Living Room Lecture – Recycling for Death: Coffin Reuse in Ancient Egypt and the Theban Royal Caches
VirtualIn this lecture, Kara Cooney will discuss her latest book, Recycling for Death, a meticulous study of the social, economic, and religious significance of coffin reuse during the Ramesside and early Third Intermediate periods. Funerary datasets are the chief source of social history in Egyptology, and the numerous tombs, coffins, Books of the Dead, and mummies of the Twentieth and Twenty-first Dynasties have not been fully utilized as social documents, mostly because the data of this time period is scattered and difficult to synthesize. This book is the culmination of fifteen years of coffin study, analyzing coffins and other funerary equipment of elites from the Nineteenth to the Twenty-second Dynasties to provide essential windows into social strategies and adaptations employed during the Bronze Age collapse and subsequent Iron Age reconsolidation. Cost: Pay what you wish Register for Lecture About the Author Kara Cooney is a professor of Egyptology at UCLA and Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. Specializing in social history, gender studies, and economies in the ancient world, she received her Ph.D. in Egyptology from Johns Hopkins University. Her popular books include The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt, When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt, and The Good Kings: Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World. Her latest books include Ancient Egyptian Society: Challenging Assumptions, Exploring Approaches (Routledge, 2023) and Recycling for Death: Coffin Reuse in Ancient Egypt and the Theban Royal Caches (The American University in Cairo Press, August 2024).
2nd Saturday Lecture Screenings
San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United StatesJoin us every 2nd Saturday of the month for two screenings of our Living Room Lectures by archaeologists, experts, and authors. Lecture screenings start at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM and are included with museum admission. No reservations needed. Seating is first come, first served. 10:30 AM - Hominins, Hyenas, and Lions: Zooarchaeological Evidence for Meat Eating by Oldowan Hominins by Jennifer Parkinson The shift to increased meat consumption is one of the major adaptive changes in hominin dietary evolution and likely had important repercussions for the behavior of our early hominin ancestors. Meat-eating by hominins is well documented at Early Pleistocene (Oldowan) archaeological sites in East Africa by butchery marks on bones. While it is established that Oldowan hominins butchered mammal carcasses, there has been disagreement about whether these carcasses were hunted or scavenged, as well as disagreement about the nature of competition between hominins and large carnivores. The 2-million-year-old zooarchaeological assemblage from Kanjera South (Kenya) offers some of the earliest evidence of routine butchery of mammal carcasses by early members of the genus Homo. Bone surface modifications indicate that hominins were likely not passively scavenging from carnivore kills, but instead gaining early access to prey either through hunting or confrontational scavenging. Modern studies of lion feeding ecology are also shedding additional light on the potential for hominin-carnivore competitive interactions in the past. 12:30 PM - 21st-Century Historical Archaeology and the Next Generation of Community Engagement at the Nathan Harrison Site by Dr. Seth Mallios This talk examines how the archaeology at the Nathan Harrison Site has inspired a new generation of muralists, historians, playwrights, and others to create innovative works and continued relevance for Harrison’s evolving narratives. It offers an overview of the project, a brief biography of San Diego's first African American homesteader, an explanation of his dual identity, code-switching, and historical minstrelsy, and a discussion of the project’s case for significance beyond the dig including public exhibits, educational curricula, and creative arts.
Ancient Echoes: 10,000 Years of Beer
BattleMage Brewing Company 2870 Scott St #102, Vista, CA, United StatesCome join the San Diego Archaeological Center and celebrate San Diego Beer Week at BattleMage Brewing with a free presentation delving into the murky, storied archaeological past of our favorite malted beverage. From ancient Sumerian hymns to Egyptian tombs, to the secretive monasteries of old Bavaria, we’ll uncover how archaeological findings, such as brewing tools and ancient recipes, reveal beer's influence on culture, economy, and social life throughout history. About Ancient Echoes In our adult friendly Ancient Echoes series, we look back into the archaeological record at the origins of many of our favorite things and breaking the conceptions of their modernity. Have you ever wondered about the roots of mead, chocolate, or beer? What about the importance of art, dance, and music to Ice Age hunter-gatherers? Ancient Echoes explores these topics and more, offering an interactive experience aimed at connecting us back with our deep past.
Ancient Echoes: Ice Age Pigments – Handprint Edition
San Diego Archaeological Center 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, United StatesHave you already taken Pints & Pigments? Ready to step up your Pleistocene rock art skills to the next level? If so, put on your dirty painting clothes and come to the SDAC for this all-ages outdoor art event where we’ll be spraying, blowing, and flinging our favorite ancient pigments like an Ice Age Jackson Pollock! All art materials will be provided. Tickets include coffee, tea, and light refreshments. About Ancient Echoes In our Ancient Echoes series, we look back into the archaeological record at the origins of many of our favorite things and breaking the conceptions of their modernity. Have you ever wondered about the roots of mead, chocolate, or beer? What about the importance of art, dance, and music to Ice Age hunter-gatherers? Ancient Echoes explores these topics and more, offering an interactive experience aimed at connecting us back with our deep past. Cost: $35; SDAC Members $25 Register for Workshop Please note: Tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, your ticket(s) will be converted into a tax-deductible donation.