The Ptolemaic fortress at Bir Samut in Egypt’s Eastern Desert presents an extraordinary snapshot of the life of gold miners, travelers, traders and soldiers during the first century of Macedonian rule in Upper Egypt. Under excavation since 2014, this well-preserved frontier complex was devoted in part to the processing of gold ore mined from the […]
Dr. Joseph Traugott, New Mexico Museum of Art, Retired Dr. Scott Ortman, University of Colorado Boulder Painted Reflections: Isomeric Design in Ancestral Pueblo Pottery One of the most distinctive yet least understood aspects of ancestral Pueblo pottery painting is the widespread use of isometric design (figure-and- ground illusions). Join Dr. Traugott and Dr. Ortman as […]
Looking Eastward. People have lived on the Plains for thousands of years, and this Family Day we will be exploring technologies and art created by American Indians who have made the Plains their home. Try your hand at weaving, and explore the natural life that contributes to the arts of Native people.
Norton Lecture
Rachel Egan, M.A. University of Colorado Boulder When the Volcano Erupts: Lessons from the Archaeological Record on Human Adaptation to Catastrophic Environments How do repeated disasters shape and strengthen communities? The Tilarán-Arenal region of Costa Rica is one of the most volcanically active regions in the world, but despite the risk, from the advent of […]
Insights from the Past for a Warming World Dr. Scott Ingram (Colorado College) Many of us have heard the cautionary statement: “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” What does this mean, is it true, and how (specifically) can the past inform the present and future? Given the urgency of local to […]
Kress Lecture Co-sponsored by the Colorado University Museum of Natural History
Death and Glory in the Land of King Midas of the Golden Touch Dr. Beth Dusinberre (University of Colorado Boulder) Of the 35 burial tumuli at the site of Gordion, capital of ancient Phrygia, 11 cover cremation burials. They date between 625 and 525 BCE, spanning some of the most turbulent times in the history […]
The Lives of Ancient Maya Commoners: How Could We Have Been So Wrong? Dr. Payson Sheets (University of Colorado Boulder) Ancient Maya elites have been the focus of research for well over a century, and for good reasons. They developed the New World’s most sophisticated writing system. Their architecture, sculpture, murals, and other items constitute […]
