This Saturday series will move away from a site, period or historical perspective, and look at some of the major technological innovations and their impacts on their social, economic and environmental contexts in the ancient Near East.

In a series of eight lectures over four Saturdays, NEAF speakers will focus on a selection of intellectual, technological, and materials-based game-changers, and explore recent multidisciplinary approaches and new research tools that are deepening our understanding of the Near East.

Lecture 1 | 10am-11am

Hoofing it: Ancient Transport technologies and their impacts

Dr Peta Seaton AM | University of Sydney

Abstract: In this talk we will look at the technology game changers in ancient transport, and consider what this meant for communication, social and economic change.

Donkeys, horses, boats, wheels, sleds, and Shank’s Pony – we will look at the evidence for the earliest emergence of these technologies in the ancient Near East, who invented and used them, and how they shaped the cultures and politics of the region.

Lecture 2: 11am-12pm

Animal bones and what they can tell us about the origins of metallurgy

Professor Haskel J Greenfield | University of Manitabo & St Paul’s College

Abstract: Most studies of the spread of copper and bronze metallurgy across the Old World have relied upon the relatively few metal finds that have survived. Further, most of these are from mortuary context and indicate little about daily life activities. In recent years, a new method that circumvents the biased metallurgical record has been developed using microscopic groove analysis on zooarchaeological remains. In this paper, I present and compare data from the Near East and Europe to assess the nature of the spread of quotidian (daily life usage) metallurgy between the two regions. The paper will begin with an overview of what we know about metallurgy, followed by a presentation of the method, and finally the results from the numerous faunal assemblages from sites ranging from Egypt to Poland. The results allow an initial assessment of the relative importance of stone versus metal tools in different parts of the Old World for quotidian activities, such as meat processing.

The seminars will be held online on Zoom

HOW TO BOOK

Please go to book via our NEAF website.

Click here to register

You can register for the whole series at a discount, or book for specific Saturdays.

Members
Individual lecture $20 | Entire series $60

Non Members
Individual $30 | Entire series $90

All students are free 

Click here for the full seminar series details

Please note – a minimum of 20 attendees is required for each lecture for this series to run – our upper limit is 300 per lecture.

ZOOM MEETING ID

Once payment is received a receipt, Meeting ID and non-transferrable password will be sent to you.

On admission to the Zoom lecture, participants will be matched to names of financial participants. Please ensure your zoom log-in screen name correctly identifies you. If you are dialling in via telephone, please ensure the number listed when booking on our website is the same used when connecting via telephone.

FORMAT

Our Introduction will start at 9.55am.

The lecture will start at 10am and the second lecture will begin at 11.05am and finish at 12 noon.

There will be opportunity for questions following the lectures, time permitting.

P | +61 2 9351 4151
F | +61 2 9114 0921
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Hosted by the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation (NEAF)