Andrew Lawler will introduce us to his new book, UNDER JERUSALEM: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City. Sacred to three faiths and revered by more than half the people on the planet, Jerusalem conjures up powerful images of the celestial. Yet beneath its narrow alleys and holy places, the ancient city conceals […]
Zoom lecture by Dr. Michael Chazan (University of Toronto) Joukowsky Lecture Zoom Details The waiting room opens at 12:45pm CST, and the live lecture will begin at 1:00pm CST. Click below to join the meeting. Or, join through Zoom with the following login: Meeting ID: 361 501 0853 Password: Brilliant If you do not […]
Dr. Nicholas A. Cahill, UW-Madison The Archaeological Exploration of Sardis expedition has carried out large-scale, scientific excavations at the site in western Turkey since 1958. Over these 5+ decades, archaeologists have documented the emergence and development of Sardis, the capitol of the Lydian Empire of the 6th and 7th centuries BCE, and one of the […]
The Iowa Society of the Archaeological Institute of America presents: "Female Benefactors in the Roman Empire" by Dr. Rachel Meyers (Iowa State University) Evidence for the Roman practice of public generosity comes from ancient texts, inscriptions, and archaeological remains. This philanthropic activity, including endowments, bequests, construction projects, and entertainment, was a common way for the […]
Christy and Jim Pritchard, “Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Today” THIS LECTURE IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE VACCINATED PUBLIC MASKS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL ATTENDEES About the lecture: Christy and Jim Pritchard have been leading cultural resources efforts across the US over the past 25+ years. They will discuss the legislative and operational framework for […]
Reed Gochberg, Assistant Director of Studies; Lecturer on History and Literature, Harvard University In conversation with: Brenda Tindal, Executive Director, Harvard Museums of Science & Culture What can the history of museums tell us about their role in American culture today? What kinds of objects were considered worth collecting, and who decided their value? Join […]
Susanne Gänsicke, Senior Conservator and Head of Antiquities Conservation, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles Double reed pipes, known as auloi, were popular musical instruments in the ancient Mediterranean. In 1921, archaeologists exploring the necropolis of Meroë (northern Sudan)—as part of the Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition—found a large collection of auloi in […]
Constantino Brumidi’s Roman-Style Wall Paintings for the US Capitol Dr. Elise Friedland (George Washington University, D.C.) The US Capitol—America’s central federal building—echoes ancient Greece and Rome, not only in its architecture and architectural sculpture, but even in its decorative murals. This talk presents new research on the 1858 fresco cycle in the Senate wing’s Naval […]
Whilst mining for diamonds in 2008, mine workers in Oranjemund, Namibia found over 40 tons of cargo from a shipwreck buried under the sand for centuries. The ship is likely the Portuguese vessel Bom Jesus, which wrecked off the coast of Namibia in 1533 AD, and the artefacts found reveal aspects of European trade and […]
On Friday, November 26, the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture—the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments—reopen to the public. See https://bit.ly/HMSCExhibitions for hours and reservations. Muchos Méxicos explores Mexico’s rich history as a […]
On Friday, November 26, the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture—the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments—reopen to the public. See https://bit.ly/HMSCExhibitions for hours and reservations. Much like today, ancient “consumers” were connected to […]
Abstract: When we think of the pyramids of Egypt, we usually refer to the gigantic pyramids of Giza. These were statements of power in the early ancient Egyptian state. Yet, power does not become effective simply by building monuments. It rests on the ability of rulers to manipulate social relationships. In Egypt, the relationship between […]
Explore the wonders of tropical Indochina on our luxurious tour of Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Mekong River. Begin with two nights in Ho Chi Minh City (still known by many as Saigon), a busy and dynamic metropolis that exudes energy and buzzes with activity. Then embark on a seven-night Mekong River cruise aboard the beautiful […]
Much like today, ancient “consumers” were connected to distant markets. Both basic and precious goods from faraway lands “shipped” to royal palaces, elite estates—sometimes even rural households—and technological advances in craftsmanship and commerce transcended boundaries of language, religion, or culture to spread rapidly. Mediterranean Marketplaces explores how the movement of goods, peoples, and ideas around […]
Muchos Méxicos explores Mexico’s rich history as a site of human innovation, creativity and cultural diversity. Featuring Mexican objects from the Peabody Museum collections, this bilingual exhibit tells the story of Mexico as a multicultural and geographic crossroads—one where the exchange of resources, products, and ideas among Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas before the Spanish […]
In this talk, Rob Weiner will discuss his recent fieldwork throughout the Chaco World, which combines LiDAR, drone aerial photography, and on-the-ground documentation to investigate the history, use, and meaning of monumental roads in Chacoan society. He will focus on new insights regarding the destinations of roads and ritual practices carried out on them, with […]
