Archaeology Lectures, Fall 2023
With the support of our academic partners at the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky, we look forward to presenting a series of talks in which internationally-recognized scholars discuss their latest research on a variety of archaeological topics.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE of AMERICA
KENTUCKY SOCIETY
Tuesday, October 3, 2023 • 6:00 PM EST
University of Louisville
Center for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
1606 Rowan Street, Louisville, KY 40203
NAGPRA: The Repatriation and Reburial of Angel Mounds
Jayne-Leigh Thomas (Indiana University Bloomington)
Passed in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) provides a legal mechanism for the repatriation and return of Native American and Native Hawaiian ancestral remains and cultural items. In addition to the return of collections, consultation with federally recognized tribal nations is one of the most important components of this federal mandate. In 2021, Indiana University completed the Angel Mounds repatriation, the largest in Midwestern history. This project remains a valuable case study which highlights the complexities of working with a large archaeological collection, collaborating with numerous tribal nations, and navigating the challenges of finding respectful reburial lands.
Dr. Jayne-Leigh Thomas is NAGPRA Director in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington.
“Repatriation and Reburial” is part of an ongoing series of talks presented by the Kentucky Society of the Archaeological Institute of America with support from the University of Louisville Departments of Anthropology and History and the University of Kentucky.
Thursday, September 21, 2023 • 6:30 PM EST
University of Kentucky
William T. Young Library Auditorium
401 Hilltop Avenue, Lexington, KY 40506
Horses and the Sea in Ancient Greek Thought
Shannon Dunn (Bryn Mawr College)
What role did horses play in ancient Greek culture, and why were they associated with the sea? Archaeologist Shannon Dunn addresses this question in our next talk!
The Homeric Hymn to Poseidon names the god's two duties: "to be tamer of horses and savior of ships." These two elements—horses and the sea—appear together in many aspects of ancient Greek life, whether in myth, religion, the visual arts, or literature. Not only Poseidon, but also the Dioskouroi, the twin horse gods, were gods of seafaring, appearing to sailors as the "St. Elmo's fire" phenomenon. In the Odyssey (4.708), Penelope even calls swift ships "horses of the deep," while the Phaeacians who finally bring Odysseus home have a ship that is compared to a chariot pulled by four stallions (Odyssey 13.81). At Olympia, a bronze dolphin was waved as the signal of the start of the horse races in the hippodrome, where there was an altar of Poseidon Hippios ("of horses"). A sanctuary complex for Poseidon Hippios has been excavated just outside ancient Mantinea in Arcadia, which ancient sources tell us had a nearby sacred grove of trees called Pelagos ("sea"). What is the connection between these two aspects? Were horses and the sea simply two major components of ancient Greek life, or were there deeper symbolic connections? This talk explores the relationships between horses and the sea through various media: iconography, literary metaphor, and cult practices.
Shannon Dunn is a PhD candidate in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College. She is co-editor of the exhibition catalog Hippos: The Horse in Ancient Athens and is the 2023-24 Bass Lecturer for the Archaeological Institute of America.
“Horses and the Sea” is part of an ongoing series of talks presented by the Kentucky Society of the Archaeological Institute of America with support from the University of Louisville Departments of Anthropology and History and the University of Kentucky.
Thursday, November 2, 2023 • 6:00 PM EST
University of Louisville
Center for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
1606 Rowan Street, Louisville, KY 40203
An Archaeological Investigation and Interpretation of a Cornerstone Deposit from Louisville's Confederate Monument
M. Jay Stottman (Kentucky Archaeological Survey/Western Kentucky University)
Amid recent efforts to remove Confederate Monuments throughout cities in the South, the City of Louisville removed its monument situated on a public street in the middle of the University of Louisville’s main campus. During disassembly of the monument, a cornerstone box containing commemorative objects was found. This presentation discusses these objects and their relationship to the “Lost Cause” movement espoused by ex-Confederates. It also examines the battle for the memorial landscape and the monument itself as a symbol of ex-Confederate power that perpetuated the “Lost Cause” narrative into the present day.
Dr. M. Jay Stottman is Assistant Director of the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
“An Archaeological Investigation” is part of an ongoing series of talks presented by the Kentucky Society of the Archaeological Institute of America with support from the University of Louisville Departments of Anthropology and History and the University of Kentucky.