Summer 2014 Newsletter

The Archaeological Society of Staten Island &

The Archaeological Institute of America, Staten Island Society

2014- 2015 Sunday Lecture Series

Fall Lecture Update 

September 14, 2014 at 3pm 

Dr. Celia Bergoffen

Excavating a Jewish Ritual Pool in a Manhattan, Russian Bath House

Who could have suspected that a former Russian bath house — allegedly frequented by the Jewish mafia during the roaring 20s — would contain an elegant, blue-and-white tiled mikvah conforming to religious “specs” and certified by a rabbi? The excavation of the pool, which is the oldest known, demonstrably kosher mikvah in New York, shows how religious requirements translated into a ritual installation in turn-of-the-century New York and sheds new light on this aspect of Lower East Siders’ daily lives.

 

October 19, 2014 at 3pm

Archaeological Institute of America Lecture

Dr. Victoria Reed

Lost and Found: Research on Nazi-Era Looting and Restitution at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Nazi-looted art and masterpieces frequently make headlines and are featured in popular culture. But what is the reality of tracking masterpieces? Through a behind-the-scenes look at the process of research and documentation of seizures, thefts, and losses in Europe between 1933 and 1945, this lecture will illustrate how the MFA has conducted research on the Nazi-era provenance or ownership history of is collection.

 

November 16, 2014 at 3pm

The Helen H. Loeffler Memorial Lecture

Dr. Matthew Adams

Challenges and Promise in the Practice of Archaeology In Egypt Today:  A Perspective from Abydos

The modern practice of archaeological fieldwork represents a dual challenge: to undertake research that will contribute to our understanding of past societies, and to meet the ethical responsibilities inherent in working in and engaging with modern communities. This lecture will consider how these challenges can be met and balanced, focusing on recent work at Abydos, Egypt. Abydos was the burial place and likely ancestral home of Egypt’s first kings and one of Egypt’s most important religious centers. The Abydos Expedition of NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts is exploring a number of major components of the site, including the ancient town, its vast cemetery fields, and the monumental record of Egypt’s early kings. At the same time, the Expedition is collaborating closely with the Egyptian authorities and working to engage with local communities to balance preservation and research efforts at the site with the needs and priorities of its modern inhabitants, and effort made both more complicated and more urgent by events in Egypt since the revolution of 2011. 

 

Visit our website: www.siarchaeology.org

Meet the Speakers over Tea/Coffee Following each Lecture

Wagner College – Spiro Hall – Room C-2

631 Howard Avenue, Grymes Hill, Staten Island, New York

All Disabled/Senior Members are requested to use the stairs with the hand rails

New York Council for Humanities Lectures are Free to All. Other Lectures are Free to Wagner College Students, Faculty, and Staff;  A.I.A. Members and Staten Island Society Members (Wagner or Society ID card is your admission ticket).

Hopefully you have attended some of our other lectures. We have an interesting, informative and varied program each month. The lectures are by renowned experts in their fields. If you are a member, please join us at our meetings and try to bring a friend. If you are not a member, come with your friends to one of our meetings to hear an interesting lecture and you can apply the one day $5.00 per person trial membership fee to your very reasonable annual dues should you decide to join us.