Advance ticket sales have ended but plenty of additional tickets remain available at the door.
Profs and Pints Richmond presents: “Unearthing Ireland’s Past,” a look at what archaeology is telling us about the Emerald Isle, with Audrey Horning, professor of anthropology at William & Mary and honorary professor of archaeology at Queen’s University Belfast.
Ireland is famed for its enormously rich and visible cultural heritage. Its medieval castles and churches, awe-inspiring megalithic tombs like Newgrange, and abandoned post-medieval villages all spark the imagination, driving a substantial tourist economy.
Such sites are far more than economic assets, however. They hold clues to fundamental questions about Irish culture and identity, and, also about humanity more generally and about our relationship to place.
Gain an understanding of what we are learning about Ireland by studying remnants of past life there from Professor Audrey Horning, an archaeologist who has been researching Ireland’s past for more than 30 years and previously served as head of the school of geography, archaeology and paleoecology at Queen’s University Belfast. In a talk sure to captivate the proudly Irish, those who plan to travel to Ireland, and those who simply are interested in learning about other people, she’ll provide a fascinating overview of the insights on Ireland and its people that archaeological research has offered.
Dr. Horning will discuss the new discoveries being made on the island each year through excavation, by the application of cutting-edge scientific techniques, and through the basic exercise of asking better questions. Starting with what we know about the first people to make their way to the island (about 10,000 years ago) and moving forward to discuss more recent traces of Ireland’s turbulent modern history, she’ll discuss Ireland’s past and how and why it matters.
Her talk will culminate with a consideration of the social and political value of Irish archaeological heritage in the post-Brexit present. It will leave you looking forward to a Saint Patrick’s Day on which your understanding and appreciation of Ireland will extend well beyond enjoyment of its music and stout beer. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.)
Image: A portal tomb in Kilclooney More in Ireland’s County Donegal. Photo by Andreas F. Borchert / Creative Commons.