From ancient battlefield to museum gallery

On Thursday, March 9 at 6 p.m., Dr. Mary Voigt, Professor Emerita at the College of William & Mary, will present "From ancient battlefield to museum gallery: What archaeology can tell us about our past" as part of of the museum's 2nd Thursday Science Talk Series.  The presentation is free to attend thanks to generous donations of all amounts to the VMNH Foundation Discovery Fund.

Focusing on an archaeological site at Hasanlu, in northwestern Iran, the presentation will highlight the archaeological evidence for a city destroyed around 800 BCE. The finds from this city include beautiful artifacts made of pottery, glass, ivory and metal, as well as the bones of people caught and killed in a fierce battle and fire that destroyed, but also preserved. The most important aspect of this collection is that finds are accompanied by detailed excavation records. They are not just isolated artifacts - bones and other bits and pieces, but material with a context that allows us to tell a story about the people who made, used and discarded these items.

Mary Voigt is Professor Emerita with the College of William and Mary, and holds her degrees from the University of Pennsylvania (Ph.D.) and Marquette University.  Her areas of specialization are the Iron Age in Turkey and Northwestern Iran, Neolithic societies in Anatolia and Iran, ritual and religion, and the development of complex societies.

"2nd Thursday Science Talks" take place on the second Thursday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. from September through May.  Presentations are delivered by VMNH curators, research associates and collaborating scientists.  Geared towards audiences with a keen interest in science, the presentations also increase awareness of the varied and unique scientific career paths available to students.