TheDepartmentofClassicalStudies,incollaborationwiththeNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmerica,ispleasedtoannounceourLecturesSeriesfor2016-2017.CreolizationandCosmopolitanTastes:TheArchaeologyofColonialNewOrleansattheCity’sTricentennial
ALecturebyDr.RyanGrayDepartmentofAnthropologyUniversityofNewOrleansTuesday,October4,2016WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHallLoyolaUniversity8pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmericaCelebratingLOUISIANAARCHAEOLOGYMONTHRecentyearshaveseenasubstantialincreaseinthebodyofarchaeologicaldatafromsiteswithintactColonialeracomponentsinNewOrleans,allowingbetterinsightthaneverintotheclosetiesbetweenpopulationsofAfrican,Euroamerican,andNativedescentintheearlycity.However,surprisingly,someofthemostuniquediscoveriescomesfromsitesonprivateproperty,onesthathavefewifanyprotectionsunderexistinglegalframeworks.ThistalkwillexplorerecentdiscoveriesatsitesintheFrenchQuarterofNewOrleans,includingMadameJohn'sLegacy,theSt.PeterStreetCemetery,and810RoyalStreet,alongwithsomeofthepossibilitiesforfuturedirectionsinresearchasthecitymovestowardsitstricentennial.
"TheArkBeforeNoah"ALecturebyDr.IrvingFinkelCurator,DepartmentoftheMiddleEastBritishMuseum,LondonTheCharlesEliotNortonMemorialLectureshipoftheAIA**Sunday,October30,2016WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHall5pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmericaBritishMuseumexpertDr.IrvingFinkelrevealshowdecodingthesymbolsona4,000yearoldpieceofclayenablearadicalnewinterpretationoftheNoah'sArkmyth.Aworldauthorityontheperiod,Dr.Finkel'senthrallingreal-lifedetectivestorybeganwithamostremarkableeventattheBritishMuseum-thearrivalonedayin2008ofasingle,modest-sizedBabyloniancuneiformtablet-thepalm-sizedclayrectanglesonwhichourancestorscreatedthefirstdocuments.Ithadbeenbroughtinbyamemberofthepublicandthisparticulartabletprovedtobeofquiteextraordinaryimportance.Notonlydoesitdatefromabout1850BCE,butitisacopyoftheBabylonianStoryoftheFlood,amythfromancientMesopotamiarevealingamongotherthings,instructionsforbuildingalargeboattosurviveaflood.ButDrFinkel'spioneeringworkdidn'tstopthere.ThroughanotherseriesofenthrallingdiscoverieshehasbeenabletodecodethestoryoftheFloodinwayswhichofferunanticipatedrevelationstoreadersofTHEARKBEFORENOAH.Inaddition,thelecturewilldescribehowareplicaoftheboatfollowingtheancientinstructionswasbuiltinIndia,thesubjectofthedocumentaryfilmTheRealNoah’sArk.
"MesopotamianMischief:EvilForcesintheWorldofBabylon" ALecturebyDr.IrvingFinkelCurator,DepartmentoftheMiddleEastBritishMuseum,LondonTheCharlesEliotNortonMemorialLectureshipoftheAIAMonday,October31,2016WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHall8pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmerica
Thisillustratedtalkwillexplainhowthebeliefindemons,witchesandghostsgoesbackintoremoteantiquity,andinvestigatewhatweknowofthemiscellaneousinvisibletroublemakersthatMesopotamianexorcistshadtodealwith.Wehavecuneiformtexts(spellsandincantations),pictures,amuletsandotherbitsandpieceswhichallowustopeerbackintimethroughadarkwindowandseehowtheBabyloniansandAssyriansreallyunderstoodmisfortuneandillnessandwhattheydidtoimprovethings.Thelecturewillbelight-heartedandattention-seizing,noisyandunsoporific,andatthesametimewillendeavourtotackletheinterestingprocessofbringingfrightenedpeoplewhohavebeendeadforthreeorfourthousandyearsbrieflybacktolife.
**TheCharlesEliotNortonMemorialLectureshipIn1879,CharlesEliotNorton,professoroftheHistoryofArtatHarvardUniversity,founded,withagroupofelevenassociates,theArchaeologicalInstituteofAmerica.NortonwaselectedthefirstpresidentoftheAIA.Duringhispresidency,whichlastedforelevenyears,NortonwasinvolvedinthesupervisionofInstitutefieldworkinboththeOldandNewWorlds,inthefoundingoftheAmericanSchoolofClassicalStudiesinAthens,andinthepublicationofthefirstAmericanJournalofArchaeology.In1907,JamesLoeb,whohadbeenoneofNorton’sstudentsatHarvard,offeredtopaythehonorariumof“somedistinguishedforeignlecturer”therebyfoundingtheNortonLectureship.ProfessorD.G.HogarthdeliveredthefirstNortonLecturesin1907-1908.In1909JamesLoebcreatedtheCharlesEliotNortonMemorialLectureFundtosupport“oneormoredistinguishedarchaeologistsforacourseof
lectures…preferencetobegiventoEuropeanscholars,butinthediscretionoftheCouncil,invitationsmayalsobeextendedtoAmericanscholars.”
Sinceitsbeginnings,theNortonLectureshiphasundergonesometransformationsbutitalwayswasandcontinuestobetothisday,oneofthehighesthonorsthattheInstitutecanbestow.TodaytheCharlesEliotNortonMemorialLecturersaredistinguishedarchaeologistsandeminentscholarswhomaybeofanynationalityandmayworkinanyfieldofourdiscipline.TheNortonLecturersarechosenbytheLectureProgramCommitteeandannuallylecturetoseventeenlocalsocieties.
"TombRaidersandTerroristFinancing:CuttingofftheIslamicState'sIllicitTrafficin'BloodAntiquities'"***ALecturebyTessDavisExecutiveDirectorAntiquitiesCoalitionTuesday,November15,2016WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHall8pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmericaWiththeriseoftheIslamicStateinIraqandSyria(ISIS),theworldrightfullyaskedhowamilitantfactiontooextremeforAl-Qaedatransformeditselfinto“theworld’srichestterrorgroupever.”ISISboastsanannualbudgetworth$2billionandawarchestof$250million,whichiftruesurpassestheTaliban’s(andthatofmanystates).Stillmoretroubling,itisnowfinanciallyselfsufficient,andnolongerdependentonforeigndonors.How?Likeorganizedcriminalenterprisesbeforeit:extortion,ransom,robbery,andsmuggling.Itperhapscomesasnoshockthatithasbeentraffickingarms,drugs,andevenoil.However,thepublicreactedwithsurprisetoreportsinJune2014thatISISjihadistshadearned“millions”bylootingtheregion’sarchaeologicalsites,andthensellingitsancienttreasurestothehighestbidder.Itshouldn’thave.Archaeologists,criminologists,lawenforcementagents,andmilitaryofficialshavelongwarnedthattheillicitantiquitiestradeisfundingcrime
andconflictaroundtheworld.However,underISIS’blackflag,thislootingandtraffickinghasbecomenotjustasideenterprise,butamassiveillegalindustry.Inrecentyears,wehavelostsomeoftheCradleofCivilization'smosticonicmasterpiecesandsites,manyofwhichhadsurvivedformillennia.Thiswantondestructioniserasingoursharedhistorychapterbychapter.Anditthreatensusall:atthismoment,ISISisconvertingthese"bloodantiquities"intoweaponsandtroops,whichareseizingcities,slaughteringsoldiers,andbeheadingcivilians.TessDavis,alawyerwhohasdedicatedmorethanadecadetocombattingtheillicitantiquitiestrade,willexaminethisgrowingthreattoournationalsecurityandtheworld'sculturalheritage.Indoingso,shewilltracethepastoflootedmasterpiecesfromconflictzonestotheveryheightoftheglobalmarket,andexplorehowUnitedStatesandinternationallawisseekingtocutoffthiskeymeansofcriminalfinancing.Finally,shewilldiscussrecentprogressinthisfight,asanunprecedentedcoalitionofcountrieshavejoinedforcestodemandactionfrombothgovernmentsandtheartmarket.***HonoringthememoryofKhaledal'AsaadwhowastorturedanddecapitatedprotectingthetreasuresofPalmyrafromISISinAugust2015.
"ATaleofTwoSunkenHarborCities"ALecturebyDr.BjørnLovén ResearchAssociateProfessorSAXOInstitute,UniversityofCopenhagenSamuelH.KressLectureLectureshipinAncientArt**Wednesday,February1,2017WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHall8pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmericaOverthecenturiestheMediterraneanSeahasservedtoconnectcultureswithawiderworldthroughtrade,colonization,andmilitaryconquest—andperhapsnowherewasitusedmoreeffectivelythanintheancientGreekworld.Inthemountainous,peninsularandisland-strewnregionsofGreece,thevastmajorityoftrade,communicationandexchangeofknowledgetookplaceonthewater,inanchoragesandinharborareas.Inhislecture,ATaleofTwoSunkenHarborCities–TheHarborsofAncientAthensandCorinth,ProfessorBjørnLovénwillexplorehowancientharborsettlementsevolvedintofocalpointsofhumaninteractionandservedasmaingatewaystothemainland,andhowtheiruse(commercial,military,orboth)determinedtheirdesign.Thelecturewillexaminethearchaeologyandhistoryoftwoverydifferentancientharbortypes,focusingonthecommercialareasofLechaionharborofancientCorinth,andtheZeaandMounichiaharborswhichhousedtheAtheniannavy.ProfessorBjørnLovénisaResearchAssociatewiththeSaxoInstituteattheUniversityofCopenhagen,andisanexpertinthearchaeologyofancientharborsandsubmergedsites;heistheDirectoroftheZeaHarborProjectatancientPiraeusinGreece,Co-DirectoroftheLechaionHarborProjectinCorinth,Greece,andhasdoneextensivefieldworkatunderwaterandharborsitesaroundtheMediterranean.TheLechaionHarborProjectandtheZeaHarborProjectarebothcollaborationsbetweentheEphorateofUnderwaterAntiquitiesundertheGreekMinistryofCultureandSports,theSaxoInstitute,theUniversityofCopenhagen,andtheDanishInstituteatAthensundertheDanishMinistryofEducation.
**TheSamuelH.KressLectureshipinAncientArt(4thinarowforNewOrleans)
Since1984theSamuelH.KressFoundationinNewYorkhasgiventheAIAseveralgrantstosupporttheSamuelH.KressLectureshipinAncientArt.The1998/1999programmarkedthefirstyearofathree-yeargranttocontinuethelectureship.InthefirstgrantapplicationtotheKressFoundationin1983,theAIAproposedtheestablishmentofaKressLectureshipinAncientArt"tobeheldbyaforeign,preferablyjunior,scholarwhoseworkinoneormorefieldsofancientartis,ordeservestobe,internationallyknownandwhowouldbenefitfromtheopportunitytowidenhishorizonstoU.S.scholarlycommunitiesandmuseums."TheKressLectureshipwastobe"dedicatedtoancientartinthewidestsense,withanemphasisonClassical,ancientNearEastern,andEgyptianart."ItwasfurtherproposedthattheKressLecturerresideforonesemesteroraportionthereofatauniversitychosenbytheAIA"forthestrengthofitsprograminartandarchaeology."In2001theprogramwasexpandedtotwoKressLecturersforeachyear;in2015afurtherexpansionprovidedforspeciallychosenpastLecturerstoreturnforashorttouras“KressAlumni”.KressLecturersarechosenbytheLectureProgramCommitteeandannuallylecturetoonequarterofalllocalAIASocieties.
"Pottery,Paintings,andPinakides:thelatestdirtfromPetsasHouse,Mycenae"ALecturebyDr.KimShelton AssociateProfessorUniversityofCalifornia,BerkeleyMarthaSharpJoukowskyLectureship**Tuesday,March28,2017WhitneyBankPresentationRoomThomasHall8pmfreeadmissionandfreeparkingoncampus(WestRoadGarageandtheHorseshoe)Co-sponsoredbytheOfficeoftheProvost,theDepartmentofClassicalStudiesandtheNewOrleansSocietyoftheArchaeologicalInstituteofAmericaThiselaboratelyillustratedlecturewillpresenttheresultsofelevenseasonsofexcavationbytheArchaeologicalSocietyofAthensat‘PetsasHouse’inthesettlementofthefamousBronzeAgepalatialcenteratMycenae.Alookintoacomplexstructureofthe14thcenturyBCErevealsdomesticandworkshopusetogetherwithanexpandingroleinthesocio-politicallifeofthepalace.Pottery,astheprimaryartifacttype,isexaminedwithinitsproduction,storage,anddistributioncontexts.Awell,excavatedwithinthebuildingcomplex,providesevidenceforthelifeofthebuilding,foritsviolentdestruction,andforhumanagencyinapost-destructionreclamationphase.TheexcavatorwillpresentmaterialproducedinthisworkshopalongsideapictureoflifeinthebuildingtogetherwithevidenceforarelationshiptothepalacethroughfragmentsofLinearBtabletsandofcontactwiththegreaterMycenaeanandMediterraneanworldduringthe14thc.BCE. **MarthaSharpJoukowskyLectureshipIn1989,ananonymousdonorestablishedthePresident'sLecturesFundtoyearlysupportaspecialspeaker,whoselectureshipwouldbeseenasaanadjuncttotheAIA’sprestigiousNortonLectureship.In1993thePresident'sLectureshipbecametheMarthaSharpJoukowskyLectureship,inhonorofMarthaSharpJoukowsky,pastPresidentoftheAIAandProfessorofOldWorldArchaeologyatBrownUniversity.ProfessorJoukowskyhasconductedarchaeologicalresearchinGreece,Italy,TurkeyandJordan,mostlyrecentlyattheSouthernTempleinPetra(Jordan).TheMarthaSharpJoukowskyLecturersaredistinguishedarchaeologistsandmaybeofanynationalityandworkinanyfieldofourdiscipline.TheJoukowskyLecturersareselectedbytheLectureProgramCommitteeandtogetherlecturetotwenty-fourlocalsocietiesannually.
