Archaeology Events
With my passion for archaeology, I discovered that the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) hosts frequent webinars and virtual lectures, of which I attended three for my Global Learning Medallion points.
People attended these online from various places. I got to see others that are as interested in Archaeology as I am. Some came to these lectures for their own knowledge while others wanted to apply the information in a classroom setting.
21st Century Tools For Studying Ice Age Art
One of the first lectures I joined was on March 15th. Dr. April Nowell was the presenter for the day and she discussed how humans were painting animals, symbols, and people on the walls of caves over 40,000 years ago. Dr. Nowell's recent work was in Australia and Europe. Her main goal for the presentation was to show the audience a look at the possible science behind the art and how it has led to the understanding of Ice Age people that we have today. The whole presentation was fascinating as it showed how people have understood and portrayed the world around them.
An Archaeologist, World War II And Prehistoric Thailand
On March 17th, Dr. Cyler Conrad focused on Hendrik Robert van Heekeren, a prisoner of war that was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and sent to the “Railroad of Death” camps in Thailand. Dr. Conrad states that van Heekeren's work stems from archaeology which he conducted while he was stuck in Thailand. It was interesting to hear the story of van Heekeren and it made me see how anyone can do archaeological work and expand their worldview, even if it is not done under the best circumstances.
Not A Taboo: Maternal Undress In Etruscan Mirror Iconography
On March 27th, Dr. Alexandra A. Carpino looks at the visual aspects of communication through Etruscan mirrors that showcased "exposed bodies." Her work branches from the work of Larissa Bonfante who focused on nudity in Etruscan iconography. Dr. Carpino argued that we can see the social context and see what was important to that society through the iconography that is being used in these mirrors. That concept made me think of how much visual elements have a role to play in how people perceive the world and how that perception is expressed to people from other cultures.
