Antioch Today: Archaeology, Labor, and Knowledge Production
Friday, September 25, 2026
10:00am to 6:00pm
Collins Cinema and Davis Museum Galleries
In conjunction with the exhibition Excavating Antioch: The Archaeology of an Ancient City, this daylong, free, interdisciplinary symposium brings international scholars, curators, and conservators to Wellesley College for a public conversation about the ancient city of Antioch (now Antakya, Türkiye) and the modern afterlives of archaeological knowledge. Using Antioch as a case study, the program explores how the past is excavated, interpreted, and displayed, with particular attention to the ethical questions surrounding cultural heritage today. Speakers will address the history of excavation at Antioch, the labor involved in archaeological work, and ongoing debates about provenance, restitution, and global museum practice.
The program includes two panels, a keynote lecture, and guided tours of the exhibition. Presentations will consider the responsibilities of museums in preserving and presenting cultural heritage, especially ancient mosaics and paintings. Designed for students, scholars, and the public, the symposium creates space for discussion and informal exchange, while connecting research with the objects, archives, and interpretive work on view in the exhibition.
Free and open to the public.
Register here.
This symposium is supported by the Mary Hammond Norton ’54 Endowed Fund for the Davis Museum and Wellesley College Committee on Lectures and Cultural Events. It is co-sponsored by the Department of Classical Studies, Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs, Department of Religious Studies, and Suzy Newhouse Center for the Humanities.
Itinerary
10:00 – 10:30 AM: Welcome Remarks
10:30 – 12:00 PM: Panel 1: Archaeological Labor and the Making of Antiquity
Chair: Eric Jarrard, Religious
Studies Speakers:
Caitlin Clerkin, Harvard Art Museums
Daniel Healey, Worcester Art Museum
Allison Mickel, Georgia Tech
12:00 – 2:00 PM: Tours (Lunch on your own)
12:15 – 12:45 PM: Tour 1: Learn About Partage and Artifact Afterlives with Elizabeth Molacek
12:45 – 1:15 PM: Tour 2: 3D-printing workshop with Johanna Okerlund and Siena Pietraszak ’29
1:15 – 1:45 PM: Tour 3: Visit the Marble Workshop and Bath F with Nicole Berlin
2:00 – 3:00 PM: Keynote Address: Banu Özdilek, Hatay Musfata Kemal University and Issos Epiphaneia Archaeological Research Project
3:15 – 4:45 PM: Panel 2: Afterlives of Antiquity: Conservation and the Care of Ancient Objects
Chair: Bryan Burns, Classical Studies
Speakers:
Paula Artal-Isbrand, Worcester Art Museum
Kate Smith, Harvard Art Museums
Adam Jenkins, Adam Jenkins Conservation Services
4:45 – 6:30 PM: Reception, Davis Museum Lobby and Plaza
5:00 PM: Closing Remarks
Light refreshments will be provided.
ABOUT THE DAVIS MUSEUM
A vital resource for communities on the Wellesley College campus and beyond, the Davis Museum is one of the oldest and most acclaimed academic fine art museums in the United States. Its signature Rafael Moneo building houses collections that span the history of art worldwide, from antiquity to the present. Guided by commitments to diversity and inclusion, excellence and innovation, and access for all, the Davis is at the core of Wellesley’s liberal arts mission of educating women to make a difference in the world. With exceptional encyclopedic holdings, rotating special exhibitions, and enriching public programs, the Davis warmly welcomes all visitors, including scholars and students of all ages. For visitor information: https://www.wellesley.edu/davismuseum/visit/directions.
ABOUT WELLESLEY COLLEGE AND THE ARTS
The Wellesley College arts curriculum and the highly acclaimed Davis Museum are integral components of the College’s liberal arts education. Departments and programs from across the campus enliven the community with world-class programming– classical and popular music, visual arts, theatre, dance, author readings, symposia, and lectures by some of today’s leading artists and creative thinkers–most of which are free and open to the public.
Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.
MEDIA CONTACT: Diana Brown McCloy, 978-697-9414; Diana@teakmedia.com