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Archaeology in Action

Modern Techniques for an Ancient Mesopotamian City

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Wednesday, Feb. 5 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ET

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Excavation team member holding a large wheeled tool.

Join us online for our flagship virtual lecture series featuring Penn Museum’s leading researchers and experts. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from the forefront of archaeological exploration around the globe.

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The Lagash Archaeological Project has just completed its sixth season of excavation at Tell al-Hiba, an important ancient site in southern Iraq. This site is one of the earliest known cities in the world, dating back over 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. Our team is using the latest archaeological techniques to uncover the hidden stories of the people who once lived there.

In this lecture, Dr. Holly Pittman explores how cutting-edge technology, like drone photography and magnetometry, is helping us to see beneath the surface of the site and map its ancient structures. Through non-destructive methods, archaeologists can examine artifacts without damaging them, and photogrammetry allows them to create detailed digital models of the excavation site. She will also discuss how studying soil samples and remains of plants, animals, and humans allows her team to reconstruct what life was like in this early city.

About the Speaker

Holly Pittman, Ph.D.

Holly Pittman, Ph.D.

Holly Pittman, Ph.D., is the Curator of the Near East Section, Director of the Lagash Archaeological Project, and Anthropology Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Upcoming Lectures In the Series

Excavation team working on a site in West Philadelphia.

Archaeology in Action

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7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ET

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Wednesday, Dec 4

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ET

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Archaeology in Action

The Shape of Punic Cities

Wednesday, Jan 8

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm ET

View the full series lineup and frequently asked questions.

25-02-05