How did a seashell bankroll an ancient civilization? Why does Spain’s most famous Catholic cathedral contain an Islamic mihrab? Did renderings of a 16th century Italian palace overlook an intentional optical illusion?
Answers to some of history’s perplexing questions will be the subject of a TED-talk style event November 14 at the University of Maryland, highlighting breakthrough research from UMD faculty and students on the mysteries of the ancient world.
The Jashemski Grant Celebration will share ongoing or recently completed study of ancient civilizations, moments in history, and notable places and people funded by the Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski and Stanley A. Jashemski Research Grant Program. Through in-depth research, excavation work and the employment of cutting edge technology, the projects help shed light on aspects of the built environment previously undocumented or misunderstood, making key contributions to the collective knowledge and understanding of history.
“Projects like these are invaluable for filling in the gaps or shedding light on an important period in history, but they are also powerful teaching tools for future practitioners and scholars,” said Associate Dean of Research and Professor Casey Dawkins. “The legacy of knowledge made possible by this grant program has a lasting impact on how we perceive and understand the environments around us.”
For nearly two decades, the Jashemski grants have funded archeological and other research projects related to the Classical World of the Roman Empire or occupied territories during Classical Antiquity. The award is named after Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski, an ancient history professor at UMD, and her husband Stanley Jashemski, a physicist. Professor Jashemski was a respected leader for her garden archaeology work in Pompeii, Italy, and won the Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement from the American Institute of Archaeology.
The Jashemski Grant Celebration takes place Friday, November 14, 5pm-7pm in the Architecture Auditorium. It will include presentations on the great mosque cathedral of Cordoba, rebuilding Europe after the great wars, the overlooked contributions of a Mexican priest in exile, discoveries among the ruins of Aperlae, Turkey, and UMD’s extensive work documenting the roman villas of Stabiae, Italy. A reception will follow. For more information and to RSVP, visit the Jashemski Grant Celebration events page.