Learn about current archeological research from all over the world…from anywhere in the world…even from your couch! All lectures are FREE and offered via Zoom. Follow the links below to register.
October 10, 2024 at 6:30pm CDT
""Dr. Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Ibarrola, University of Texas at Austin
“Rising Tides: Climate Change and the Untold Stories of Fort Mose.”
Register for October 10th through this link.
Dr. Ibarrola will be presenting “Rising Tides: Climate Change and the Untold Stories of Fort Mose.” Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose was a small, fortified settlement founded in 1738 by the Spanish governor of East Florida and populated by emancipated Africans, many of whom had escaped slavery in the adjacent British colonies. The fort, and its surrounding town and agricultural fields, was a manifestation of the freedom offered to enslaved people in Florida under the Spanish. Today invisible to the untrained eye and tucked away in a small state park, Fort Mose reflects the little known but central role played by freedom-seeking Africans in the early history of Florida. Furthermore, the threats to heritage preservation currently faced at the site highlight the ways which social marginalization of Afro-diasporans has continuously impacted the site. Fort Mose was vulnerable by design, and while today recognized for its symbolic role in the colonial era, it is threatened not only by rising sea levels and increased storm activity, but also Florida’s history of anti-blackness.
December 10, 2024 at 6:30PM CST
Dr. Julie Zimmermann, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
“Storytelling in the Creation of Cahokia, a Native American Theater State”
Register for December 10th through this link.
Cahokia might be understood as the capital of a Native American theater state which drew people to it and spread its influence by attracting followers through theatrical rituals. Of those rituals, storytelling was primary, because stories create worldview and give meaning to all other rituals. Cahokian stories were embodied in artworks made at and disseminated from Cahokia. Primary among these stories was that of a hero who wore human head earrings. Cosmological and goddess stories were also told by Cahokians, but the stories of heroes are those most commonly depicted in Braden-style artworks found far from Cahokia. The dissemination of hero stories might support the notion that Cahokia was a theater state, and the heroic epic was a tool of statecraft central to the growth of that state. Cahokians created their world through stories, but it was through hero stories that they grew their authority in far-flung societies.
February 6, 2025 at 6:30 CST
Dr. Katherine Chiou, University of Alabama
“Hot Stuff: Unearthing the Fiery History of Chili Peppers Across the Americas”
Register for February 6 through this link.
Join Dr. Katherine Chiou for a sizzling exploration into the archaeology of chili peppers. Uncover how these enigmatic plants journeyed from ancient agricultural marvels to global culinary icons. We’ll delve into archaeological discoveries that reveal their deep roots in rituals, medicine, and the diets of the Americas before sparking a gastronomic revolution worldwide after the opening of the Columbian Exchange. This talk offers a blend of scientific rigor and historical saga, igniting a new appreciation for one of the world’s most beloved spices.
April 7, 2025 at 6:30 CDT
Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover, University of Kansas
“Recalibrating Identity: New Radiocarbon Insights into Pawnee Ethnogenesis”
Register for April 7th through this link.
This presentation explores the emergence of maize horticulture and its transformative impact on social organization in the Central Great Plains over the past millennium, focusing on integrating Indigenous perspectives into archaeological practice. Examining oral traditions from the Pawnee and Arikara Nations alongside archaeological evidence addresses key questions regarding social change, ethnogenesis, and population movement between the 11th and 17th centuries C.E.