Archaeological Research Facility - Berkeley

UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Preclassic Maya Landscapes from the Mirador-Calakmul Basin: Drones, LiDAR and Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions
Please join us for a series of talks highlighting exciting science from the Mirador Basin Project
Date & Time: April 28th, 2026, 5-7 pm (Lecture 5-6:30, Reception 6:30-7:00)
Presenters: Dr. Richard Hansen, Director of the Mirador Basin Project Dr. Edwin Escobar, Mirador Basin Project DRONE Director Dr. David Wahl, Adjunct Professor, Geography UCB Josephine Thompson, MA, Mirador Basin Project LiDAR Director
Location: Bechtel Room, CAL Alumni House
DIRECTIONS: Alumni House is located on the south side of the UC Berkeley campus, east of the Haas Pavilion, north of Zellerbach Hall, and southwest of Dwinelle Hall. The nearest off-campus intersection is Bancroft Way and Dana St

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Cultural Heritage in a Small State: The Archaeology of Montenegro through the Case of Budva
https://events.berkeley.edu/arf/event/316200-cultural-heritage-in-a-small-state-archaeology-budva
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 29th @ 12:10 PM
Speaker: Dušan Medin, University of Donja Gorica, Podgorica, Montenegro
Location: This talk will take place in person at the ARF and on Zoom. Register for online attendance here.
https://bit.ly/ARFtalks-2526
Sponsors: Archaeological Research Facility, Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures
Abstract: This lecture presents the cultural heritage of the small Balkan state of Montenegro through an overview of its key archaeological and cultural layers, with a focus on the coastal city of Budva as an example of long-term cultural continuity and highly layered heritage on the Eastern Adriatic. Budva is one of the most important archaeological sites, and today also one of the most prominent tourist centres in the region, with continuous occupation from at least the 6th century BCE to the present. Its urban space contains Illyrian, Hellenistic, and Roman layers, later enriched by Byzantine and Slavic influences, a long Venetian period from the 15th to the late 18th century, more than a century of Austro-Hungarian administration and infrastructural change, and its incorporation into Yugoslavia after the WWI, followed by the contemporary period after Montenegro regained independence in 2006. Within this long historical framework, the lecture traces Budva’s relationship with archaeology and heritage from the first major, largely accidental discoveries in the late 1930s, through the formation of museum collections, to systematic research and present-day approaches to interpreting and presenting the past. Special attention is given to the Hellenistic and Roman necropolises and to the different paths taken by archaeological objects, whether they are preserved in museums, remain in private collections, or are part of international holdings. While some challenges are briefly noted, the main emphasis is placed on the richness of Budva’s archaeological record and the wide range of possibilities it offers for academic research, heritage interpretation, cultural identity, and the cultural and creative economy sector.

Thursday, April 30, 2026
AIA Event Listings - "Greek Caves: On Archaeology, Myths, Religions and Cultural Heritage Preservation" - AIA-Washington, DC Society, Center for Hellenic Studies, Washington, DC
https://www.archaeological.org/event/greek-caves-on-archaeology-myths-religions-and-cultural-heritage-preservation/
Date & Time: April 30 @ 3:30 pm
Speaker: Dr. Stella Katsarou, Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology, Greek Ministry of Culture
Location: Online webinar
https://asu.zoom.us/meeting/register/VrIBqv9sQ_CwgC39LZu8MQ #/registration
Sponsor: Archaeological event listing for AIA-Washington, DC Society, Center for Hellenic Studies, Washington, DC
About: Washington DC Society of the AIA and the Center for Hellenic Studies present the 39th Richard Hubbard Howland Lecture by Dr. Stella Katsarou, Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology, Greek Ministry of Culture

AIA Event Listings - New Insights into Changing Lifeways in Ancient Nubia - AIA-Central Arizona (Phoenix) Society
https://www.archaeological.org/event/new-insights-into-changing-lifeways-in-ancient-nubia/
Date & Time: April 30 @ 6:00 pm
Speaker: Brenda J. Baker, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Location: Online webinar.
https://asu.zoom.us/meeting/register/VrIBqv9sQ_CwgC39LZu8MQ #/registration
Sponsored by: Archaeological event listing for AIA-Central Arizona (Phoenix) Society
Abstract: The Bioarchaeology of Nubia Expedition (BONE) focuses on the area between the Fourth and Fifth Cataracts of the Nile River in northern Sudan, enriching our understanding of the extent to which people peripheral to core areas where state-level societies operated were integrated. Interconnections are evident from the Kerma period (c. 2500-1500 BCE) on, incorporating exotic items such as carnelian and Red Sea mollusc shell beads and Egyptian vessels, though local craft production is evident. Analysis of strontium isotopes from tooth enamel shows a decrease in mobility throughout the Kerma period in this area, likely reflecting a shift in subsistence practices. Late Meroitic through Post-Meroitic period burials from the Qinifab School site cemetery (used c. 250-1450 CE) include extra-local items indicative of continuing access to far-flung exchange networks despite the construction of a network of stone-walled forts in the region and evidence of conflict commencing during this time. Inclusion of archery equipment in the graves of several males coincides with high rates of trauma reflecting interpersonal violence. These trends suggest that the disintegration of the Meroitic empire led to ongoing incursions and that control by the kingdom of Makuria and conversion of the local populace to Christianity was fraught. Avulsion of lower incisor teeth in nearly 10% of adult males and females became a new marker of identity in late Meroitic to medieval people of the region and new work reveals that tattoos were also far more common in ancient Nubia than previously recognized.

Saturday, May 2, 2026
Opening Day Symposium: New Perspectives on the Etruscans
Date & Time: Saturday, May 2, 2026, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Gunn Theater, Legion of Honor, San Francisco
About: Join us to hear about the Etruscans and their lasting contributions to the Western world. In this opening day event, leading international scholars will examine Etruscan civilization and its influence on present-day architectural, engineering, and artistic achievements.
Admission info: Free. First come, first served. Seating is limited.
From Dr. Lisa Pieraccini: This decade long project, The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy, will finally open to the public this Saturday with a symposium starting at 10 am! Works from UC Berkeley's Hearst Museum will be on display. The bronze Liver of Piacenza, which has never left the city walls of Piacenza since its discovery in the 1800s, will be featured in addition to the Liber Linteus (the longest serving Etruscan inscription which was written on linen and later used to wrap a mummy). The artworks come from some 30 museums and showcase the essence of Etruscan visual culture.
Find out more: https://www.famsf.org/events/opening-day-symposium-etruscans

EXHIBITS
The Etruscans: From the Heart of Ancient Italy
May 2 – September 20, 2026
Legion of Honor, San Francisco
About: Togas, temples, hydraulic engineering, winemaking, and even "Roman" numerals, all widely credited to the Romans, were actually Etruscan innovations. The Etruscans thrived in what is now Italy for almost a millennium, from around 900 to 100 BC, before the rise of the Roman Empire. They laid the foundation for present-day architecture, engineering, and artistic achievements. Yet their culture remains overshadowed by ancient Greece and Rome. Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries and cutting-edge scholarship, this is the most comprehensive exhibition on Etruscan culture in the United States to date. Over 150 exquisitely crafted and well-preserved examples of bronze and terracotta sculpture, gold jewelry, ceramics, and architectural features, as well as the longest-surviving piece of Etruscan writing, reveal a legacy that continues to captivate today.
https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/etruscans-heart-ancient-italy

Good Fire: Tending Native Lands - Oakland Museum of California
Good Fire: Tending Native Lands explores how Native communities in Northern California have used controlled fire-also called "good fire" or "cultural burning"-to care for the land and sustain traditions for millennia. Organized in collaboration with Native California fire practitioners, artists, ecologists, and cultural leaders, the exhibition reframes fire not only as a destructive force, but as an essential tool for supporting healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities. Through May 31, 2026.
https://museumca.org/on-view/good-fire-tending-native-lands/

Fragments from Earth: Faculty Selections at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum
The Hearst Museum gallery is open Fridays from 12-4 PM. Admission is free.
Currently on view is a faculty-curated exhibit Fragments from Earth: Faculty Selections with the following themes:
Andean Material Culture: Textiles, Ceramics, and Wooden Staffs (Christine A. Hastorf)
Japanese Craft Objects: Porcelain, Lacquerware, and Netsuke (Junko Habu)
Healing, Magic, and Protection in Ancient Egypt (Rita Lucarelli)
Technology, Nature, and Humans: Archaeological Stone Implements from Around the World (Lisa Maher)

The Etruscans Uncovered: The Phoebe A. Hearst Collection at UC Berkeley
The Etruscans Uncovered is an exhibit in Doe Library's Bernice Layne Brown Gallery from March 9 until August 31, 2026.

Encountering the Etruscans: Shedding Light on Ancient Italy in the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum
A student-led exhibition organized by Lisa Pieraccini.
Time: Open on Fridays from 12:00-4:00 PM
Location: Phoebe A. Hearst Museum
https://events.berkeley.edu/Library/event/316566-exhibit-opening-reception-the-etruscans-uncovered-the

Cultural Heritage in a Small State: The Archaeology of Montenegro through the Case of Budva This lecture presents the cultural heritage of the small Balkan state of Montenegro through an overview of its key archaeological and cultural laye...