SPBS Virtual Event | Dumbarton Oaks Collections Tour

The Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies is pleased to invite you to join our upcoming Dumbarton Oaks Collections Virtual Tour, delivered by Elizabeth Dospěl Williams, curator of the Byzantine Collections.

Venue: Online

Date: Mon 25th March 2024

Time: 6:00PM (UK time)

You can find out more about this event and book your place here.

Index of Medieval Art online training

The Index of Medieval Art will be holding a new online training session for anyone interested in learning more about the database! It will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:00 am EST.

This session, led by Index specialists Maria Alessia Rossi and Jessica Savage, will demonstrate how the database can be used with advanced search options, filters, and browse tools to locate works of medieval art. There will be a Q&A period at the end of the session, so please bring any questions you might have about your research!

Further information and registration can be found here: https://ima.princeton.edu/index_training/

Inscriptions in a Digital Environment Workshop

The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and Byzantine Studies Association of North America are pleased to offer a three-part EpiDoc workshop for graduate students and early career researchers in collaboration with Martina Filosa of the University of Cologne.

Inscriptions in a Digital Environment: An Introduction to EpiDoc for Byzantinists, workshop by Martina Filosa (University of Cologne), Zoom, April 5, 12, and 26, 2024, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM EDT with a break from 12:30–1:00 PM

In this online workshop, participants will explore the use of EpiDoc, the established standard for digitally encoding ancient inscriptions, papyri, and other primary and documentary texts in TEI XML for online publication and interchange. The workshop will also introduce the participants to the EFES (EpiDoc Front-End Services) platform for viewing and publishing EpiDoc editions. The workshop will include asynchronous tutorials, real-time sessions, and guided hands-on exercises. Participants will have the opportunity to work with their own epigraphic material, broadly understood.

While no preexisting technical knowledge is required, participants are expected to be familiar with the transcription conventions for inscriptions (“Leiden”) and have proficiency in either Greek, Latin, or other ancient languages pertinent to their epigraphic tradition.

The workshop is limited to 15 participants. The time commitment for this workshop is 12 hours of instruction and an additional 5 hours for review of asynchronous materials and approximately 3 hours between each session for practice exercises and preparation for the following session. Participants are expected to attend all sessions. Registration is first come, first served.

Registration closes Friday, March 22, 2024.

Who is eligible?

  • Graduate students and early career researchers (PhD received after April 2016) in the field of Byzantine studies. Students enrolled in graduate programs in North America and early career researchers working in North America will be given priority. Graduate students and early career researchers outside of North America will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if space is available.
  • All participants must be BSANA members. BSANA membership is free for graduate students and early-career contingent scholars who have earned their PhD within the last eight years and who do not hold a permanent or tenure-track appointment. If you are not already a BSANA member, please complete the BSANA Membership Form (https://bsana.net/members/) before registering for the workshop. Your membership status will be confirmed before your space in the workshop is confirmed.

To read a full description of the workshop and register your interest, please visit: https://maryjahariscenter.org/events/inscriptions-in-a-digital-environment

Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjcbac@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture, with any questions.

Photo Research Expedition to Medieval Balkan Churches

The field school is designed for students and young specialists in heritage, archaeology and conservation as well as artists, but we also welcome anyone interested in:

  • medieval civilization in Southeastern Europe (especially Byzantine and Christian Orthodox architecture, arts and iconography during the late medieval period: 13th to 17th centuries)
  • digital photography
  • documentation of ecclesiastic architecture and frescos
  • cultural heritage preservation
  • travel to significant heritage sites in western Bulgaria.

Dates: 25 May – 08 June, 2024

For more information and to apply: https://www.bhfieldschool.org/program/medieval-fresco-photo-expedition

Academic credits available through our partner New Bulgarian University

Chriselpida Kamma

Admissions Officer

Balkan Heritage Field School

7 Tulovo, 4th Floor, Apt.6, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria

+359 988250901

Workshop: Rediscovering the Cultural Heritage of Upper Svaneti, Georgia

Date: 26 July – 4 August 2024

Place: Georgia, Mestia

Application Deadline: 15 March 2024

Rediscovering the Cultural Heritage of Upper Svaneti, Georgia is a ten-day International Cultural Workshop organized by Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Institute of Art History and Theory with the support of the United States Embassy in Georgia. The Workshop welcomes young researchers of any nationality in the History of Art (with preference given to Byzantine or Medieval) at the Master’s and Doctoral levels.

The aim of the Workshop is to explore the cultural heritage of Svaneti, one of the most outstanding regions of Georgia. Not only does Svaneti boast breathtaking, majestic landscapes, but also an extraordinary cultural heritage from the medieval past. These include domestic architecture, towers and churches, a great multitude of frescoes, painted and revetted icons, pre-altar crosses and illuminated manuscripts, preserved in village churches and in two very fine local museums. In sum, it is a unique opportunity to study art and architecture scarcely know to researchers in the West, and to witness the ongoing coexistence of Christian and pre-Christian folk traditions. The remoteness of this region makes it a real treasury of medieval art, with works of medieval art and architecture that survive only in this region.

The Workshop will be include field research, discussion, and presentations. Together, participants will visit and examine monuments of religious and secular architecture, wall and panel painting, metalwork, and manuscript illumination.

The language of the program is English.

Application information:

Date: 26 July – 4 August 2024

Destination: Mestia, Svaneti

Deadline for applications: 15 March 2024

Description
This project takes place in Upper Svaneti, the spectacular mountainous region of Western Georgia,
which not only has an abundance and variety of cultural heritage, but also a unique way of life.
Even today, the local population preserves various pre-Christian beliefs and rituals. In Upper
Svaneti, medieval churches and residences with defense towers have been preserved in their
original forms. Almost all these churches are decorated with paintings, and original treasuries are
kept in most of them: medieval painted and revetted icons, crosses, ecclesiastic vessels created in
local workshops or many other regions of the Christian East and the West. Exposure to this
extraordinary material will provide all students of medieval art with an entirely new perspective on
their field.

The ten-day workshop will enable ten PhD and MA students to visit significant monuments of
cultural heritage in Upper Svaneti, to take part in discussions on-site, and to engage in various field
activities.

The workshop will be held in English.

The International Cultural Workshop is organized by the Institute of Art History and Theory at
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, in cooperation with the College of Arts & Sciences at
Syracuse University and the Art History Department at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
The project partner is the Svaneti Museum of History and-Ethnography.

The International Cultural Workshop (RCHUS) is funded under the US Embassy Georgia Cultural
Small Grants Program.

Application period
22 January to 15 March 2024 (00:00/Georgian Time Zone: UTC + 4)
The selection results will be announced on 8 April.

Eligibility
Applicants of any nationality must currently be enrolled in an MA or PhD program in Medieval or
Byzantine art history or a related field.

Documents to be submitted:
– Application form with other three documents:
– Curriculum vitae (with list of publications/presentations, maximum 3 pages)
– Cover letter outlining interest in the program (maximum 300 words)
– Recommendation letter

The application must be in English.

See here for Application form: https://forms.gle/GLAacswWY5VBHDrk7

Fees and Funding
The International Cultural Workshop (RCHUS) is free of charge: will cover travel from Tbilisi to
Mestia, field trips, hotel accommodation and meals in Upper Svaneti.

The workshop participants must cover their own international flights to and from Georgia, and
hotel accommodation in Tbilisi. However, there are limited funds for participating students in the
project budget for partial covering the international transportation and accommodation in Tbilisi.
Please clarify your need for funding on your Application form.

For further information, please contact: svaneti.workshop@gmail.com

 

Workshop: New Perspectives on Personifications in Roman, Late Antique and Early Byzantine Art

A workshop on “New Perspectives on Personifications in Roman, Late Antique and Early Byzantine Art” will take place in Munich on 26-27 January 2024 and will be live-streamed online (https://sabkmuenchen.com/2023/12/07/workshop-2/). The language of the workshop is English.

Organized by Prolet Decheva (PhD Candidate, School of Art History and Cultural Policy, University College Dublin) and Charles Wastiau (PhD candidate at the Universities of Liège and Bonn)

Oxford Summer School in Greek Palaeography

Oxford Summer School in Greek Palaeography

The ninth Lincoln College International Summer School in Greek Palaeography will be held on 29 July – 3 August 2024. The school offers a five-day introduction to the study of Greek manuscripts through ten reading classes, three library visits and four thematic lectures. The school is intended for students of Classics, Patristics, Theology, Biblical or Byzantine Studies. Potential applicants are advised that it only offers introductory-level instruction in Greek palaeography and codicology. Applications and references must be received not later than 31 January 2024.

For more information please visit https://lincoln.ox.ac.uk/events/lincoln-college-summer-school-in-greek-palaeography-2

Index of Medieval Art: Database Training Session (Nov. 14)

The Index of Medieval Art will be holding a new online training session for anyone interested in learning more about the database! It will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 from 10:00 – 11:00 am EST.

This session, led by Index specialists Maria Alessia Rossi and Jessica Savage, will demonstrate how the database can be used with advanced search options, filters, and browse tools to locate works of medieval art. There will be a Q&A period at the end of the session, so please bring any questions you might have about your research!

Further information and registration can be found here: https://ima.princeton.edu/index_training/

ASCSA Summer Education for Teachers

2024 SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND UNDERSERVED YOUTH

Deadline for applications: October 31, 2023

Thanks to a grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) invites high schools and other organizations that work with high school-age students to apply for a ten-day summer education program in Greece. This summer experience, developed for underserved youth and their teachers, will introduce students to the archaeology of Ancient Greece and the culture of the modern country while providing their teachers with guidance in designing lesson plans relating archaeology to curriculum objectives in various subject areas.

This unique opportunity will open students’ horizons to new ideas and experiences. For teachers interested in teaching history, literature, philosophy and other humanistic subjects with a hands-on, experiential model, this opportunity will help create new curricula and lessons to engage students. This program aims to give students with few study-abroad opportunities expanded insight into cultural diversity, global and historical awareness, and the humanities.

Term: Ten days, inclusive, during summer 2024. Specific dates to be determined.

Eligibility and Qualifications: High schools, school districts, foster youth organizations or other similar organizations serving high school students in the United States are eligible to apply. Applicant organizations must demonstrate a clear focus on serving underrepresented or underserved high school students. The person who submits the application should be the point of contact with the ASCSA, if awarded the grant.

Description: The student experience will focus on the archaeological expertise of the ASCSA, with guidance in Athens from the Director of the Athenian Agora Excavations, Dr. John Papadopoulos (UCLA), and in Corinth and the surrounding area from excavation directors in that region. The students and teachers will visit archaeological sites and museums, and engage with expert guest speakers to deepen their understanding of Greece’s landscape, history, literature, and material culture. The program offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the ancient sites, monuments, and culture of Greece first-hand with exclusive access to archaeological sites and storerooms with excavated artifacts. Committed to presenting a comprehensive view of Greece’s rich history and archaeology, this program involves long days and extensive walking, often over uneven terrain, in the hot Mediterranean summer, where many days over 85ºF can be expected.

The school, school district, or other organization awarded this program will select the 10 students and 9 teachers who will participate. Once in Athens, Dr. Dawndria Cox will be the group leader for summer 2024. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management in 2013 from Alliant International University, and currently teaches at Lynwood Middle School (Lynwood, California). She is a board member of the Los Angeles County Society of the Archaeological Institute of America and a former fellow of the ASCSA.

Dr. Cox will work with the awardees and the ASCSA staff to develop the specific itinerary for the summer program. Attached to this call for applications is last year’s program itinerary as an example of what can be accomplished during the program. Participants will be transported to various historical sites and museums by van with a professional driver. Hotel accommodations are planned with two to three students sharing a room and likewise double occupancy for teachers.

Outcome: The program aims to provide teachers with material to enhance their curriculum, to provide students with hands-on, on-site learning experiences. Teachers will come away with many ideas for a teaching unit about ancient Greece and the ancient Mediterranean. Students will be assigned a short homework assignment before the trip, and during the trip will use the knowledge from their assignment on-site. Schools can also add their own homework assignments to the program, if they wish. The students and teachers will gain experiences with new cultures, new ideas, and first-hand interactions with history.

Stipend, Budget, and Logistics: The ASCSA provides the awardee with up to $27,500 USD in support of the program. The funds are dispensed as reimbursement upon submission of receipts (lump-sum invoices from travel agencies may be payable directly by the ASCSA). Funds may be used to cover travel, room and board costs for student and adult participants, for example: $15,500 airline/roundtrip expenses, $4,500 bus rental/in-country travel costs, $5,000 hotel rooms, $2,500 board/food expenses. The awardee is responsible for booking travel arrangements (such as flights, bus rentals, hotel accommodations, etc.) but is urged to consult with ASCSA staff before finalizing any arrangements. The ASCSA will coordinate some in-Greece logistics, and will also connect the awardee with a Greek travel company for in-Greece travel coordination. Please be aware that the awardee is responsible for any surplus of costs associated with the program, as the ASCSA can only reimburse up to $27,500 USD in total. The ASCSA is neither responsible for nor will be held liable for any overspending associated with the program. Thus, the applying school or school district must be prepared to take on any extra costs that may be incurred during the planning and execution of the program. Likewise the ASCSA provides logistical advice and support as well as scholarly expertise, but the awardee bears full responsibility for the health, safety and security of all participants.

Application Process: Submit an application statement (max. 1300 words) addressing your school’s/school district’s or other organization’s interest in the program, foreseeable benefits to your participation, eligibility for the program (addressing the population the school/organization serves), as well as any previous experience in planning travel programs (locally, nationally, or internationally) by October 31, 2023.
Link to the online application form: https://ascsa.submittable.com/submit/a5a75173-3802-4d98-8aa8-6d6bbc39f9b7/summer-education-program

Questions? Contact Alicia Dissinger, the Programs Administrator, at adissinger@ascsa.org.

The ASCSA is an EO/AA employer.  The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national or ethnic origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation when considering admission to any form of membership or application for employment.


Alicia M. Dissinger, PhD
Programs Administrator

American School of Classical Studies at Athens
321 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540-1515
Telephone: +1 609-454-6819 (direct dial)
Email: adissinger@ascsa.org
Website: https://www.ascsa.edu.gr
Pronouns: she, her, hers

© 2024 Byzantine Studies Association of North America, Inc. (BSANA) . All Rights Reserved.