Thinking about applying for an AIA fellowship this fall? Join the AIA Fellowship Committee for a webinar to learn more about the application process and get tips for preparing a strong application. Come find out more about the various fellowship opportunities, review best practices for applications, and ask general questions about the application process.

Mehmet Kuşman reads some of the most famous Urartian inscriptions found at the fortress of Çavuştepe in eastern Turkey and carves his own sayings and phrases in Urartian, a language that is more than 2,500 years old and remains barely known, even today.

Join the AIA as Eric Cline (George Washington University) presents the first AIA Archaeology Hour talk of the 2026-2027 season: "Homer, Hollywood, and Historical Context: Comments scribbled in a Bronze Age Archaeologist’s Notebook." This presentation was held on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central/6pm Mountain/5pm Pacific. Two movies, twenty-two years apart — Wolfgang Peterson’s Troy with Brad Pitt in 2004 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with Matt Damon in 2026. Discussions swirling around both have centered on faithfulness to Homer's original stories, but what about the actual historical context and content? This lecture will briefly put these two movies, which have brought Homer’s epics to the silver screen, into historical context by discussing what we know (or think we know) about the end of the Late Bronze Age, the identity of the Sea Peoples, whether there was actually a Trojan Horse, and other questions that are likely to have come up around the dinner table. Chapters 0:00 Welcome from AIA-Northern New Jersey Society President Deborah Chatr Aryamontri 2:32 AIA Archaeology Hour Talks Coming up https://www.archaeological.org/programs/public/lectures/archaeologyhour/ 2:59 Next AIA Archaeology Hour—What is the REAL Paleodiet? with Briana Pobiner (Smithsonian): Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9017902732835/WN_XMt8c-fDShGD7752oTIhSg 3:24 Upcoming events at the AIA-Northern New Jersey Society 4:00 About Eric Cline 5:52 Lecture Kick off 6:12 Why Eric Cline became an archaeologist 6:36 Taking a quick look at Hollywood, Homer, and historical context 7:40 Brad Pitt and Troy (2004) 7:57 Troy (2004) takes from Priam and Agamemnon on why wars are fought 8:58 Coins were not invented for another 500 years! 10:07 Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey (2026) 10:38 Six mentions of the sea peoples 11:05 Adaptations to provide context—Odysseus announces the collapse of the Bronze Age 12:05 Common questions 13:21 Was there really a Trojan War? (and how do we know?) 13:40 Hittite (Anatolia) records mention four Trojan wars 14:28 Hugo Winckler, discoverer of Hittite capital of Hattusa 15:42 First war or revolt—the Aššuwa Rebellion, ca. 1420 BC 16:20 1991 discovery of inscribed bronze sword 17:30 Mycenean presence on the northwestern coast of Anatolia already in the 15th century BC 17:50 The second war ca. 1280 BC—treaty between Muwattalli II of Hatti and Alaksandu of Wilusa 19:51 Third war ca. 1267-1237 BC “we have made peace” with “the land of Wilusa” 20:31 Who fought the Trojan War? Was the Trojan War between the Myceneans and the Trojans or the Myceneans and the Hittites? 21:22 Fourth war ca. 1237-1209 BC and the Milawata Letter—“He shall now be king of the land of Wilusa, as he was formerly.” 22:05 Was there a Hittite version of The Iliad? 23:25 For me, there was a Trojan War but how much was it close to anything Homer was saying? 23:36 Which of the 9 levels at Troy (modern Hisarlik) was the city the Myceneans besieged? 24:25 Was there really a Trojan Horse? 24:41 Fun facts about the Trojan Horse 25:18 Trojan horse mentions in The Little Iliad (7th century BC) 25:38 Trojan horse mentions by Quintus Smyrnaeus (4th century AD) 26:03 Trojan horse mentions in Virgil’s Aeneid (1st century AD) 26:54 8th century BC depiction of the Trojan horse 27:19 Different modern theories about the Trojan horse: boats, battering rams, and earthquakes 31:24 Who were the Sea Peoples? (and should we care?) 32:26 Trojan War as part and parcel of Late Bronze Age collapse but they were not the only reason—both a symptom and a cause 33:28 The so called “Sea Peoples” invaded Egypt in 1207 BC and 1177 BC 34:32 Origin of the name Sea Peoples 39:53 Collapse and warfare ca. 1200 BC 43:20 Sea Peoples unlikely to have brought on Late Bronze Age collapse alone—more of a “perfect storm” of catastrophes 44:40 Recap 45:46 Question and Answer period 46:00 Translations and interpretations of Homer’s works 48:49 Michael Wood documentary and portrayal of Heinrich Schliemann 50:47 Reaction to creative liberties in different interpretations of Homer’s work 53:04 Eric Cline’s reaction to Christopher Nolan’s movie 54:02 Impact of Sea Peoples on the Egyptian economy, migration, and DNA studies 58:03 Who were the Hittites?

Please join the Student Affairs Interest Group for this year’s Dissertation Lecture, "Remembering Collapse: Understanding Ritual at Abandoned Late Bronze Age Sites on Crete through the lens of Social Trauma Theory," with Sarah Malik Bell. This talk will discuss social trauma theory—a theory that is currently applied almost exclusively to social traumas originating in the contemporary moment—and its applicability to ancient archaeological contexts. Bell will discuss the ritual practices covered in her dissertation and map the periodic renewal of these practices against the material evidence for subsequent episodes of social change on the island of Crete. She will show that, as social trauma theory allows us to predict, embodied ritual practices became vital resources in the repeated reification of post-collapse identities during times of increased social threat on the island. She will also touch on regional variation and sociopolitical change to discuss long-term sociopolitical developments on Crete, including the development of the Cretan Poleis. Sarah Malik Bell, PhD is Assistant Professor of Art History and Archaeology at Berea College. She received her PhD in archaeology from the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World at Brown University, specializing in the ritual visitation of abandoned sites associated with social trauma in both the ancient and the contemporary worlds. Her current research continues to focus on the material legacies of difficult heritage and the role these legacies play in healing and/or perpetuating past trauma.

A virtual workshop for professional archaeologists and students. Curious about participating in Skype a Scientist, but don't know where to start? Or perhaps you've done it before, but are on the lookout for new ideas? Join AIA's 2026-2027 Skype a Scientist Ambassadors Taylor Cwikla and Rachel Dewan and members of the AIA's Outreach & Education Committee including AIA VP for Outreach and Education Jen Thum and AIA VP for Societies Katie Petrole to hear a bit about their personal experiences with Skype a Scientist and strategies for virtually engaging classrooms and communities around the world. AIA Archaeologists in Classrooms link: https://www.archaeological.org/programs/educators/archaeologists-in-classrooms/ 0:00 - Introduction 2:43 - Archaeologists in Classrooms page https://www.archaeological.org/programs/educators/archaeologists-in-classrooms/ 3:23 - AIA Public Engagement Award https://www.archaeological.org/grant/public-engagement-award/ 4:35 - What is Skype a Scientist (SaS)? 6:35 - Rachel Dewan shares insights about her Skype a Scientist experiences 17:03 - Taylor Cwikla shares insights about her Skype a Scientist experiences talking about Ancient Corinth and Greece 35:51 - Jen Thum shares insights about her Skype a Scientist experiences talking about working in a museum and Egyptology 42:36 - Advice from Katie Petrole about FAQ 45:11 - How to connect with AIA Skype a Scientist ambassadors 46:16 - How does doing Skype a Scientist support your career? 50:11 - Matching with different age groups 52:02 - Tech setups in classrooms 58:09 - Most requested topics 1:02:44 - Other ways to do outreach locally 1:05:01 - Signing up with Skype a Scientist and time commitments 1:06:06 - Does my subfield of archaeology or a related field count as science? 1:07:12 - Platforms used for connecting with classrooms 1:08:01 - Time Zone reminder https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

A webinar from the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) to get up to speed with the archaeology component of the 2026 Collaborative Summer Reading Program (CSLP) theme: “Unearth a Story.” Learn archaeology basics and the cool things archaeologists can reveal about the past. We’ll give you the inside scoop on pseudoarchaeology (which you are sure to run into this summer) and the influence of Indiana Jones. In the second half of our presentation, a panel of experts from the AIA’s Outreach and Education Committee will answer popular questions to help you and your library patrons “dig in” to archaeology this summer. More resources for librarians are available at: https://www.archaeological.org/programs/educators/unearth-a-story/

Join the AIA as Justin Dunnavant (UCLA) presents the final AIA Archaeology Hour talk of the 2025-2026 season: "Ecology and Slavery in St. Croix." This presentation was originally given on April 22, 2026 at 8pm Eastern. The development of plantation slavery radically transformed societies and environments in the Americas. In this talk, Dunnavant will delve into the colonial practice of coral mining and its environmental impacts in the Danish West Indies. Drawing from archaeological, historical, and environmental data, Dunnavant reveals how the use of coral as the dominant construction material for colonial buildings left a lasting legacy on the landscape and seascape that is still evident today on the island of St. Croix.

Take a virtual trip Down Under with the AIA as we catch up with Helen Green (University of Melbourne) as she presents the March edition of AIA Archaeology Hour: "Dating Australia’s Oldest Rock Art." This talk was originally given 3/25/26 at 8pm Eastern Time. Australia hosts the world’s oldest continuing culture, and Aboriginal rock art represents one of its most significant records of knowledge. These paintings and engravings remain of deep importance to Aboriginal people today and provide valuable evidence for researchers seeking to understand long-term human-environment interactions. Yet one of the greatest challenges in rock art research is determining age. Without knowing how old the paintings and engravings are, it is difficult to understand how the artworks relate to past changes in climate, environment, or culture. In this talk, Dr. Helen Green will outline the latest scientific techniques used to establish the age of Australia’s oldest rock art, and the innovative, multi-disciplinary projects that bring together traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western science to deepen our understanding of these remarkable cultural records and how we might protect them into the future.

Join the AIA for a virtual trip to West Africa as Akin Ogundiran delivers the February AIA Archaeology Hour talk "Metropolitan Walls of the Ọyọ Empire." Enclosures and perimeter walls, built of lateritic clay and stones, are the most visible monuments and evidence of public works in the archaeological landscape of the Ọyọ Empire (West Africa). What purposes did these walls serve as markers of separation and connection? Join us to find out!

Society Sunday 2026 - February 22, 2026 Find your local AIA Society and see what they're up to: https://www.archaeological.org/programs/societies/find/ Join us as the AIA Societies Committee presents a virtual presentation and Q&A with Jessica Tilley. This presentation was given live at 1pm on February 22, 2026. Often deemed the ‘mysterious’ Etruscans, this pre-Roman civilization of early Italy has fought a hard-won battle in finding its place in the field of Classical Archaeology. Various titans of American Etruscology, including this year’s AIA Gold Medalist Nancy de Grummond, have dedicated decades of research to highlighting the value of Etruscan material in answering larger questions related to ritual practice, cross-cultural interaction, and Mediterranean trade networks. In recent years, Etruscan material has been at the foreground of widely publicized repatriation cases and cultural heritage protection conversations. This buzz culminated in the globally acclaimed 2023 film "La chimera" about a band of Etruscan tomb robbers. Looking ahead, Etruscology is primed for engaging in the development of current archaeological theory, with ongoing research relevant to our multi-cultural, interconnected world. In this lecture, Dr. Jessica Tilley outlines the dynamic history of the Etruscan civilization’s modern reception and highlights the ways in which it is uniquely positioned to contribute to ongoing dialogue around decolonialism, queer theory, globalization, and network theory in Mediterranean archaeology.

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 500 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of September 28, 2026, new films include: “For Once and For All, Episode 4: Rembrandt's Paints,” “From Cambridge With Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures,” and “Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #archaeological #culturalheritage #artifactauthentication #debunked #historicalartifacts #museum #culturalpreservation #rembrandt #paint #arthistory #ancientgreece #greekhistory #greekarchaeology #japarta #aboriginal #aboriginalhistory #gurindji

Season 12 Episode 12 Strata: Portraits of Humanity, September 2026 (Indigenous grandmother and granddaughter; saving the last temple column) (1) “My Grandmother Mary”: A Naskapi grandmother passes on to her Innu granddaughter her experience, knowledge and culture as well as the patience and meticulousness that have characterized the First Peoples of Canada for thousands of years. (2) “The Column”: Erika, a young archaeologist, refuses to accept the sale of the last column of the Temple of Hera Lacinia to a wealthy foreign buyer. In a landscape marked by neglect and silence, and with the help of a plan inherited from her father — a former tomb raider — she carries out a bold and poetic act: to steal the column, a symbol of resistance and the defense of her identity. Watch on The Archaeology Channel (https://www.archaeologychannel.org/index.php/video-guide/strata-portraits-of-humanity) or Heritage Broadcasting Service (https://heritagetac.org/). ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #heritage #strata #archaeology #archeology #anthropology #history #culturalheritage #strataportraitsofhumanity #culture #film #documentary #shortfilm #Indigenous #Naskapi #Innu #firstnation #TempleofHeraLacinia #culturalpreservation #classicalarchaeology #InnuHistory #InnuCulture

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 500 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of September 15, 2026, new films include: “For Once and For All, Episode 3: Piet Hein's Silver Plate,” “The Birth of Printing: The Gutenberg Revolution,” and “Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 12,” featuring “My Grandmother Mary” and “The Column.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #culturalheritage #Rijksmuseum #artifactauthentication #debunked #historicalartifacts #museum #printingpress #Gutenberg #printing #strata #Indigenous #Naskapi #Innu #firstnation #TempleofHeraLacinia #culturalpreservation

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 500 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of August 31, 2026, new films include: “For Once and For All, Episode 2: The Oldenbarnevelt Sword,” “Terres Barceló,” and “Code Name: Ayalon.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #culturalheritage #Rijksmuseum #artifactauthentication #debunked #historicalartifacts #museum #MiquelBarceló #artist #painter #sculptor #PicassoMuseum #Ayalon #AyalonInstitute #IsraelHistory

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of August 17, 2026, new films include: “For Once and For All, Episode 1: Ernst Casimir's Hat,” “A Place Called Wahala,” and “Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 11,” featuring “Weaving Hope—Hsinshe Banana Fiber Workshop.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #culturalheritage #Rijksmuseum #artifactauthentication #debunked #historicalartifacts #Wahala #Togo #WWI #Togoland #WestAfrica #HsinsheBananaFiber #bananaweaving #fiberweaving #Kavalan #Taiwan

🐘Happy World Elephant Day! These magnificent creatures are forever woven into human culture across Africa and Asia. For Hindus, elephants symbolize the highly revered god Ganesha, who is responsible for happiness and fortune. Over 5000 mahouts live in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. The mahouts look after the elephants of temples and wealthy private citizens. The elephants are the highlight of every religious ceremony and festival in countless Hindu temples throughout the country. “The Mahouts of Kerala” is a window into the world of Princess Lakshmi and the mahout Kuttan, whose family has been caring for the Maharaja’s elephants for generations. 🎬: The Mahouts of Kerala 🌐: HeritageTAC.org ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #WorldElephantDay #Elephants #Mahouts #Hinduism #HinduCulture #India #IndianCulture

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of July 27, 2026, new films include: “Salme: Ancient Viking Burial Ships, Episode 2,” “The Grand Masters of the Chauvet Cave,” and “The Etruscans: An Ancient Superpower.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #viking #AigüesBaixes #culturalheritage #archaeologicalsite #prehistoricart #arthistory #ChauvetCave #rockart #Etruscan #Corsica #ancienthistory

Season 12 Episode 10 Strata: Portraits of Humanity, July 2026 (Forgotten Greek grape variety; traditional Mohawk ceremony) (1) “A Vineyard Cinderella”: The humble “Cinderella of the Vineyard” was forgotten until the prince made her a queen. The real story of the Greek grape variety Malagousiá is like a fairytale woven from the taste of its grapes and the rhythm of a waltz. (2) “The Opening Address”: This film explores the profound significance of the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, or "Thanksgiving Address," a traditional ceremony central to the Mohawk people. This address acknowledges the interconnectedness of all life forces in creation, setting a powerful tone for gatherings by uniting participants in a shared purpose. Watch on The Archaeology Channel (https://www.archaeologychannel.org/index.php/video-guide/strata-portraits-of-humanity) or Heritage Broadcasting Service (https://heritagetac.org/). ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #heritage #strata #archaeology #archeology #anthropology #history #culturalheritage #strataportraitsofhumanity #culture #film #documentary #shortfilm #wine #vineyard #vintner #Malagousiá #Greek #Greece #Mohawk #Indigenous #NativeAmerican #ThanksgivingAddress #Ohén:tonKarihwatéhkwen #Haudenosaunee #FiveNations #Iroquois #Ceremony #spirituality #nature

Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate the 250th birthday of the USA, we invite you to reflect on American history with this lineup of films on Heritage. These films explore the events, places, land, and people that make up the tapestry of America. Featured in the video is young poet Angela Du reading her poem, “Stories of Us.” Hear her story in “The Poet Speaks with Amanda Eke, Season 1, Episode 6: Verses of Freedom,” where she and others speak about their immigrant heritage and explore what freedom means to them. Stream these titles and explore even more on Heritage Broadcasting Service (https://heritagetac.org/). Sign up today and get your first week free! Featured titles: The Poet Speaks with Amanda Eke (Series) America from the Ground Up (Series) The Battle of Lake George Two Way Seeing in Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 11, Episode 2 All-American Ruins: Nevele Grand Hotel in Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 2 Pony Express: Living the Ride in Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 9 They Met Themselves A Walk Through Time Saving Places ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #4thofjuly #fourthofjuly #july4th #independenceday #america250 #americanhistory #historydocumentary #culturalheritage #whattowatch #poetry #poem #poet #americanpoetry #historicpreservation #archaeology #archaeologydocumentary #ponyexpress #militaryhistory #nativeamericanhistory

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ) launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of June 29, 2026, new films include: “Traders of the Lost Scrolls,” “The Body and the Name: The Unknown of the Ardeatine Caves,” and “Humanity's Footsteps, Season 2, Episode 15: The Inventor.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #deadseascrolls #WWII #ArdeatineCaves ##ArdeatineMassacre #medieval #France

Support what we do and help make videos like this possible by joining the Bible & Archaeology Patreon community. Members receive early access, exclusive bonus content, and more: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 🎙️ Hosted by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa Office of Innovation production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

What really happened in the Garden of Eden? This week, biblical scholar David Carr joins Bible & Archaeology to rethink the Garden of Eden story in Genesis! From the serpent and forbidden fruit to original sin, the image of God, Cain and Abel, and Noah's Flood, we explore how the Hebrew Bible challenges familiar assumptions about creation, humanity, and paradise. 📚 Reading Recommendations Unmaking Eden: Genesis and the Domestication of the World by David M. Carr https://amzn.to/4scYtIL 🕒 Timestamps: 00:00 Garden of Eden: Original Sin, Satan, and the Forbidden Fruit 01:29 What Does Genesis Really Say About Adam and Eve? 03:40 Were Humans and Animals Created as Relatives? 06:37 Was the Garden of Eden Ever a Perfect Paradise? 09:58 Domestication, Animals, and Human Domination in Genesis 17:05 What Does Being Made in God's Image Mean? 20:22 Noah's Ark and Humanity's Rule Over Animals 22:02 The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil 24:50 Cain and Abel, Animal Sacrifice, and Biblical Violence 29:50 Who Was Cain Afraid Of? The Serpent and Other Animals 34:00 The Tower of Babel and God's Fear of Humanity 40:10 Genesis, Human Domination, and the Modern World ✨ Support what we do and help make videos like this possible by joining the Bible & Archaeology Patreon community. Members receive early access, exclusive bonus content, and more: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. David Carr Edited and Produced by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

Who really wrote the first five books of the Bible? Did Moses write the it, or were multiple authors involved? Joel Baden joins Bible & Archaeology to explore the Documentary Hypothesis, Mosaic authorship, and the origins of the Pentateuch. 🔗 Want to go deeper? Join Joel in his upcoming course "The Bible by Committee: How the Pentateuch Was Really Written" https://bibleandarch--ehrman.thrivecart.com/bible-by-committee ✨ Support what we do and help make videos like this possible by joining the Bible & Archaeology Patreon community. Members receive early access, exclusive bonus content, and more: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Joel Baden Produced and Edited by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

This week, historian Garrett Ryan of Toldinstone joins Bible & Archaeology to explore everyday life in the Roman Empire! 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Garrett Ryan Edited and Produced by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

How bad did Ancient Rome really smell? This week, historian Garrett Ryan of Toldinstone joins Bible & Archaeology to explore everyday life in the Roman Empire! From Roman sewers and sanitation, to free bread, retired gladiators, and the role rats and mosquitoes played in the fall of Rome, we'll explore how seemingly trivial questions reveal surprising connections between Roman history, culture, religion, and daily life. Because in the ancient world, there is no trivia. 📚 Reading Recommendations Leaky Aqueducts, Battle Pigeons, and Mystery Cults: More Frequently Asked Questions About the Ancient Greeks and Romans by Garrett Ryan https://amzn.to/4dw8kTW 📺 Watch more from Garrett on @toldinstone 🕒 Timestamps: 01:22 How Bad Did Ancient Rome Really Smell? 03:45 Perfume, Wealth, and Sanitation in Ancient Rome 09:37 How Did Free Bread Work in Ancient Rome? 14:08 Egypt, Grain Ships, and the Roman Food Supply 19:27 How Often Did Roman Gladiators Die? 22:29 Gladiator Retirement and Life After the Arena 28:53 Did Rats and Mosquitoes Contribute to the Fall of Rome? 33:51 Malaria, the Justinianic Plague, and the Roman Empire 36:16 How Did Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Disappear? 41:39 Why There Is No Trivia in Ancient History ✨ Support what we do and help make videos like this possible by joining the Bible & Archaeology Patreon community. Members receive early access, exclusive bonus content, and more: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Garrett Ryan Edited and Produced by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

This paper examines two interconnected projects, Tangible Narratives: Heritage Reimagined at the NCA Triennale 2025 and Love, Life, and Belongings held at the Lahore Museum in 2023. It is a self-initiated program by the Gandhara Artists Collective, a group formed to gain artistic experience through the traces of the Gandhara civilization in Taxila. The collective responded to the remains, ruins, and artifacts of Taxila not by reproducing historical motifs but through a critical, process- driven engagement with material experimentation, technique, and craft-based reasoning. They explored how ruins, relics, and museum objects communicate today, treating material as memory and vessels of time. They considered Gandharan art as a breathing system of knowledge and wisdom embedded in geometry, proportion, devotion, and spiritual intent. The curatorial approach in both exhibitions embraced immersive display strategies, intertwining contemporary artworks with historic objects or integrating them into existing institutional spaces. Each artist addressed a central research question through fieldwork, archival materials, drawing, stone carving, sound, and photography: transforming archival records into living memory, engaging ancient knowledge systems, reinterpreting Gandharan symbolic motifs, revisiting stone-carving traditions, and rethinking the portrayal of women in Buddhist Gandhara. Muhammed Ashraf,

Oxford Archaeology is exploring a new approach for evaluating and communicating the social impact of archaeological work by embedding Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodologies into our evaluation frameworks. By framing social impact in monetary terms, SROI provides a compelling way to demonstrate value for money, strengthen advocacy for archaeological engagement, and assess the relative contribution of different deliverables. It also allows us to ‘speak’ the same social value language as government funding and major clients, without compromising what makes archaeological engagement unique. This approach is being applied across the spectrum of our activity - from large-scale joint- venture infrastructure schemes to our own charitable initiatives. This paper will outline Oxford Archaeology’s emerging approach, share early insights from its application in practice, and reflect on the benefits and limitations we are encountering along the way.

This paper will focus on Environment Agency community engagement through archaeology. Flood risk management projects involve working with communities who have often suffered the trauma of flooding. We will examine how several of the EA’s construction projects that have used archaeological information to engage with local communities around flooding and their past. The paper will focus on two case studies involving the discovery of human remains, one with very little funding for work beyond that required to discharge a planning condition, and one more recent project where funding for community engagement had been built into the business case. The paper looks at the opportunities for development led archaeological information to become the focal point for wellbeing and tourism in a flooded community, and how such information can become a catalyst for future community- based endeavours. Steve Dean and Ed Wilson, The Environment Agency

The storage crisis in archaeological archives in the UK has long been known, yet museums continue to fill up and close their doors to new depositions. The ‘From Store to Store’ project, an HLF-funded archive rationalisation project undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology on behalf of the Museum of Gloucester in a repurposed city- centre shop unit, was hugely successful in repackaging 2652 finds boxes (about 40% of the museum’s holdings) into 1512 boxes – a reduction of 43%. Equally successful was the public benefit and social value that the project brought, not just through improving access to site archives held by the museum, but also through over 4500 hours of volunteer time to undertake the task (including young and unemployed volunteers), public engagement via a visitor area at the front of the shop, a series of lectures on the archaeology of Gloucester, and a careers event to signpost pathways into the profession. Hazel O’Neill and Caroline Adams, Cotswold Archaeology

Across the sector, archaeology is increasingly expected to demonstrate public benefit and social value—not only as an ethical imperative, but as something commissioners, regulators, funders, and communities can trust. Yet many “impact” stories remain difficult to evidence: heartfelt but inconsistent; persuasive but not comparable; and often detached from project governance and decision-making. This paper proposes a practical model for making social value auditable—clear, proportionate, transparently evidenced, and replicable—without reducing archaeology to box-ticking. The core contribution is to frame evaluation not as an end-stage report, but as a continuous improvement system grounded in David A. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. In practice, this means designing engagement so that delivery generates an evidence trail and a structured learning loop. Using a pillars-based framework (e.g., communities/skills/wellbeing/futures), I show how to translate “good outcomes” into: (1) a concise theory-of-change logic, (2) indicator sets that combine quantitative and qualitative measures. The approach supports alignment with the United Nations United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in a way that remains meaningful to communities and credible to auditors. Case examples demonstrate how a consistent framework improves comparability across development-led and community-led projects, while strengthening accountability to participants and place. The paper closes with a ready-to-use “audit- ready pack” and a reminder to us all to think globally, act locally and remember to not kill the joy as we make a living and a life. Emiliy Stamiitti, AOC Archaeology

Cara Jones

Gavin MacGregor

Andy Heald

Alice Connelly

Jim Williams and Cara Jones