Archaeology

Machu Picchu, built by the Inca Empire around 1450, is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world. Lecturer George L. Scheper looks through the lenses of geography, history, and culture to uncover new truths about a people and a place that fascinate us still.

For the ancient Greeks, the gods were more than just powerful characters in exciting narratives: Their worship played a central role in shaping religious life. Classicist Katherine Wasdin examines this vital connection between mortals and their gods.

Discoveries made at the ancient mound at Megiddo transformed our understanding of the ancient world. Eric Cline, a professor of classics and anthropology and director of George Washington University’s Capitol Archaeological Institute—who also dug at Megiddo in more recent times—draws on archival records left by the participants to present a portrait of a bygone age of archaeology.

Archaeologist Robert Stieglitz explores the brilliant cultural heritage of the Greeks as revealed by historical sources and archaeological discoveries.

The famous breaking of the Mayan code in the late 20th century revolutionized the study of these peoples and of ancient America. In a day-long program, humanities scholar George Scheper examines how interdisciplinary study of the Maya extends beyond the traditional archaeological focus to comprise political and social history, art, comparative religion, and ecology.