LECTURES
2026 - 2027 Season
Thursday, September 17, 2026
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Lecturer........
Lecture
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Format.......
Location.......
Painting the Persian Empire:
How Archaeologists Are Revealing the Lost Colors of Persepolis
Alexander Nagel, PhD, Associate Professor,
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York
(Annual Valerie French Memorial Fundraising Dinner and Lecture)
8:00 pm EST
In-Person Program - Registration Required
Guapo’s Cocina & Bar - Tenleytown
4515 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Abstract: This talk will draw on the author's award-winning monograph, Color and Meaning in the Art of Achaemenid Persia (Cambridge University Press, 2023). which investigates the use of polychromy in the art and architecture of ancient Iran. Focusing on Persepolis, he will discuss the scientific investigation of a range of works and monuments in Iran and in museums around the world, contextualizing scholarly efforts to retrieve aspects of ancient polychromies in Western Asia. Bringing a multi-disciplinary perspective to the topic, Prof. Nagel will highlight the role of theory, methodology, and conservation studies in the process of reconstructing polychromy in ancient monuments, suggesting frameworks through which historical and contemporary research play a dynamic role in the reconstruction of ancient technological knowledge.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
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Format.......Location.......
Sailing at the Edge of Empire: The Roman Red Sea and Beyond
(AIA National Lecture)
Dr. Nicholas Bartos, AIA George F. Bass Lecturer; Reseach Scholar, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University
7:00 pm EST
In-Person and on-line
Funger Hall, George Washington University (room TBA)
Abstract: Maritime ventures in the Red Sea and the broader Indian Ocean profoundly transformed the economies of the region during the Roman period. Voyages to foreign shores – sometimes spanning many months – required a tenuous balance of seafaring expertise, sailing seasonality, financing, and logistical support by a variety of actors from the Roman military and elite Mediterranean merchants to ship captains of Arabia, pepper gatherers in the Indian Deccan, and many others. Recent archaeological investigations of shipwrecks and ports as well as ancient texts from the Roman world and beyond give us insight into the realities of seaside daily life and the practicalities of sailing across the Indian Ocean.
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Title..............
Speakers........
Time.............
Format.......Location.......
TBA
TBA
TBA (mid-afternoon)
In-Person and on-line
The Arleigh & Roberta Burke Theatre, US Navy Memorial Visitor Center, Washington, D.C.
Abstract: In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Valcour on Lake Champlain during the US War of Independence and in celebration of International Archaeology Day 2026, a panel of experts will discuss the latest developments in the archaeology of the US Navy, from the recovery of the Spitfire to the restoration of a rare WWII TBD Devastator. Organized by the United States Navy Memorial Visitor Center, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, and the Naval History and Heritage Command with support from the DC Society of the AIA.
February, 2027
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Location.......
TBD (Annual Howland Lecture in Classical Archaeology)
Margaret M. Miles, Edward A. Dickson Emerita Professor of Art History and Classics, University of California, Irvine
7:00 pm EST (Reception at 6:30 pm)
In-person and online
University of Maryland, College Park (TBD)
Abstract: This lecture
March/April, 2027
Title..............
Lecturer........
Time.............
Format.......
Location.......
TBD (Annual Davison Lecture)
Jessica Paga, Gale & Steven Kohlhagen Associate Professor of Classical Studies, The College of William and Mary
7:00 pm EST (Reception at 6:30 pm)
Hybrid
(TBD)
Online
Abstract:
For previous lecture seasons, click here.
