Fall/Winter 2014-5

News from the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World Up and Outreach One of the happier aspects of the design of variety of non-concentrators who sometimes end up adding Hall is its possession of two front doors. To the east, one ‘Archaeology and the Ancient World’ to their diploma. As enters from ’s Main Green, and this is always, the class was in action on the Quiet Green during the principal route of traffic into the building today. But Family Weekend, answering questions and encouraging the original ‘front door’ of the 1840 construction lies to participation; as always, the west; monumentalized by a set of steps, it looks out to young children proved Providence. The architects who renovated Rhode Island Hall the most enthusiastic acknowledged this Janus-faced quality by the use of glass excavators. doors: one can literally look through the building from the Brown’s Family campus to the city, and back again. Weekend coincides with If (as we always teach our students) architecture and architectural space shape human behavior, this transparency might help explain the Joukowsky Institute’s evolving range of activities International Archaeology that reach out from the campus Day so, in addition to to the world beyond. This has the College Hill dig, the taken place online through the Institute held a Saturday highly successful Coursera MOOC, open house for campus Archaeology’s Dirty Little Secrets with visitors and the Providence its global ambit, and in person with community. Faculty and our field projects in multiple countries. graduate students were present to show and chat At the local level, we are in the fifth about different types of archaeological material year of ‘Think Like an Archaeologist’ (pottery, coins, bones). Explaining the concept of (co-sponsored with the Haffenreffer stratigraphy through the medium of different levels Museum of Anthropology and the of candy worked especially well, until the deposit Rhode Island School of was looted and eaten. We were also very pleased Design Museum of Art), to welcome Legion III Cyrenaica, a Roman living- bringing archaeological history group based in the New England area that portrays concepts and approaches legionary dress and weaponry as it may have been in directly to sixth-grade Egypt in the 1st Century AD/CE. classrooms in Providence. If all of these various activities have previously formed part To expand the range of of the Institute’s calendar, Fall 2014 saw the culmination players in the program, of an entirely new initiative (see page two of this issue). doctoral student Archaeology for the People was conceived out of frustration Katherine Harrington with both the nature and the quality of the majority of taught ARCH 1170 popular archaeology writing. How can such a fascinating Community Archaeology discipline so often come across as dust-dry? Why are the in Providence and Beyond. stories normally told still all about the ‘oldest’, ‘biggest’, Undergraduates in this course studied the dynamic world of ‘gold-est’? The Archaeology for the People competition, ‘public’ archaeology and joined with graduate students and which announced its winners in November, is – we argue – museum staff for hands-on classroom visits in Fall 2014. another move in the right direction, and will be on its way Another long-running Institute feature is ARCH 1900 The soon as Joukowsky Institute Publication #7! Archaeology of College Hill; the class dug for a third year Sue Alcock on the Quiet Green in the supposed area of the President’s Director, Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World House (see the story on this issue’s back cover). This course Joukowsky Family Professor of Archaeology performs a more internal kind of outreach, engaging a Professor of Classics; Professor of Anthropology (by courtesy) Professor of the History of Art and Architecture (by courtesy) The (Archaeology for the) People Have Spoken Turning Water into Stone Core Faculty Susan E. Alcock As its mission statement declares, the Joukowsky Institute Eventually our discussions led, at the end of 2013, to the Labraunda is a spectacular mountain sanctuary in SW Turkey. Several Director, Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology “promotes the investigation, understanding, and enjoyment of launch of a global competition for new archaeological writing, monumental structures, including two marble gates, a temple (that may have Joukowsky Family Professor of Archaeology Professor of Classics; Professor of Anthropology; archaeology... through active fieldwork projects, graduate and entitled Archaeology for the People. John Cherry and Felipe been designed by the great ancient Professor of History of Art and Architecture undergraduate programs, and Rojas invited anyone (except those at the Institute itself) to architect Pytheos of Priene), and several Laurel Bestock public outreach activities.” We submit a text of 5,000-6,000 words showcasing any aspect of astonishingly well-preserved dining halls Assistant Professor of take outreach seriously, because archaeology of potential interest to a wide readership. As an adorn the site today and attract the Archaeology and Egyptology & Assyriology the results of archaeological incentive, we offered a prize of $5,000 to the winner. occasional discerning tourist. But what Sheila Bonde discovery and research are both made Labraunda special in antiquity Chair, History of Art and Architecture The competition closed in September, and the response was Professor of History of Art and Architecture important and exciting, and gratifying: around 130 entries from more than two dozen was water. Dozens of springs still dot the Professor of Archaeology they deserve the widest possible Latmos Mountains immediately around countries on a dizzying array of topics. The competition Anne Hunnell Chen audience. Yet archaeologists Labraunda and local people continue Visiting Assistant Professor of History of Art and organizers were assisted by a panel of 12 Brown judges in Architecture tend to write only choosing the winning submission. to drink from simple stone spring-houses, for each other, some of which date from the Hellenistic period. (In fact, bottled water sold in John F. Cherry using language that makes sense mainly to fellow We are pleased to announce that this is an the province of Mugla proudly bears the name of the sanctuary.) Joukowsky Family Professor of Archaeology essay by Chantel White, Aleksandar Sopov, and Professor of Classics; Professor of Anthropology members of the profession. Water was a key part of religious life in the region. Many stone spring-houses Marta Ostovich entitled “The Urban Gardens Claudia Glatz were built along the sacred way that led from the Visiting Scholar in Archaeology Last year, some of us began conversations of Istanbul: An Archaeology of Sustenance,” a city of Mylasa (modern Milas) to the sanctuary, about why (with a few honorable exceptions) beautifully written and poignant account of the Stephen D. Houston and in Labraunda itself water was conspicuously Dupee Family Professor of Social Science there has been so little archaeological writing ongoing destruction of the Yedikule bostans displayed in a variety of ways. In the Hellenistic Professor of Archaeology that is accessible (gardens), next to the Theodosian fortification and Roman period, for example, massive gutters Brett Kaufman and intellectually walls, and the centuries-long intangible heritage Postdoctoral Fellow in Archaeology were centered over windows or made to spurt from engaging for non- they represent. Five other entries were selected monumental terrace walls. The sights and sounds of Miriam Müller specialists, and that as runners-up: “Digging Deep: A Hauntology of Cape Postdoctoral Fellow in Archaeology the crystalline liquid flowing through the architecture is not simply about Town” (Nick Shepherd), “Loot and the Biography of Pots” are easier to imagine now in the winter and spring James Osborne lucky discoveries, the (Vernon Silver), “Remembering Slack Farm” (A. Gwynn Postdoctoral Fellow in Archaeology thrill and romance than in the dry Turkish summer. But in antiquity, Henderson), “The Decline and Fall of the Classic Maya Matthew Reilly Labraunda would have offered a hydraulic spectacle of fieldwork, or City-State” (Keith Eppich), and “Origins: The Elusive Postdoctoral Fellow in Archaeology even in the summer, for there were at least three supposed mysteries Search for the First Native Americans” (Chip Colwell). Felipe Rojas that archaeology has fountain-houses with massive pools at the site. Two Assistant Professor of Archaeology not yet solved. It takes an imaginative and intelligent author All six essays will be published in the next volume of the of these fountains were located at opposite ends of the sanctuary to greet and Egyptology & Assyriology to turn archaeological ideas into clear and compelling prose – Joukowsky Institute Publication series, which will be devoted to pilgrims making their way from the cities of Milas and Alinda. Krysta Ryzewski Visiting Scholar in Archaeology and such an author need not necessarily be an archaeologist. this and other recent initiatives at the Institute that bring the The Brown University Labraunda Project (BULP), led by Brown University understanding and enjoyment of archaeology to the people. Andrew Scherer Assistant Professor Felipe Rojas, is excavating the grandest of these Assistant Professor of Anthropology and The Archaeology of North Africa: State of the Field 2014 monumental fountains. Previous scholars have associated the hypostyle Archaeology Since 2011, the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and by a discussion of the fountain with ornamental pools for sacred eels said by Pliny and Aelian to Peter van Dommelen have existed in the sanctuary. Although the project team has found absolutely Joukowsky Family Professor of Archaeology the Ancient World at Brown University has hosted an annual mobility of peoples and Professor of Anthropology workshop focused on the state of archaeological research in a materials across this no trace of the eels, BULP’s work has revealed a wealth of new information given region. Past events have examined the countries of Italy, broad landscape. In the about vernacular traditions of monumental architecture in Caria. In Labraunda, Christina Williamson Visiting Scholar in Archaeology Turkey, and Greece, as well as the Iberian Peninsula. afternoon, the workshop water gushing from stone buildings such In November 2014, the Joukowsky Institute continued this explored the potential for as the site’s fountain offered proof of tradition with a two-day workshop on “The Archaeology new interpretations and the phenomenal power of the local Advisory Committee of North Africa: State of the Field.” As in past years, our research using available Susan E. Alcock legacy data sets. Finally, participants god of the daylight sky and especially Director, Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology, Brown overarching goal remained the same: to foster the exchange of the Hekatomnid dynasts that ruled University of ideas between a select number of primarily North American considered the place of archaeology and European scholars, to consider some common obstacles to in North Africa within its wider over the sanctuary and the region. Mary Beaudry the study of the region, and to communities, with a particular focus on In the summer Chair and Professor, Department of Archaeology, working for the protection of cultural Boston University identify key questions for future of 2014, the collaboration and research. heritage. Gina Borromeo project’s second Curator, Rhode Island School of Design Museum The workshop kicked off with a The event concluded field season, a team of Brown and RISD lively keynote by Paul Silverstein with a wide-ranging Beshara Doumani dialogue around key undergraduates continued to excavate Joukowsky Family Professor of Modern Middle (Reed College) that touched and draw the Hypostyle fountain. The East History; Director, Middle East Studies; Faculty on issues discussed for the ideas or themes emerging Fellow, Watson Institute, Brown University throughout the day, team now knows exactly how every single remainder of the meeting. The Susan Ashbrook Harvey next day’s discussions were split opening the door to future stone of the massive roof (which weighs Chair and Willard Prescott and Annie McClelland into four broad themes, each cooperative ventures and more than 100 tons) was erected and put Smith Professor of Religious Studies, Brown featuring several short papers intended to begin a conversation providing participants into place. At the same time that Pytheos University on where things stand on certain key topics. The first session with new ideas to was designing the famous Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, Carian masons in Martha Sharp Joukowsky shape the trajectory of focused on current debates on urbanism and urbanization, and Labraunda were building a seemingly primitive structure in Labraunda that Professor Emerita, Brown University the importance of cities to our understanding of the North scholarship in the region in the years to come. survives almost intact. Brown’s work on the Hypostyle Fountain offers a unique Gil Stein African past. This urban focus was offset in the second session view into the decision-making process of those ancient builders. Director, The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago Non-Profit Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World Organization Box 1837 US Postage Brown University PAID Providence, RI 02912 Permit No. 202 Providence, RI

The Search for the President’s House The soil on which Brown University stands preserves nearly lifted away, diverse artifacts from Brown’s 250-year history 250 years of the University’s history. As a central hub to came to the surface. Upper levels containing room keys, pen students’ lives since the University’s construction, the Front caps, and bottle tabs were cleared or Quiet Green provides the oldest archaeological record to reveal finds from the early to on campus. For the last three years, students enrolled in The mid-1900s – a camera piece, Archaeology of College Hill have excavated on the Quiet forgotten jewelry, a jack, and lost Green to understand the buttons – that are traces of the lives evolution of this space over of past Brown students. A thick layer Brown’s history. In the fall of of gravel, probably associated 2013 and 2014, students with the removal of the President’s focused these efforts on House, created a stark contrast the first President’s House, between more recent periods in shown on early maps and the Green’s history and the era of artistic representations the first presidents. Sherds of imported European ceramics of Brown, to establish the and Chinese porcelain from the late 1700s house’s location and recover (and thus contemporary with the Presidential materials associated with home) – fragments of a punch bowl, fine the University’s first leaders. teacups, and the spout of a teapot – depict Built in 1770, the first President’s House served as a life of entertainment and elite social status. a home to Presidents James Manning, Jonathan This December, the students of The Maxcy, , Archaeology of College Hill presented the and . By results of the last three years’ excavations with the unveiling 1840, the house was moved of a new exhibit in Rhode Island Hall. from the Quiet Green to a The juxtaposition of these items, old and new, tells the location on College Street. It story of social change – not just from the backyard of the was eventually demolished in President’s House to a college green, but of our own culture. 1936. What will archaeologists of the future be able to say about As the layers of dirt were us from our loose change and lost pen caps?