Posted by vrcvanderbilt on Thursday, March 15, 2018 in Events, HART, Lectures, News, VRC.

In an AIA lecture at 6 pm on Tuesday, March 20, at the Nashville Parthenon, Brian Rose, James B. Pritchard Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania, and Katherine Schwab, professor of visual and performing arts, Fairfield University, will jointly address the theme of  “Ancient Wars and Modern Conflicts.” They will discuss the effects of ancient and modern warfare on the civilizations where wars are waged and on the people who fight them, as well as those who are left behind and those who are caught up in them.

Rose will present both the physical damage and cultural devastation of war on the societies in which they take place. He will offer insight into how to respect the cultural property of other societies and how the military can assist local citizens in their efforts to preserve and protect their cultural artifacts from the effects of war. For more than a decade, Rose has offered pre-deployment education and training for armed forces personnel bound for Iraq, Afghanistan and Djibouti to emphasize cultural heritage awareness and protection. Soldiers learn about the regions’ historical backgrounds, heritage and resources, site recognition, emergency salvage, and conservation.

Schwab will discuss the context for her Parthenon drawings, why she made them and her current research on these severely damaged relief sculptures. These Parthenon metope sculptures from three sides of the temple had sustained intentional damage by the 6th century CE, when anti-pagan zealots took hammers and other tools to destroy many of the figures.

The joint presentation is held in conjunction with the Parthenon’s latest exhibition, An Archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab, on view at the Nashville Parthenon through May 6. This 35-work exhibition features pastel and graphite drawings by Schwab on the metopes of the ancient Parthenon.

Free and open to the public, this lecture is cosponsored by Humanities Tennessee, Vanderbilt’s Program in Classical and Mediterranean Studies, the Nashville Society of the Archaeological Institute of America, and The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park. Those who plan to attend the AIA lecture are encouraged to call the Nashville Parthenon at 615.862.8431 to reserve a seat. A reception follows the lecture. The Parthenon is located at 2500 West End Avenue in the Centennial Park.