program (app) well before you try to join the meeting. There IS an option to use your web browser to join the meeting instead of the Zoom program, but the browser interface is limited and depends greatly on what browser and what operating system you’re using.
* For tutorials on how to use Zoom, go to https://learn-zoom.us/show-me. In particular, “Joining a Zoom Meeting” should show you what you need to do to join our lecture.
* All meeting attendees can communicate with everyone, or with individual participants, using the chat window, which can be opened by clicking on the chat button and which you can probably find at the bottom middle of your Zoom viewing screen. Participants will be encouraged to hold their questions for the speaker until after the lecture, and will also be encouraged to address their questions for the speaker to everyone, not just to the speaker, so that all can see them. “Everyone” is the default chat option.
If you have any questions, please email glenn@glennmeyer.net or arcencZoom@gmail.com.
About Northern California ARCE:
For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://arce-nc.org, https://bsky.app/profile/khentiamentiu.bsky.social, and https://khentiamentiu.org. To join the chapter or renew your membership, please go to https://arce.org/membership/ and select “Berkeley, CA” as your chapter when you sign up.

You Can Do Archaeology Outreach from Anywhere! Level Up (or Start) Here
2026-08-31 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_chfFqP11TMGS6RGbneBTkA#/registration
Curious about participating in Skype a Scientist, but don’t know where to start? Or perhaps you’ve done it before, but are on the lookout for new ideas? Join AIA’s 2026-2027 Skype a Scientist Ambassadors Taylor Cwikla and Rachel Dewan and members of the AIA’s Outreach & Education Committee to hear a bit about their personal experiences with Skype a Scientist and strategies for virtually engaging classrooms and communities around the world. Stay for the Q&A to ask your burning questions and enjoy an informal conversation about this form of outreach.

Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology (CRITA)
2026-09-12 09:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
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

The Mystery of the Midas Monument
2026-09-14 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
The Elizabeth S. Ettinghausen Lecture

AIA UNESCO Treasures of Ancient Greece Circumnavigating the Peloponnese by Private Luxury Yacht + pre & post-tour options
2026-09-17 - 2026-09-26
On this special circumnavigation of Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula in the company of two special AIA lecturers and hosts, archaeologists Jack Davis and Shari Stocker. You will spend a night in Athens and then cruise around the Peloponnese aboard the luxurious, 50-cabin Emerald Azzurra for seven nights. Along the way, Jack and Shari will be part of a team of onboard experts who together will offer a series of lectures and informal discussions. This cruise, aboard this ship, with these experts, is an unmatched way to experience a beautiful and deeply historical part of Greece that is filled with archaeological delights. Your adventure begins with a night in the heart of historic Athens and a private visit to either the Goulandris Museum
of Cycladic Art or the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture. Then you will embark Emerald Azzurra, whose sleek design grants access to hidden harbors and a rare, full circumnavigation of the Peloponnese peninsula. Along the way, visit five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Mycenae, the fabled Bronze Age citadel; Epidaurus, known for its perfectly preserved ancient theater; Mystras, a remarkable Byzantine city; Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games; and Delphi, once home to the most influential
oracle in the ancient world. Perhaps the highlight of the program will be our special access — thanks to Jack and Shari — at Nestor’s Palace at Pylos, one of Greece’s best-preserved Mycenaean palaces. Between guided visits, explore coastal towns such as Nafplion, Gythio, and Pylos, each with deep historical roots. Conclude the voyage with a spectacular passage through the Corinth Canal before returning to Athens. Also available are a two-night, pre-tour extension in Athens and a four-night,
post-tour extension cruise in the Aegean.
Highlights include:
-Visit five UNESCO World Heritage Sites with expert local guides: Epidaurus, Mycenae, Mystras, Olympia, and Delphi.
-Transit the Corinth Canal, whose history extends back into classical times, including an unsuccessful attempt to build it in the 1st century A.D.
-Cruise for seven nights aboard the luxurious Emerald Azzurra, a state-of-the-art mega-yacht privately chartered and expertly staffed for unparalleled comfort and service.
-Gain special access to one of the most important Mycenaean sites in Greece, Nestor’s Palace at Pylos, where our AIA lecturers have done extensive fieldwork and made extraordinary finds.
-Wander through charming seaside towns like Nafplion, Gythio, and Pylos, where cobblestone streets, whitewashed buildings, and vibrant harbors create picturesque settings perfect for exploration.
OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION: TUESDAY–FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15–18 , 2026 (Athens Greece)
Depart home on an overnight flight to Athens, Greece. Arrive Wednesday, September 16, and transfer to the centrally located Athens Capital Hotel—MGallery Collection. Experience the treasures our AIA study leaders who will enrich your visit with their expertise. Explore ancient landmarks from the bustling Agora and lively Plaka to the iconic Acropolis and its acclaimed museum. Savor authentic Greek meals, visit the National Archaeological Museum, and enjoy time to discover this vibrant city at your own pace.
OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION: SATURDAY-WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 -30, 2026 (Athens, Cape Sounion, Delos, Mykonos, KuŞadasi Turkiye, Herakalion, Crete, Greece and Knossos)
LIMITED AVAILABILITY Remain in your cabin for an additional four-night cruise through the Aegean Sea, exploring the region’s most iconic ancient sites with expert local guides. This extension must be booked with the main program to ensure the same
cabin throughout.

Spokane Monthly Archaeology Lecture
2026-09-17 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane, WA, 99201, United States
Join us for our monthly lectures on a variety of archaeological topics!

AIA Romans & Moors in Morocco & Spain tour
2026-09-18 - 2026-09-29
Trace the layered history of the western Mediterranean on a journey through Morocco and Spain, where Roman, Islamic, and Christian civilizations shaped enduring cultural landscapes. From Morocco’s Roman ruins and imperial cities to Andalusia’s Moorish masterpieces and Spain’s great art collections, this thoughtfully paced itinerary weaves together archaeology, architecture, and living traditions. Along the way, you will be treated to insightful discussions with your AIA lecturer/host, Patrick Hunt, whose deep field experience and engaging lectures will bring these countries’ histories vividly to life.
Tour highlights:
• Explore Morocco’s imperial cities of Rabat, Meknes, and Fes, including the medieval medinas of Fes el-Bali (“Old Fes”)
• Walk through layers of history at Rabat’s Chellah Fortress, where Phoenician, Roman, and Islamic remains converge
• Experience Andalusia’s cultural crossroads in Seville, Córdoba, and Granada, featuring palaces, mosques, cathedrals, and historic quarters
• Visit exceptional Roman sites including Volubilis, Italica, and the soaring Roman aqueduct of Segovia
• Discover UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Alhambra, Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Royal Alcázar of Seville, and historic city centers
• Delve into Spain’s artistic legacy with a guided visit of Madrid’s Prado Museum
• Savor regional cuisine through welcome and farewell dinners, select hosted meals, and opportunities to dine independently
• Stay in well-located 4- and 5-star hotels chosen for their quality, comfort, and proximity to key sites
This exclusive, small-group tour is limited to just 16 participants.
