John earned his bachelor’s degree in CAMS in 2004 followed by certificates in intensive Latin
and classical language from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively. He later earned a master’s degree in forensic archaeological material analytics
from the United Kingdom’s Sheffield University and a juris doctorate from Drexel University, whose magazine named him to its “40 under 40” list of impressive alumni. Today, John is the
director of legal and commercial for New Jersey Wind Port and Infrastructure at the New Jersey
Economic Development Authority. The New Jersey Wind Port project is the nation’s first
purpose-built offshore wind marshaling and manufacturing port. Prior to that role, John served as a New Jersey deputy attorney general supporting the state’s climate resiliency efforts, safe
drinking water and groundwater policies, and archaeological and historic site preservation. John
is also an adjunct faculty member at Drexel University, where he teaches master’s courses on
nonprofit governance and environmental law and policy. He is a member of the Ellis Island Advisory Commission.
Katherine Burlingame graduated in 2011 with bachelor’s degrees in CAMS and History. A member of the first cohort of Paterno Fellows, she studied abroad in Egypt and in Athens, Greece. In 2014, Katherine completed a master’s degree in World Heritage Studies at Brandenburg Technical University in Germany, and in 2020, she earned her doctorate in Human Geography at Lund University in Sweden. Her dissertation, “Dead landscapes—and how to make them live,” was awarded an outstanding thesis prize. Today, Katherine is a lecturer and postdoctoral researcher on “Relics of Nature,” a project funded by the Norwegian Research Council at the University of Oslo. With a focus on landscapes in the High North, the project investigates the intersections between natural and cultural heritage in a changing climate. Katherine is an active member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Association for Critical Heritage Studies, and she serves on the International Editorial Advisory Board for the journal Landscape Research. Her parents Susan and Philip Burlingame accepted the award from Dean Clarence Lang on her behalf.
Abstract: What are some of the challenges and rewards of interpreting Phoenician art and iconography in the context of cultural contact? Through two concrete case studies, this talk will illustrate the difficulties in teasing out Phoenician art from the “Orientalizing” adaptations of it made by local groups. We will also appreciate the resilience of symbolic meanings and modes of cultural contact captured in artistic expression.
[The lecture will be held in person in 102 Weaver. Those who want to attend on Zoom MUST register here:https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUrceyuqDouE9LJxART-AI0rT7KtbSrRXeC]
The Manichaean Codices from Madinet Madi, Egypt—discovered in 1929—constitute one of the greatest troves of ancient manuscripts preserved to this day. Less well known than other discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library, only half of these codices have been published due to their precarious materiality. The problems posed by these texts are a result of their preservation, but great steps are being taken by relying on modern technologies, such as Multispectral Imaging and X-ray tomography. The renewed visibility of the ink has led directly to new insights on Manichaean religion. Professor Dilley will show how the codices of the Medinet Madi Library illuminate the religious beliefs and practices of Mani’s followers in their remarkably global context. [Event held in-person. Zoom attendees must register here.]
Numerous gods were worshipped in the ancient Greek house, but few if any permanent sacred spaces were set aside for their rituals. Rather than permanent architecture, sacred space in the Greek house appears to have been defined by the performance of rituals using small portable objects or multi-functional structures. By using a spatial approach to analyze the effects of these objects involved in ritual performance, we can gain a richer understanding of the domestic religious landscape and investigate its relationship with religious practices on the larger public stage.
[The lecture will be held in person in 102 Weaver. Those who want to attend on Zoom MUST register here: https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYocOyrrT8sH9NfbbDmwMvWYXGuTI9ADog-]
Gods and goddesses in ancient Mesopotamia were embodied in statues that were brought to life through mouth-opening and mouth-washing rituals. Subsequently, the deities required daily nourishment, and it was the temple’s obligation to provide this care. The ritual presentation of foods could only be performed by a select group of ritually pure temple officials, which, in early Mesopotamia, also included women. A closer look at this daily ritual offers fascinating perspectives on Mesopotamian religious beliefs and practices. [Event held in person. Zoom attendees must pre-register here.]
