Lecture—Recent Discoveries at Sardis: From the Bronze Age to the End of Antiquity

Sardis was one of the most important ancient cities of western Turkey—it was the birthplace of coinage, capital of the Lydian king Croesus, and site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia. In this biennial lecture, director Nicholas Cahill, professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the Sardis expedition, will present new discoveries, research, and conservation projects of 2018–19. He will share new evidence for occupation in the Early Bronze Age, almost a millennium earlier than previously believed; the remains of the Palace of Croesus and the capture of Sardis by Cyrus the Great; the largest arch in the Roman world; and information about patronage in the sixth century CE. Learn more about Archaeological Exploration of Sardis via http://www.sardisexpedition.org/.

Work by the Archaeological Exploration of Sardis is authorized by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and has been sponsored by Harvard University and Cornell University since 1958. Current conservation work at Sardis is also supported by an award provided by the U.S. Government, Department of State, U.S. Embassy Ankara. This biennial lecture series presents the latest research from the site to the Harvard and greater Boston communities.

Lecture Note: Prof. Paul Kosmin states that Nick Cahill became director of Sardis following the death of Director Crawford H. Greenewalt, jr. Prof. Greenewalt, jr. passed away in May of 2012, a few years after Nick Cahill had become director of the Sardis expedition in 2008.

Tuesday, April 23, 2019, Menschel Hall, Harvard Art Museums.