Zoom Lecture Announcement 9/19/21: A New Look at Minoan Athletic Competitions

Dear Archaeology Friends,

As we shared last week, we are looking forward to an exciting series of programs this year!  It is taking us longer than anticipated to set up our electronic payment option for membership, so we have decided to offer our first event next Sunday to all regardless of membership status.

Please use the Zoom link below to register for the talk by Robert Koehl, ‘A New Look at Minoan Athletic Competitions,’ which will take place on-line at 3:00 on Sunday, September 19.  It will be recorded.

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://wagner.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEscequrjMvH9LVcZ1GuGyCksEXLAgf-CSe

In order to attend the virtual lecture via Zoom, you will first need to register. After registering, you will be sent a confirmation email with information approving your registration and on how to enter the virtual lecture on the day of.  Be sure to register as soon as possible in order to receive reminders and secure your spot.

While the official start time for our meetings are 3:00, know that you will be placed in a virtual ‘waiting room’ at that time.  Once the host and speaker are ready to go, they will admit you to the live event; be patient – we know you are there!  During the lecture we will keep your microphones on mute.  We will do our best to make sure everyone’s video feed is on.  We look forward to having you ask questions.  You can feel free to write your questions into the ‘chat’ function, in which case Sarah will ask them for you once the lecture is over.  Otherwise, please be patient and wait until the end of the lecture when we will give participants the option to raise their hand, be called on, and then ask their question.  Good virtual lecture etiquette is essential in order to keep things streamlined and functioning well.

This is the first of two lectures we will offer this fall that will be on Zoom.  We encourage you all to join us for these two virtual archaeological events that feature amazing scholars speaking on fantastic topics.  Hopefully we will be together in -person later this year or in early 2022.  We will share our membership payment link once it is up and running and hope that you will officially join the ASSI or AIA soon.  More details about membership can be found here, and the year’s programming plans here.  Stay well and see you soon!

-Sarah J. Scott, ASSI President

Sunday September 19 at 3pm             The Dr. George G. Hackman Memorial Lecture

ZOOM ONLY

Dr. Robert B. Koehl, Hunter College, CUNY 

A New Look at Minoan Athletic Competitions

The Minoans, as the people of Bronze Age Crete have been called since the early 20th century C.E., are known to us primarily from the art and architecture, as their language, called Linear A, remains undeciphered. Among the most notable examples of Minoan imagery are the wall paintings that depict young men, and possibly women, leaping over the backs of charging bulls in what was surely a thrilling and dangerous sport. Other images depict young boys and men in boxing matches, perhaps part of the ordeals undertaken during age grade rites of passage. The recent discovery of a magnificently carved seal stone from a tomb at Mycenaean Pylos that depicts a scene of conflict between armed warriors has raised the question of images of conflict in Minoan art involving spear throwing. In this talk, these images will be examined and shown to actually depict another Minoan sport, that of stick-fighting. As will be seen, stick-fighting, which continues to this day as a popular martial art, was invented in Egypt nearly 5,000 years ago, and it is probably from the Egyptians that the Minoans first learned the sport. Furthermore, this talk will demonstrate that both boxing and stick-fighting were practiced in two versions. In one, the athletes wore helmets and probably practiced the sport within the palaces on Crete, perhaps in their central courtyards. In the other version, the athletes were bare-headed and were apparently permitted to use their feet to kick their opponent. This version seems to have taken place outdoors. Finally, a group of images showing men in chariots will be discussed and will be shown to depict chariot races, rather than scenes of hunting or warfare.