The Archaeology Brown Bag Series provides an informal, interdisciplinary venue for presentations of work in progress; projects by faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars; and discussion of developments in recent archaeological literature. These events are open to all those with an interest in archaeology both at UVA and in the greater Charlottesville community.
Want to volunteer a talk or discussion topic? Email Adria LaViolette
For the archive of past Brown Bag Workshops, click here
2025–2026 Brown Bag Series
Opening Reception 🏛️ Sept 19 | 4:00–5:15pm, Fayerweather Patio
Join us for an informal welcome reception on Fayerweather Patio on Friday, September 19! We look forward to greeting new students, seeing familiar faces, and, of course, hearing about your summer fieldwork. Undergrads, graduate students, faculty, and staff all welcome!
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Sept 26 | 4:00–5:15pm, Fayerweather Lounge
The World Between. Egypt and Nubia in Africa: Telling the Story through Museum Artifacts
Anastasia Dakouri-Hild
Professor, Department of Art
Beyond merely acknowledging the geographical position of ancient Egypt on the African continent, the lecture examines the extent to which Egypt was of Africa culturally, first by scrutinizing the categories of ‘Egypt’ and ‘Nubia’ and the connections between material and visual culture and identity. Subsequently it utilizes key artifacts in US collections as case studies to tell the story of this interaction anew, fleshing out the rich and complex rapport between Egypt and Nubia over the course of several millennia. In the process, the lecture also highlights the importance as well as the limitations of using visual culture to articulate/construct and understand/read ancient identities.
Immediately following this talk, guests can proceed to the Fralin Museum of Art for a Final Fridays reception and to visit The World Between: Egypt and Nubia in Africa exhibition.
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Oct 24 | 4:00-5:15pm, Brooks Hall 2nd Floor
Restoring the Flow: Earthquakes, Water Supply and Disaster Response in Byzantium
Yaman Bayram
Program in Mediterranean Art and Archaeology
Department of Art
The restoration of water supply systems is critical for societal sustainability following catastrophic events such as earthquakes. This presentation reports on work in progress that investigates how Byzantine societies responded to seismic shocks by repairing, adapting, or reconstructing aqueducts, cisterns, and related infrastructures. Water sustained multiple domains of life--domestic, industrial, and public--and its disruption posed risks to both urban survival and the stability of authority. The central questions are: What was at risk, for whom, and who bore responsibility for restoration? By situating water systems within legal, administrative, and social frameworks, the study examines the roles of imperial institutions, local authorities, and technical personnel in disaster response, with the longer-term aim of informing present-day municipal and state water management practices.
Image credit: Crow, Jim. 2023. “‘The City Thirsts’: Water in Istanbul: Past, Present, and Future.” The Past, January 18. Link.
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