ASOR

The J. Paul Getty Museum has announced the research theme for their 2025–2026 Getty Scholars Program at the Villa: "The Classical World in Context: Religious Experience in Antiquity." Applications for residential scholar grants are due by October 1, 2024, at 5 PM PDT. Learn how to apply here: https://buff.ly/3OtzVZH

Friends of ASOR is pleased to share information on BAF lectures. BAF's first fall lecture, Naval Service and Political Power in Classical Athens, will be held September 11 at 8 pm by David Rosenbloom from UMBC. This lecture will be held at the Social Hall of the Bender JCC: 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852. General admission is open to the public and fees are paid on-site. https://buff.ly/4cHiVIl

In ASOR's newest Early Career Scholar Resources video, Corinne Muller from the Penn Cultural Heritage Center discusses her personal experience of building a career in cultural heritage as an early career professional. Watch the recording here: https://buff.ly/4cB2xcg

Our newest Annual of ASOR publications, City and Cemetery Volumes 1 and 2, are now available for purchase at a discounted price for ASOR members. The volumes examine the results of the excavations at Kourion’s Amathous Gate Cemetery in Cyprus. Learn more at: https://buff.ly/3MeWi30

Charlemagne was crowned emperor in 800 CE, a year that was expected to usher in a new epoch in human history. What role did Jerusalem play in Charlemagne’s aspirations? Read our latest ANE Today, "Jerusalem and Charlemagne" by Jodi Magness, here: https://buff.ly/4cCFIoB

Image 1: View of the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo by Jodi Magness.

Textile production in Mali’s Dogon Country has deep roots, but the craft is under pressure from industrial manufacture and the disruption of knowledge transfer between generations. ASOR and Association Dogon Initiative NGO (ADI) hosted a heritage event to raise awareness about the shared history of textile production among the inhabitants of the Dogon region and to promote its revival through wider participation in its practice. Read more here: https://buff.ly/3AuawdQ

ASOR is pleased to announce the launch of our new website for The Ancient Near East Today (ANE Today). Presenting a fresh, streamlined interface, it will be the new home for all things ANE Today. Several useful features for readers include an interactive map, a search function, and categories to help you explore. Read more here: https://buff.ly/3XaXNFK

Interested in informal discussions regarding field schools, future workshops, and excavations at the 2024 Annual Meeting? Submit your Roundtable proposal here: https://buff.ly/4dyOPr4. Submissions will be reviewed until October 15.

With the support of a Stevan B. Dana Grant, the Exploring Continuity and Transition in Southern Jordan project launched its first season as a feasibility study to explore archaeological sites around Petra for signs of continuity or transitions in cultural practices from the Iron Age to the Nabataean period. Learn more about the project by reading their Dana Grant Report here: https://buff.ly/3yEcR5o

Image 1: The project team in front of al-Khazneh (the Treasury) in Petra (from left to right, Dr. Björn Anderson, Dr. Jennifer Ramsay, Dr. Craig Harvey, Dr. Amanda Harman, Josh Feland and Abdullah al-Saket).
Image 2: Map of sites explored during the 2024 feasibility survey.

Exciting news! The 2025 Conference on Public Archaeology is happening in Washington, DC on August 8-9, 2025! Hosted by Archaeology in the Community, this event is a must-attend for public-minded archaeologists and cultural heritage professionals.

Abstract submissions open in August 2024, and advanced registration starts in March. Don't miss out on a chance to join workshops, panels, and special events tackling key topics like:

🔹 Diversifying representation
🔹 Public archaeology & Section 106
🔹 Community science & site stewardship
🔹 Climate impacts on heritage
🔹 Digital outreach & education
🔹 Engaging with schools & educators

This unique conference will skip traditional paper presentations in favor of discussions, hands-on activities, and networking opportunities. Let's shape the future of archaeology together!

The Phoenicians crisscrossed the sea setting up settlements and trading posts from Assyria to Iberia. How did they navigate life as expats in these overseas communities? Read the latest Ancient Near East Today, "Phoenician Trade Associations in Ancient Greece", here: https://buff.ly/4dCd7AP

Image 1: Stele with a bilingual inscription in Phoenician and Greek honoring Shamabaal (Diopeithes), leader of an association of Sidonians in Athens. © 2014 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Thierry Ollivier.

Blacksmiths in Burkina Faso play an important role in their communities but are also feared due to their special knowledge and associations with witchcraft. Collaborative heritage education programs help to counter this stigma. Read the latest Cultural Heritage Initiatives update here: https://buff.ly/46Fg2WX

Image 1: Collaborative furnace construction in Arbollé, Burkina Faso. Photo Credit: Koombi Solidarité/ASOR
Image 2: Traditional blacksmithing in Arbollé, Burkina Faso. Photo Credit: Koombi Solidarité/ASOR

Friends of ASOR is pleased to announce our first FOA Webinar of the 2024-2025 season: "What Makes Jerusalem Special?" presented by Dr. Jodi Magness. In this talk, Dr. Magness journeys back thousands of years in time to understand how this remote and relatively poor mountain town came to be sacred to followers of the three Abrahamic faiths. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 7:00pm ET. Registration is open at: https://buff.ly/3WRiLcx

There is still time to submit poster proposals for the 2024 ASOR Annual Meeting! The deadline has been extended to 08/15 and the late fee has been waived. Poster proposals of 250 words or less may be submitted online according to the 2024 Call for Posters: https://buff.ly/3UpEmXe

Photo 1: 2023 ASOR Annual Meeting Poster Session. Photo credit: Lucia Kustra

ASOR Early Career Scholars are invited to a reception on Friday, November 22, from 8:00-10:00pm EST at Off the Common. This event is for registered ASOR Annual Meeting attendees only and advance registration is required. Sign up here: https://buff.ly/3SmREn2

Images 1 and 2: 2023 Annual Meeting Early Career Scholar Brown Bag Session. Photo credit: Lucia Kustra

Communications Manager Job Opening: ASOR is hiring a full-time Communications Manager to oversee outreach efforts in the areas of social media and communications with ASOR members and the public. This person will also manage the Friends of ASOR (FOA) outreach program. Review of applications will begin August 15, 2024, and continue until the position is filled. Read more here: https://buff.ly/3Yo81Uk

Friends of ASOR is excited to announce that the webinar program will be returning for a fifth season beginning Fall 2024, and we invite proposals for webinars from ASOR members who wish to present. Talks should be accessible to those who have little to no background knowledge of the topic - similar to an introductory college level course. If you have a great idea for a public talk, please fill out the Call for Webinar Speakers Form: https://buff.ly/3YkHpna

The ASOR Photo Collection is a resource for the ASOR community to share images of the Middle East, North Africa, and the wider Mediterranean world. The photos in this Collection have been submitted by ASOR members and celebrate the rich heritage of the regions in which the ASOR community works. ASOR is providing open access to these images for use in lectures and presentations. If you have photos you would like to submit, please email [email protected].

REMINDER: The deadline for ASOR Poster Proposals is August 1st.
Posters are a great way for all members, especially students and Early Career Members, to:
*share an exciting find from your summer field experience
*present a technical aspect of your project
*display and explain a complex graphic
Read the Call for Posters to learn more before you submit a poster abstract: https://buff.ly/3UpEmXe
Check out some of these past posters from the Annual Meeting archives:

ASOR is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants for students at ASOR Institutional Member Schools. These $250 grants are designed to help offset the cost of travel and accommodation for students attending the Annual Meeting in Boston this year. The deadline to apply is August 26. Not at an Institutional Member School? ASOR is also looking for Session Assistants who will receive hotel support in exchange for assisting with the hybrid aspects of the meeting. Read more and apply here: https://buff.ly/4bQ84v3

The history of Western Egyptology typically foregrounds the work of men. This narrative isn’t necessarily wrong, but it leaves out a large part of the story: the women who also toiled to build the discipline. Read the latest Ancient Near East Today, "Crucial Labor: The Overlooked Contributions of Women in Western Egyptology", now: https://buff.ly/3YeeqBx

Image 1: Maggie Benson (right) and Nettie Gourlay (left), 1906 (Public domain).
Image 2: Cover of Women in the Valley of the Kings, by Kathleen Sheppard.

ASOR is hiring interns for the fall semester to work at our Alexandria, VA office. Learn more about these paid, part-time internships by visiting our website: https://buff.ly/4ffGWJ6

Service Awards are an excellent way to recognize a colleague for their contributions to the field, to ASOR or one of its affiliated research centers (AIAR and CAARI). Awardees will be recognized during the Members' Meeting at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Boston. All are invited to nominate colleagues who they feel are deserving of recognition. The deadline for nominations is September 20, 2024. Learn more about the awards and how to nominate someone: https://buff.ly/3qn0LpV

Check out the 2024 issue of the Journal of Cuneiform Studies now. JCS 76 includes great articles from Piotr Steinkeller, Jana Matuszak, Gabriella Spada, Dylan Guerra, and more. Read the Table of Contents here: https://buff.ly/3zWtE3J

The ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies at The Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford is accepting paper submissions for their forthcoming conferences, "The Aramaeans B.C.: History, Literature, and Archaeology" and "The Amorites and the Hurrians" in July 2025. Visit their website for more info: https://buff.ly/3zM5zga

The Getty Research Institute Getty is inviting applications for their 2025-2026 residential fellowships open to pre-docs, post-docs, and scholars. For 2025–2026, Getty invites scholars and arts professionals to submit applications on the topic of repair, a theme that bridges time periods, world geographies, and professional practices. Applications are due by October 1, 2024 at 5PM PT. Find the full call for applications here: https://buff.ly/4d47aMr

ASOR’s Annual Meeting is a fantastic place to showcase your research! The deadline to submit a poster proposal is August 1, 2024 and must be uploaded via ASOR’s online portal. Click here additional information about the poster session: https://buff.ly/3UpEmXe

Given the number of understudied skeletons in scientific institutions, should archaeologists rethink new excavation of human burials? How can we better curate legacy skeletal collections? Read more from the latest Ancient Near East Today, "Is it Ethical to Continue Excavating the Dead in the Ancient Near East?", here: https://buff.ly/3XXuBTw

Image: Undergraduate students at the University of South Alabama assist with the curation of archaeological human skeletons from a legacy collection. Photo by L. A. Gregoricka.

From June 27-30, ASOR was pleased to host the Mount Zion – Female Union Band Society Cemetery Documentation Workshop in partnership with Archaeology in the Community and Black Georgetown Foundation-dba. This public 3-day workshop on cemetery documentation took place online through Zoom and in-person at the cemetery in Washington, D.C. Read more about the event here: https://buff.ly/3Wgvk0E