And just like that, Summer is a wrap and Fall is well underway! But before the first leaves fall, let鈥檚 take a look back at what happened during ASOR鈥檚 inaugural Summer Stipend program cohort meetings, hosted by Marta Ostovich (ASOR) and Sydney Pickens (ASOR/AITC). The monthly cohort meetings were designed to encourage student connections and promote professional development. Participants from Lebanon to California joined us over the course of the summer to participate in these lively, informative conversations via Zoom:听
Community, Mentorship, and Social Capital.听Our first cohort meeting centered around cultivating intentional relationships, both professional and personal. We asked, who are you currently in a community with? We encouraged participants to evaluate their present communities, identify need gaps, and develop a criteria for building relationships that help push them into purpose. We prioritized community over network to encourage genuine, human to human connections that foster more sustainable relationships. This is particularly relevant for the fields of Anthropology and Archaeology, where the work is first and foremost situated within the human experience.
Self Advocacy.听Our second gathering featured a discussion on finding, making space for, and using your voice in academia. The conversation focused on two phenomena particularly prominent among women and people of color: imposter syndrome and code switching. Imposter syndrome causes people to question their abilities, instilling a fear that they will be exposed as a fraud. Code switching is a strategic shift between language and/or vernacular to communicate more effectively with a given audience. However, the switch is often unidirectional and perpetuates a culture of assimilation to dominant power structures. We explored how these phenomena are fueled and perpetuated by systemic bias, and discussed how more inclusive practices and supportive academic environments can reduce their prevalence. Throughout the conversation, facilitators and participants exchanged tips and tricks for showing up in academia (and elsewhere) both authentically and confidently.
Academia Reimagined/Alternative Futures.听Our third meeting featured a panel of speakers who shared their experiences and advice on the academic world: Sarah Kielt Costello (University of Houston-Clear Lake), Jay Crisostomo (University of Michigan), Kate Sheeler (Cathedral High School), and Julia Troche (Missouri State University). Many of the Summer Stipend cohort members are interested in pursuing futures in education and all of our guests work in education, though in a variety of settings. They spoke about the experiences that shaped their careers/career paths: from graduate school to navigating the job market. We discussed what an alternative future in archaeology looks like, how to balance research and professional goals with personal well-being, and how the culture of academia is changing.
Future Fieldwork.听For this meeting, our cohort group was joined by Debra Foran (Wilfrid Laurier University), Rachel Hallotte (SUNY-Purchase), Morag Kersel (DePaul University), and Tom Roby (Getty Conservation Institute) for a conversation on the ins and outs of archaeological fieldwork. This was an interesting conversation since fieldwork has been on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Summer Stipend program was focused on non-fieldwork research. This pause in fieldwork offers time to reflect and be thoughtful about getting (or staying) involved with projects in the future. Our guest speakers offered perspectives from their own field projects and experiences, and the cohort students shared what they were looking for in fieldwork. Through this exchange, we identified important considerations for deciding what projects to join. Topics ranged from the professional (how to pick your first field project, how to stay involved long-term with a project, skills that you can gain from fieldwork, etc.) to the very practical (level of support, physical/mental effort required, school credit, project infrastructure, cost, living situations, etc.).听
A huge thank you to all of our guest speakers who joined us for these meetings to share their experiences and chat with the cohort!
To close out the Summer Stipend program, students are being paired with an 17吃瓜mentor. The goal is to give students a chance to connect with someone in their field who can encourage, support, and guide them along their career paths, and/or provide advice in a specific area (publishing, applying to grad school, etc.). Mentoring is also a major part of ASOR鈥檚 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. If you鈥檙e interested in mentoring students, please take a moment to fill out our听. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to be a mentor! You鈥檒l be hearing from us with more information about the mentorship program in the upcoming weeks.
Drone shot of El-Kurru, showing both the archaeological site in the foreground and the village in the background. El-Kurru was the site of the royal pyramid cemetery of the kings and queens of ancient Kush, ca. 850-350 BCE. Image taken by Kate Rose, 2019.
Receiving a summer stipend from 17吃瓜gave me the opportunity to work with Dr. Geoff Emberling on 鈥�,鈥� a community archaeology project centered around the Sudanese village of El-Kurru. Our project focuses on the ways in which we as archaeologists can work collaboratively with community members and Sudan as a whole to present El-Kurru and its heritage to audiences in both Arabic and English.
This work with El-Kurru village takes many forms, including a set of educational materials and worksheets for teachers that were completed earlier this year and will be workshopped in Sudanese schools this fall. Most of the work I did this summer, however, was on exhibit materials for the planned Community Heritage Center in El-Kurru. This heritage center will focus not only on the archaeological work done at El-Kurru, but also on the village鈥檚 local heritage and culture. Part of the materials I helped work through this summer were hundreds of photographs taken by El-Kurru residents. During the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons, the archaeological team ran a photo contest for the residents of El-Kurru, in which hundreds of photographs were submitted showcasing all aspects of life in the village. Part of our work this summer involved sorting through these photographs, choosing broader themes and categories for the exhibit, and then meeting virtually with our partners in El-Kurru, particularly our main contacts, Anwar Mahajoub and Sami Elamin, to decide which photos should be on display. These photos will be accompanied by captions written by the local photographers themselves. In addition to work on the heritage center, we also continued working on our plans for a children鈥檚 book and a short film about El-Kurru. We made significant progress this summer, and work will continue on all of these projects in the fall.
Two children at a wedding, taken by El-Kurru resident Marwa Mahajoob. One of the winning photos from the 2017 Photo Contest.
This deeply collaborative approach between archaeologists and El-Kurru residents is one of my favorite things about our project. All of the materials we are creating, from the heritage center to the children鈥檚 book, are things that the residents of El-Kurru themselves have requested, and we make sure that our local partners are consulted in every decision we make. My work with the 鈥淟iving in Nubia鈥� project has really shown me that archaeological research can and should be done in collaboration with, not just at the expense of, local communities, and this is something I will carry with me throughout the rest of my academic career.
Anwar Mahajoub (left), one of our main collaborators on the project, and Bakri Abdelmoneim, both from El-Kurru village, during filming of a short video at El-Kurru, 2019.
Shannon Burton is a recent graduate from the Classical Archaeology program at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include women in antiquity, archaeobotany, food production and cultivation practices, and community archaeology. She hopes to continue working with the 鈥淟iving in Nubia鈥� team, as well as go on her first excavation in Sudan in early 2022.
Project website link:听
During the summer of 2021, 17吃瓜supported 27 undergraduate and graduate students through the听Summer Stipend Program. These students undertook non-fieldwork archaeological research projects led by ASOR-affiliated project directors. They also took part in monthly cohort group meetings hosted via zoom.听Read a summary of听these cohort meetings here.
Stay tuned for more updates from the 2021 Summer Stipend recipients!
[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]17吃瓜partnered with Archaeology in the Community (AITC), a local D.C.-based organization specializing in archaeological education, to produce a series of educational videos and lesson plans on Ancient Nubia. The videos are designed for 6th grade teachers to use in fulfillment of Social Studies, Civics, and Geography requirements. Funding for this project was provided by all of the donors to ASOR’s Diversity Initiatives Endowment and the Argosy Foundation.
The Resources
Ancient Nubia Videos
The videos feature interviews with scholars who study Ancient Nubia: Dr. Solange Ashby (Egyptology-Nubiology), Debora Heard (Archaeology), Jenail Marshall (Bioarchaeology), and Dr. Shayla Monroe (Zooarchaeology). They were produced by Sydney A. Pickens, Ali Bavugamenshi, and Dr. Alexandra Jones. Music was provided by 2 Nice Guys Music Production (Teddy Burgh and Teddy Thompson).
The first video introduces Ancient Nubia, its history, geography, and environment. The scholars discuss Nubian religion and cultural traditions such as burial practices, attire, and cattle pastoralism. The first video also covers interactions between Kerma, the first Kingdom of Kush, and Ancient Egypt.[/vc_wp_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The second video beings with the second Kushite Kingdom at Napata and discusses a period of renaissance and revival of Egyptian customs and religion. The video covers royal cemeteries, pyramids, and burial customs as well as the role of the queen mother. It concludes with the final Kushite Kingdom of Meroe, including Meroitic writing systems, local religious traditions and animal deities, and powerful queens.
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Ancient Nubia Curriculum: Lesson Plans and Activities
The lesson plans and activities, created by AITC’s Sydney A. Pickens, meet social sciences requirements for Geography, Economics, Civics, and Historical Thinking and Inquiry. As a bonus, they also cover Cultural Identity and Expression. Activity sheets can be printed out and distributed to students. The Curriculum also includes a teacher kit with guidelines and answer keys for the various activities.
Video activity sheets include map quests, fill-in-the-blank sheets, word finds, diagram labelling, and word scrambles.
Learning to Look: Artifact Observation and Analysis. Curartorial Responsibilities.
33 Questions to Ask an Artifact
Loan Acquisition Pitch
Artifact Label Writing
Exhibition Tours
The Remix: Cultural Continuity, Change, and Comparison.
Pyramids
Shawabtis
Coffins & Sarcophagi
Ritual Smiting Scene
Who Tells Your Story: Primary Source Analysis and Uncovering Source Bias.
Kamose’s Second Stela at Karnak
Strabo’s Geography
Meroe虉 Head/Head of Augustus
Kawa V: Taharqa’s Donation Stela
Temple of Apedemak at Naqa
Senworset III: The Semna Stela
Acts of the Apostles VII: 26-39, KJV
The Baptism of Chamberlain and Queen Candace of Ethiopia
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The Process
Part 1: Research and Development
The team began by asking how to make a resource that will be useful for the greatest number of teachers. We wanted our Ancient Nubia resources to be easy to use for teachers and fit well within the requirements of what they need to teach. This involved a detailed examination of common core teaching standards across the U.S. Based on what we found, we chose to focus on educational resource for the 6th grade level.
It was important to the team to feature black scholars who study Ancient Nubia, so that students viewing the video could identify and see themselves in the scholars. We worked with members of the William Leo Hansberry Society as well as 17吃瓜members to find our scholar partners for the videos.[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]
Part 2: Filming and Editing
Solange Ashby and Debora Heard joined members of AITC’s team to film in July of 2021 at the James F. Strange Center in Alexandria, VA. Additional footage was shot by offsite by scholars in LA and Chicago and all editing was handled by AITC’s production team. All photos are courtesy of Dr. Alexandra Jones.[/vc_wp_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”76097″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1661274765133{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”76098″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1661450210742{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][mk_padding_divider][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”76100″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1661274967407{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”76101″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1661274982636{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][mk_padding_divider][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]
Part 3: What’s Next? Future Directions and Plans for More Resources
These videos and the accompanying lesson plans are freely-available on ASOR’s website in the Online Resources section and on . The videos are also available on both ASOR’s and AITC’s YouTube channels. Help us spread the word to teachers and educators you know and inspire others to create educational resources such as these![/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
With funds from the听Joe D. Seger Excavation Grant, several hundred line drawing illustrations were prepared for the final report on the Early Bronze Age (third millennium BCE) excavations at Tell Umm el-Marra, Syria.听 The excavation project was sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Amsterdam.
Umm el-Marra was probably the site of ancient Tuba, capital of a kingdom in the Jabbul plain between Aleppo and the Euphrates valley in northern Syria.听 In the Early Bronze Age occupation, the earliest at the site, the excavations exposed a complex with ten monumental elite tombs.听 These included well-preserved mausoleums with luxury artifacts of gold, silver, and lapis lazuli.听 Also of particular interest were installations containing the skeletons of equids and other animals, indicative of sacrificial rituals and interments accompanying the main tombs.听 It is likely that the equids were the donkey x onager hybrids referred to as听办耻苍驳补蝉听in Early Bronze Age texts, highly valued and associated with royalty.听 The Umm el-Marra equids constitute the first archaeological attestation of these special animals.听Given these results, the Umm el-Marra necropolis provides a highly unusual and large body of information on ancient Syrian elite mortuary practices and beliefs, including ancestor veneration and animal sacrifice.
Tomb 1, Skeletons B and C.
Among the illustrations produced with the assistance of the Seger Grant were architectural plans of the tombs (see Chapter 2 fig. 75), the equid installations (see Chapter 2 fig. 89), and architecture outside the tomb area (see Chapter 2 fig. 201).听 Plates of pottery drawings were produced for each Early Bronze occupation phase (see Chapter 3 fig. 2) and for pottery from the tombs (see Chapter 3 fig. 36).听 Further, drawings of non-ceramic finds were produced (see Chapter 4 fig. 179 and fig. 221).
Plan of Tomb 4. Chapter 2, Fig. 75.
Equid Installation. Chapter 2, Fig. 89.
Period VI ceramics. Chapter 3, Fig. 2.
Tomb 4, upper layer ceramics. Chapter 3, Fig. 36.
Chapter 4, Fig. 221.
Chapter 4, Fig. 179.
The manuscript of the book, preliminarily titled听Animals, Ancestors and Ritual in Early Bronze Age Syria: An Elite Mortuary Complex from Umm el-Marra, was accepted for publication, pending revisions, by Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press, UCLA, in December 2021.
Beginning in late 2021, 17吃瓜Cultural Heritage Initiatives (CHI) and its partners developed a series of tutorials and training modules in English, French, and Arabic aimed to help cultural heritage specialists perform surveys and condition assessments through open source tools and software, including QGIS, KoboToolbox, LibreCAD, and MetaShape. Through these tutorials, the 17吃瓜CHI team has trained hundreds of archaeology professionals, university students, and heritage enthusiasts in northern Africa, in the Sahel region of western Africa, and in America. This summer, 17吃瓜CHI is in the process of updating these tutorials, including adding new techniques and analytical tools. Work on these resources has been made possible by a grant from an anonymous donor.
While the goal of this project is to assist heritage professionals in documenting and mapping sites, these tutorials are also an excellent resource for anyone in the 17吃瓜community who is looking to learn new skills and take advantage of open source software. 17吃瓜remains committed to providing open-access online resources such as these for the benefit of the entire 17吃瓜community.
17吃瓜Director for North African Cultural Heritage Projects
Dr. Hanan Charaf conducting KoboToolbox training with members of the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in Morocco.
KoBoToolbox and听KoBoCollect Application: open source software package for location and descriptive data collection听in the field can then be synched up with GIS software
Mapping Activities
QGIS:听free and open source Geographic Information System (GIS)
LibreCAD: free open source computer-aided design (CAD) application for 2D design
Photogrammetry using听Agisoft Metashape:听software that performs photogrammetric processing of digital images and generates 3D spatial data
Dr. Charaf leading on-site training with the HAF team at a synagogue in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Summer has arrived at the Strange Center! Staff are still working remotely, with one staff member coming into the office to check mail a couple of times per week. One of the last moves we made before closing down in March 2020 was purchase a beautiful Queen Anne desk that will eventually find it鈥檚 home in one of our staff offices.
Orchid blooming in the Strange Center.
The first floor houses Andy鈥檚 and Meagan鈥檚 office spaces, and also contains the kitchen and work space for processing mail, printing, and scanning. The second floor has the ACOR/CAARI office, Marta and Felice鈥檚 offices, and the conference room. The third floor of the Strange Center is still empty and we hope to see the space being used by new colleagues and research associates in the upcoming years. We look forward to hosting our 17吃瓜family at the Strange Center as travel and social interaction become easier.
Last fall saw the arrival of our Eastern Redbud tree in front of the building, made possible by William Andreas and planted in honor of China Shelton (ACOR, CAARI). The tree is now well-established and even bloomed a little this spring. We look forward to many more years of showy pink-purple blossoms in the spring and some much-needed shade during hot Alexandria summers.
Redbud tree in June.
The first blooms of the redbud tree in March.
King St. construction.
Construction of a multi-purpose building on King St. behind the Strange Center started this spring. The four-story building will have a mix of condos, retail, and restaurant space. The building will incorporate a historical building on the corner of King St. and Payne St. that previously housed a restaurant, as well as a parking lot next to it. So far, the construction seems to be going smoothly and there were even some archaeologists surveying and test-pitting the lot this spring.
Our neighborhood in Old Town Alexandria is primed for summer with arrival of a new neighbor across the street, Goodies Frozen Custard and Treats. Goodies occupies a previously unused old ice house (ca. 1931) on Commerce St., a perfect setting for frozen treats. They just opened Memorial Day weekend.
Ice House across from the Strange Center.
17吃瓜Summer Hours
As in previous years, 17吃瓜staff have the option of taking a half day on Fridays during June, July, and August, with the understanding they will work the extra hours earlier in the week. This means that after听12:30 PM ET听on Fridays, 17吃瓜staff may not be around to answer emails and office phones. 17吃瓜staff are grateful for the chance to have a somewhat longer weekend during the summer months. Normal hours will resume in the first week of September and we look forward to the day when we are all back in the Strange Center.
Rita Lucarelli receives a National Endowment for Humanities Summer Stipend
Congratulations to 17吃瓜member Rita Lucarelli听on being awarded a听听for research leading to the publication of her book听Agents of Punishment and Protection. Assessing the Demonic in First Millennium BCE Egypt.听NEH鈥檚 summer stipends are designed to support scholars in preparation of a book, article, translation, archaeological report, or digital publication.
Lucarelli is Associate Professor of Egyptology in the Near Eastern Studies department, Faculty Curator of Egyptology at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, and Fellow of Digital Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley . She holds a MA in Classical Languages and Egyptology from the University of Naples 鈥淟鈥橭rientale,鈥� Italy and a PhD from Leiden University. Her dissertation,听The Book of the Dead of Gatseshen: Ancient Egyptian Funerary Religion in the 10th Century BC, was published in 2006. Lucarelli鈥檚 current research centers around creating 3D models of ancient Egyptian coffins and examining the magical spells decorating these coffins as case-studies for investigating the materiality of the text in relation to ancient Egyptian funerary literature. She is one of the coordinators of Demonthings: The Ancient Egyptian Demonology Project and a frequent participant in ASOR鈥檚 Annual Meeting.
Detail from pedestal of inner coffin of Meretites, Nelson Atkins Museum, Kansas City MO, Inv. No.2007.12.2.A-B. (Photo by Kea Johnston.)
Agents of Punishment and Protection. Assessing the Demonic in First Millennium BCE Egypt
Demonology is an integral, though often neglected aspect of the ancient Egyptian religion. Defining 鈥渄emons鈥� poses issues of ontological classification, especially when dealing with an ancient civilization whose sources of study are not always descriptive neither comprehensive. In the ancient Egyptian magical texts and representations, a variegated series of liminal beings act as agents of punishment but also of protection towards the living and the dead. A contextualized and in-depth study of each of the available sources, which will be carried out in the proposed book-project, is necessary to understand the role that those agents played in the ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and how people would communicate with demons through magical practices and the help of professional ritualists. By assessing the existence of an ancient Egyptian demonology, the author will also attempt a comparative study with other discourses on demons in the ancient world.
From Lepsius, K.R, Das Todtenbuch der 脛gypter (nach dem hieroglyphischen Papyrus in Turin. (http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeumdok/467/)
This year the National Endowment for the Humanities provided $24 million in grants to support 225 humanities projects nationwide. The National Humanities Alliance released the following statement from its Executive Director Stephen Kidd on this April NEH announcement:
鈥淭he National Endowment for the Humanities will support Dialogues on the Experience of War programs for veterans in Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Virginia. With grants for research, preservation, and curricular innovation, the NEH will continue its crucial support of the humanities in higher education. And in addition to supporting exhibitions and podcasts, grants for public programs will support a nationwide reading and discussion program on women鈥檚 suffrage.鈥�
鈥淲e are immensely proud of the NEH鈥檚 impact across the U.S. and will continue advocating for increased federal support for future grants in 2021 and beyond.鈥�
听
17吃瓜encourages all of our members to consider applying for NEH grants and fellowships. Applications for NEH鈥檚 2022 summer stipends will be available May 5th. The deadline for submission is September 22, 2021.听.
[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]On January 1, 2021, Jennie Ebeling (Department of Archaeology and Art History, University of Evansville) assumed the editorship of ASOR鈥檚 Archaeological Report Series (ASOR-ARS), replacing Hanan Charaf, who edited the series for the previous six years. Jennie wishes to thank Hanan for her excellent work as ASOR-ARS editor and looks forward to working with chair of the 17吃瓜Publications Committee Kevin McGeough, editor of the Annual of 17吃瓜(AASOR) series William Caraher, and colleagues who are interested in publishing the results of their fieldwork with ASOR. She is particularly interested in working to develop ASOR鈥檚 digital publication program and looks forward to exploring new possibilities for archaeological site publication.
ASOR鈥檚 Archaeological Report Series,听whose first published volume appeared in 1991, is devoted to the publication of:
final excavation reports
surveys
ethnoarchaeological fieldwork
All time periods are considered for publication and excavation projects need not be ASOR-affiliated. ARS will continue to publish works on those regions 17吃瓜has been historically involved with, but will also seek novel scholarship on regions and topics beyond the boundaries of its traditional mandate, and of interest to its growing and diverse membership. There are no length requirements for ARS and volumes are not published on any fixed schedule. The most recent volume, ARS 27, Caesarea Maritima Excavations in the Old City 1989-2003 Conducted by the University of Maryland and the University of Haifa, Final Reports, Volume 1: The Temple Platform (Area TP), Neighboring Quarters (Area TPS and Z), and the Inner Harbor Quays (Area I): Hellenistic Evidence, King Herod鈥檚 Harbor Temple, Intermediate Occupation, and the Octagonal Harbor Church (edited by Kenneth G. Holum), was published in November 2020.
ARS also publishes the CAARI Monographs, a sub-series dedicated to Cyprus. This sub-series may include conference proceedings, final excavation reports, and essays pertaining to the history and archaeology of Cyprus. Cyprus and the Balance of Empires: Art and Archaeology from Justinian I to the Coeur de Lion听is the most recent CAARI Monograph and is available for purchase through the ISD website.
Information on the submission process can be found on the .
For further information, please contact Jennie at jennie.ebeling@gmail.com.[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]
ANNUAL OF ASOR NEWS
[/vc_column_text][mk_divider][vc_column_text]Last year, Bill Caraher took over the editorship of the Annual of 17吃瓜(AASOR)听from Kevin McGeough, who took on the position of Chair of the 17吃瓜Committee on Publications. With his continued support and encouragement and the collaboration of the Committee on Publications and of Jennie Ebeling, the new editor of the ARS, the Annual of ASOR embarks upon its second century of publication as a meaningful contributor to ASOR’s mission.
The Annual of ASOR was first published in 1920 making it ASOR’s oldest continuing publication, although its role has changed dramatically since its inception. Originally, A17吃瓜published articles that would now be published in BASOR or JCS. Later, it became a venue for the presentation of site reports and cuneiform tablets (specifically the Nuzi materials). Both of these types of publications are now more appropriate for ARS or the JCS Supplemental Series.
In recent years, a variety of materials have been offered as A17吃瓜volumes 鈥� festschriften, collections of essays, final reports, and the results of historic projects. Given its eclectic past contents and the mandates of ASOR’s other series and journals, now is a good time to clarify the mandate of the Annual. The defining character of the Annual is its flexibility. Over the last decade, this has allowed us to concentrate on a few key areas and A17吃瓜has become a suitable location for:
Specialist studies that are perhaps too long or otherwise unsuitable for journal publication.
Publications of legacy material from projects that are no longer active in the field or in the regular publication of results.
Collections of articles on topics of interest to 17吃瓜members and the discipline of archaeology more broadly.
As A17吃瓜enters its second century of publishing, we’re particularly interested in publishing works that explore new approaches to archaeological publishing including publications that include digital data, novel interpretative strategies, and new ways of narrating the process of archaeological knowledge making.
by Megan Perry, with tribute quotations by 17吃瓜presidents and other leaders
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Arte and Martha Joukowsky in 2006. (Photo credit Barbara A. Porter)
Artemis A.W. Joukowsky, a long-time friend and supporter of ASOR, passed away on December 11, 2020 at the age of 89 due to complications of COVID-19. Arte had strong ties to Near Eastern archaeology, serving as President of the ACOR Board of Trustees for almost 20 years and assisting his wife Dr. Martha Sharp Joukowsky in her archaeological research and fieldwork in Jordan. Arte was born in Shanghai, China and immigrated as a child to New York with his family. He attended Brown University as part of the class of 1955, and later worked for American International Group (AIG), which took him and his family to many parts of the world, including Turkey and Lebanon. He maintained a strong and meaningful relationship with his alma mater, eventually serving as a Trustee, then Vice Chancellor and Chancellor, and finally as Chancellor Emeritus, along with other honorary positions.
Probably the most meaningful outcome of his time at Brown was meeting his beloved wife, Martha Sharp when they were both undergraduate students. Martha introduced Arte to the world of archaeology during their overseas stints and since 1982, as an archaeology faculty member at Brown University. After fieldwork in Lebanon, Hong Kong, Turkey, Italy, and Greece, Martha directed the Petra Great Temple Excavations in Jordan from 1993 to 2009. Arte joined Martha and her excavation team, which sometimes included other members of their family, in the field almost every summer and served as the official dig photographer. In 2004, Arte and Martha鈥檚 dedication to archaeological research culminated in the establishment at Brown of the Artemis A.W. and Martha Sharp Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, which has served as the home institution for many 17吃瓜members. Arte and his family鈥檚 foundation also supported archaeological research and conservation projects and assisted local communities Jordan.
Arte presents ACOR Board member Mohammad Asfour the Distinguished Service Award in 1993. (Photo credit Bill Lyons)
Arte was involved with 17吃瓜largely through his role as President of ACOR鈥檚 Board from 1992 until 2011. Dr. Pierre Bikai, then Director of ACOR, knew Arte and Martha from their days in Lebanon in the 1960s and 1970s and felt the institution could benefit from his executive experience and connections. As president, Arte ensured ACOR鈥檚 financial survival during the difficult years after the First Gulf War and provided stalwart leadership as the institution grew both in size and scope in the 1990s and 2000s. Arte and his close friend Professor Jim Wiseman were both financially and administratively instrumental in securing ASOR鈥檚 long-time Boston home in Kenmore Square. His accomplishments were recognized in 2007 with a W.F. Albright Service Award presented at the 17吃瓜Annual Meeting in San Diego. ASOR鈥檚 past president Tim Harrison noted that Arte provided support and wise counsel in his early years serving as 17吃瓜president. Arte鈥檚 advice was sought and given to many.
Arte had a generous spirit, welcoming visitors with open arms at both the Great Temple excavation and at his and Martha鈥檚 home in Providence. He took great pride in showing off the work of Martha and her team while serving as the unofficial site steward. Arte quickly grew to love Jordan and its inhabitants and worked to give back to ACOR鈥檚 host country. In addition to his service to ACOR, Arte was a trustee of the King Hussein Foundation and received the Order of Independence medal from Jordan in 1996.
Arte is survived by his wife Martha Sharp Joukowsky, their three children, Nina Joukowsky Kopr眉l眉, Artemis Joukowsky III, and Michael Joukowsky, and eight grandchildren.
-Megan Perry
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Arte was a true gentleman whether in the field or in a Board room. Always nattily attired and full of warmth and vigor, it was always a pleasure to engage with him one way or another. He and Martha were a pair to be admired in so many ways. His efforts in behalf of 17吃瓜in getting space at BU for so many years was only one of the many ways he was helpful to the 17吃瓜family, especially ACOR. He will be sorely missed.
Eric Meyers
Past 17吃瓜President, 1990鈥�1996 and 2006鈥�2007
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As President of the Albright Institute and later of 17吃瓜I had the great pleasure of working for many years with Arte Joukowsky, ACOR鈥檚 long term Board Chair. While a determined promoter of ACOR, 听Arte took full view of the big picture of American archaeological work in the Middle East and provided formative support for 17吃瓜and all of its overseas affiliates. This was featured specially in his initiative which gave the 17吃瓜family a rent-free home at BU for two decades and led to the formation of the 鈥�656 Beacon Street Affiliates鈥� group where the leadership of 17吃瓜and the centers met annually for discussion on issues of mutual support. Arte was a thoughtful and most constructive participant in these meetings. He was also in all situations a most congenial host. I recall especially how warmly he received and accommodated me (and assuredly also other visitors) on a visit to Petra while Martha was excavating there. His formative support and leadership will be sincerely missed by ACOR and the whole 17吃瓜family.
Joe Seger Past 17吃瓜President, 1996鈥�2003
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From the start, I felt a special affinity for Arte Joukowsky because we both grew up in China during World War II. I came to know him, though, through Martha and her enviable archaeological reputation. As vice-president for ACOR, and chair of its search for a president, it fell my lot to travel to Brown and talk Arte into filling that role鈥攁nd what an amazing transformation in ACOR he was responsible for! Working with Pierre and Patricia Bikai, and later, with Barbara Porter, they put ACOR on a sound financial footing that has enabled its unparalleled success. Arte’s enthusiastic support for Martha’s work at Petra’s Great Temple, in and out of the field, was inspiring to behold. When I became 17吃瓜president, I looked to Arte for counsel and advice鈥攕omething I could always count on. In addition to his generous financial support for both ACOR and ASOR, he was ever ready and available to share his considerable administrative and business acumen with me during ASOR’s consolidation in Boston. Both 17吃瓜and I have lost one of our most avid and dependable supporters but his heritage and influence live on to make us a stronger society.
Lawrence T. Geraty听 Past 17吃瓜President, 2003鈥�2006
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Arte was a tenacious champion for ASOR, as he was for so many other institutions and organizations dedicated to the study of the ancient world. This included timely interventions at critical moments in ASOR鈥檚 history, and it took on a very personal focus for me during the rocky early months of my first term, when he provided a steadying hand and wise counsel to a woefully inexperienced and unsure president. I will never forget our quiet conversations at the annual meetings, usually with a favorite drink in hand, and I will be forever grateful of his unwavering support and encouragement during that turbulent time. His calming influence helped instill confidence we could work through the seemingly insurmountable challenges we confronted, especially the deep structural deficits and organizational problems we faced, when so many others doubted ASOR鈥檚 future. Arte will be dearly missed. We have lost a true champion and friend. Thankfully, Martha and he have left a rich legacy that will live on, ensuring their shared passion for the study of the ancient world will continue to thrive and flourish.
Tim Harrison
Past 17吃瓜President, 2007鈥�2013
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Together with his wife Martha, Arte Joukowsky was one of ASOR’s most generous lifetime donors, and he was always generous with his time and wisdom as well. 17吃瓜counted him as a dear and forever friend.
Susan Ackerman
Past 17吃瓜President, 2014鈥�2019
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17吃瓜has been truly blessed since its inception by a cadre of generous benefactors from the 鈥渞eal鈥� world who have provided sage advice, organizational acumen, and financial resources that greatly enhance our wide-reaching endeavors. Arte Joukowsky was legendary among these for his energy, wisdom, and good will. We will miss him.
Sharon C. Herbert
17吃瓜President, 2020鈥損resent
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I became director of ACOR in May of 1991 when the effects of the first Gulf War had seriously impacted the institution. It was, in effect, closed and I needed help. So I called my friend of twenty years, Arte, and asked him if he would be willing to become the chair. He said yes and over the next fifteen years we worked together and laughed together and made ACOR the strong institution that it is now.
Pierre Michel Bikai
Past Director of ACOR
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I was fortunate to know Arte and his family since the late 1960s in Lebanon, and in the late 1970s in New York City. However it was the years working with him as ACOR Board President after I became the ACOR Director in 2006 that provided the chance to get to know him even better, and also benefit from his guidance and profound care for Jordan and ACOR. Special trips to Petra when he was there with Martha and the Brown team afforded me a chance to spend special time with them and so too visits to their wonderful home in Providence. He helped and influenced many individuals, including myself, and that is part of his legacy.
Barbara A. Porter
Past Director of ACOR
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Artemis Joukowsky was a person of great intelligence and an extraordinary leader. When assuming the presidency of the ACOR Board of Trustees in 1992 he demanded a thorough and long overdue review of ACOR’s mission, bylaws, and reorganization of its board. He then led a major fund-raising drive, funded in large part from his own resources, that literally saved ACOR from a precarious financial predicament in the aftermath of the First Gulf War. His leadership and personal generosity continued in the following years as ACOR paid off the mortgage on its permanent headquarters, expanded its physical plant and programs, and began building a significant endowment. He effectively delegated responsibility among the officers and other members of the ACOR board in order to fulfill its role while trusting in the administrative leadership of the ACOR Directors, initially Pierre and Patricia Bikai and then Barbara Porter. During Arte’s two decades (1992-2011) as President of the Board of Trustees, ACOR was literally transformed into one of the leading research centers of the Middle East.
17吃瓜mourns the passing of long-time member and trustee, Norma Kershaw, 讝状诇鈥� (1924 鈥� 2020), who passed away peacefully at her home in Mission Viejo, CA on September 14, at age 95. We share our condolences with Norma’s two daughters (Barbara Tiferet Rosenthal and Janet Kershaw McClennan), her son-in-law (Jeffrey Rosenthal), her four grandchildren, and her two great grandchildren.
Norma was born in New York City on New Year’s Eve in 1924. After helping her husband Reuben grow his real estate development business in Great Neck, and after rearing their children (Barbara and Janet), she went back to school. She completed the B.A. degree (Phi Beta Kappa) in anthropology and art history at Queens College in 1972. Two years later, she earned the M.A. degree in art history and archaeology from Columbia University.
Jim Sauer, Norma Kershaw, and Joan Scheuer visiting Tell Qarqar, Syria
Norma was an 17吃瓜member for more than 50 years, and a trustee or honorary trustee for 40 years. She began excavating in 1971 at Gezer in Israel, and she also participated in excavations at Aphek (Israel) and Salamis (Cyprus). She was elected to the 17吃瓜Board of Trustees in 1979, and was elected an Honorary Trustee in 1988. She was the founding President of CAARI鈥擳he Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute, and she later served as its Treasurer. Among leadership positions in ASOR, she served as chair of 17吃瓜Tours, and later as chair of 17吃瓜Outreach and Lectures. She was passionate and well-loved teacher of archaeology and the ancient world, and she converted many of the students in her classes into supporters of archaeology and archaeological societies. She was the recipient of ASOR’s most prestigious award鈥擳he Richard Jonas Scheuer Medal. Not only was Norma a learned scholar and teacher, but she and Reuben were generous supporters of archaeological societies and academic institutions. She was the primary supporter of News@ASOR since its inception.
While we will miss Norma dearly, we remember and celebrate her life and many accomplishments. We have included three remembrances below: a detailed and complete remembrance by Thomas Levy, and two additional remembrances by William Schniedewind, and Andrew Vaughn.[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]Remembering Norma Kershaw 讝状诇鈥� (1924 鈥� 2020)
Thomas E. Levy, Distinguished Professor and Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands, University of California San Diego.
Norma loved the archaeology of Israel and the Middle East and she expressed this through a life-time of study, teaching, service and philanthropy. In Norma鈥檚 adult life journey, she was supported by her loving husband Rueben, known affectionately as Rube.
Tom and Alina Levy with Norma Kershaw
They were married in 1951 and celebrated their 61st anniversary before Rube passed away. After raising their children Barbara and Janet, in Great Neck, NY, Norma decided at the age of 43, to pursue her dreams of higher education. In an interview with the LA Times in 1996 Norma said that Rube asked, “Why do you want to go to school? You鈥檙e doing fine.”
And she said it was true鈥斺�淚 had a lot of friends; I was on the New York state higher education committee; I was active in the League of Women Voters; I was legislative chair for the school district. Things were OK, but I told [Rube], 鈥業 just have to do this. I feel very incomplete.鈥� I wanted to go when I was younger, but we didn鈥檛 have the money.鈥� Norma went on to Queens College for her B.A. degree and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and then earned a Master鈥檚 degree in Archaeology and Art History from Columbia University, where she studied with the eminent art historian and archaeologist Edith Porada, graduating at the age of 49.
In 1970 while working on her B.A. degree, Norma met archaeologist William G. Dever at that American Institute of Archaeology (AIA) annual meetings that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dever would go on to become one of the most prominent Biblical Archaeologists. At the time, Dever was working with the great American archaeologist, Nelson Glueck, at the Hebrew Union College excavations at the famous Biblical site of Tel Gezer in Israel. Dever insisted that if Norma was serious about archaeology, she should join the expedition and 鈥榞et her hands dirty鈥� exposing the past. The following summer of 1971, Norma traveled to Israel and joined the excavation.
Norma at Tel Aphek, 1975
It was at Tel Gezer that summer, when I was 17 years old, that I had the good fortune to meet Norma down in the trenches. I was impressed that an 鈥渙lder woman鈥�, in her early 40s was doing archaeology. Norma went on to join other excavations in Israel, Cyprus and Egypt, traveling extensively around the world, and often bringing her daughters to experience the excitement of archaeology and the world鈥檚 best museums. In the early 1980s, when I served as the Assistant Director of the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem, Norma made one of her many visits to Israel and the Albright Institute. Norma loved the 鈥楢lbright鈥� because of its unique mission and ability to bring together Israeli and researchers working in the Palestinian territories and neighboring Arab lands together in dialogue.
Norma enjoyed being at the center of cutting-edge archaeology in the United States. In 1968, she helped establish the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Long Island Society, where she served as president from 1977 to 1981. In 1976, she became a life-member of the AIA and received their distinguished Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award in 1989. From 1980 to 1985 Norma served as the travel editor of the AIA鈥檚 ARCHAEOLOGY magazine. She also served as a founding editorial board member of Biblical Archaeology Review until she passed away. Shortly after moving to southern California, Norma founded the AIA鈥檚 Orange County Society in 1991, serving as its first president, and in 1992 joined the AIA Governing Board. In 1996, she was named the first female (and up until now, the only) Trustee Emerita of the AIA. It was her desire to share the significance of archaeology for world culture that infused Norma鈥檚 drive to play a role in so many of these scholarly institutions and museums.
In 1990, Rube and Norma retired to Mission Viejo, California, to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. Norma accelerated her archaeological and museum service in SoCal, becoming a founding member and devoted supporter of the American Research Center in Egypt, Orange County (ARCE-OC) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. In 2007, the museum named their new 300-seat auditorium the Norma Kershaw Auditorium. Norma loved to attend lectures there and always took studious notes on how each speaker could improve their future presentations. Following their lecture, Norma would button-hole the distinguished speaker and explain how they could reach the public more effectively. These suggestions were made not as a critic, but rather as a partner.
Norma was a devoted member of 17吃瓜because it is the oldest, most distinguished and flagship organization for archaeological researchers from the United States and Canada working in the Middle East. Norma gave generously to the Albright Institute in east Jerusalem, where she became an honorary trustee. There is a garden in the back of the Albright Institute that bears her name and provides sanctuary for scholars from all religions and backgrounds meeting in the Holy City. Love for the archaeology of the island of Cyprus led Norma to become a 1978 founder and first president of CAARI鈥攖he Cyprus American Archaeological Research Center in Nicosia. She was elected as an 17吃瓜Trustee in 1979, and she became an honorary trustee of 17吃瓜in 1988, earning the Richard J. Scheuer Medal in 1997 and the Charles U. Harris Service Award in 2014.
When Norma and Rube first moved to Southern California, they thought about purchasing a palatial home near a golf course. However, as Norma reflected some years later, they decided they didn鈥檛 need a big house. Instead, they would rather use much of their wealth to support the institutions named above and local universities. It is in this context that I reconnected with Norma, and she and the Kershaw family became very close to my wife Alina and me, as they attended events at UC San Diego.
Sitting: Reuben and Norma Kershaw, D. N. Freedman Top: R. Friedman, J. Katzin, L. Stager, B. Halpern, T. Levy
In January of 2006, the UC San Diego Judaic (now Jewish) Studies Program (JSP) hosted an impressive evening around the topic of the Hebrew Bible and Archaeology at the campus Faculty Club for the JSP Board of Visitors, faculty and graduate students. Norma and Rube traveled down from Orange County to attend the celebratory event marking several decades since the founding of the program. Former University of California President and Former UC San Diego Chancellor Richard Atkinson welcomed the guests; the moderator was Jerome Katzin, an important philanthropist to our university, a founder of JSP, and an old Great Neck friend of Norma. At this time, JSP focused on the Hebrew Bible and Archaeology and our program was considered one of the finest in the United States. The faculty included Hebrew Bible scholars Professors David Noel Freedman 讝状诇, Richard (Dick) Elliott Friedman, William H.C. Propp, Second Temple Period scholar David Goodblatt 讝状诇, and me鈥擫evantine and Biblical archaeology. Norma knew and highly respected Noel Freedman who she had meet when he served as Director of the Albright Institute in 1976鈥�1977. Archaeology and Biblical Studies were the topics dearest to Norma, and by the end of the evening, she approached Dick. Later that evening, he called me at home to say, 鈥淣orma wants to endow a Chair for you.鈥� I had to ask Dick to repeat this incredible news three times.
Top: W. Dever, W. Propp, T. Levy, D. Goodblatt, J. Magness Sitting: Reuben and Norma Kershaw
Later that year, in the spring quarter, the Jewish Studies Program hosted a public event to celebrate the inauguration of the UC San Diego Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands at the university鈥檚 beautiful Institute of the Americas with a symposium on Biblical Archaeology. Over 250 people attended the event that included lectures by leading scholars including William G. Dever, David Noel Freedman 讝状诇, Richard Elliott Friedman, William Propp, David Goodblatt 讝状诇, Jodi Magness, Lawrence Stager 讝状诇, Ron Hendel, and Baruch Halpern. Norma played an important part in organizing the event, the program, table layout, menu, and protocols, even insisting on having a team of belly-dancers. It was important for her to use an event such as the establishment of the Chair to build positive relationships between scholars, the administration, and the public to strengthen archaeology in American society.
Tom Levy, Norma Kershaw, James Cameron, and Suzy Amis
Following the conference, I was privileged to edit a book to honor Norma entitled Historical Biblical Archaeology and the Future鈥擳he New Pragmatism (Equinox, UK) that included papers by the speakers and more friends, colleagues, and students including: Shlomo Bunimovitz, Avraham Faust, David Ilan, Aaron Burke, Miroslav Barta, Aaron Brody, Assaf Yasur-Landau, Ann Killebrew, Eveline van der Steen, Daniel Frese, Tara Carter, William Schniedewind, Aren Meir and Alex Joffe. Around the same time that Norma established the Norma Kershaw Chair at UC San Diego, she also generously endowed a chair at UCLA, where Hebrew Bible scholar William Schniedewind became the inaugural holder of the Kershaw Chair of Ancient Mediterranean Studies. Today, this chair is held by UCLA archaeologist Aaron Burke. Thanks to the Norma Kershaw Chair at UC San Diego and its research mission, my students, colleagues and I have been able to carry out field work in Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and India, all leading to a variety of published works. Norma took great pleasure in lending a hand to these expeditions and was always excited to hear about the results of the latest project when we returned from the field.
Norma and Rube Kershaw were part of what Tom Brokaw calls 鈥楾he Greatest Generation;鈥� people who grew up in the Depression. Rube was part of the American forces who fought the Nazis in North Africa during World War II. As a Jewish family who prospered in post-war United States, the Kershaw鈥檚 deeply believed in the American university system and professional institutions and wanted to contribute to strengthening them for the future. As the 17吃瓜community and the UC San Diego Jewish Studies Program reflects on Norma鈥檚 unique contribution to the study of Levantine archaeology in the United States, we can only hope that the UC San Diego will live up to Norma鈥檚 gift and fill the Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands with a new archaeology hire when the current holder of this esteemed position retires. To Norma鈥檚 family – May the Omnipresent comfort you among the rest of the mourners of Zion and听Jerusalem 鈥�
讛诪拽讜诐 讬谞讞诐 讗转讻诐 讘转讜讱 砖讗专 讗讘诇讬 爪讬讜谉 讜讬专讜砖诇讬诐[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]William M. Schniedewind, Professor of Biblical Studies & NWS Languages, Inaugural Kershaw Chair in Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Director of Graduate & Undergraduate Studies, Near Eastern Languages & Cultures Department, UCLA.
Reuben and Norma Kershaw with William Schniedewind
I am profoundly saddened by the passing of Norma Kershaw. Norma passed away on September 14, 2020, at her home in Mission Viejo. She was a visionary, benefactor, and my friend.
I met Norma just twenty-five years ago while giving a public lecture in Riverside, CA. I was a young scholar, but she was a force of nature even at 70 years old. Norma started her academic pursuits later in life, completing a B.A. at Queens College and then an M.A. in Art History and Archaeology from Columbia University at the age of 49. She worked on the excavation at Gezer with the Hebrew Union College and traveled extensively doing excavations and research in Israel, Cyprus, and Egypt. She taught at various colleges as a lecturer and won a distinguished teaching award from Hofstra University.
Her husband, Rube, and Norma retired to Mission Viejo in 1990, and she had a vision to build the study of archaeology and ancient Israel in Southern California. She was a founding member and avid supporter of various institutions like the Orange County chapters of the American Schools of Oriental Research, the Archaeological Institute of America, the Biblical Archaeology Society, and the Bowers Museum. She was there for every lecture at the Bowers Museum (where she donated the Kershaw Auditorium). Norma was always steering and advising the advancement of archaeology, Egyptology, and particularly the archaeology of Israel.
She was also an avid supporter of the Albright Institute of Archaeology in Jerusalem. Indeed, one of the things that I admired about Norma was the practicality of her vision. At the Albright, for example, she endowed the 鈥淜ershaw Garden,鈥� a courtyard where scholars would meet every afternoon to discuss their work, enjoy some tea or beer, and develop lifelong relationships. And she wanted to make sure scholarship was accessible through sponsoring lectures at the Bowers or her synagogue.
I was honored in 2007 to be the first holder of the Kershaw Term Chair in Ancient Eastern Mediterranean Studies at UCLA. Norma also endowed a Chair in the Archaeology of Israel at UCSD (see above). These Chairs were a vehicle to support Norma鈥檚 vision for the archaeology of Israel. The UCLA Chair, in particular, supports graduate students, as well as the excavations at Jaffa, and now at Tel Dan.
Norma鈥檚 legacy will live on in her daughters, Janet and Barbara, as well as in all the people and institutions that she touched and supported. Her memory is indeed a blessing.[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]Andrew G. Vaughn, 17吃瓜Executive Director
I received my first letter from Norma in December 2006, a few weeks before I officially started my position as 17吃瓜Executive Director. Of course I had heard of Norma and her involvement in 17吃瓜and other institutions, but I had never had a conversation with her. Her warm, yet direct letter would be the first of several dozen notes and cards, countless phone calls, and many visits in her home and elsewhere in southern California. Within a few weeks, Norma volunteered to be a counselor and adviser. She was talented scholar, gifted teacher, and one of ASOR’s most generous supporters. I am truly thankful for all of those things, but I will remember her most as a loyal, dear friend and encouraging mentor.
Norma at Tel Aphek, 1987
Norma became involved with 17吃瓜more 50 years ago鈥攕he first visited the AIAR in 1968鈥攜et it seems that she has always been a part of the 17吃瓜family. Indeed, when then 17吃瓜President Joe Seger presented Norma with the Richard J. Scheuer Medal (ASOR’s highest honor) in 1997, he observed as much. As noted above, Norma became involved in archaeology in her early 40s at Gezer, and she continued through the 80s at Salamis (Cyprus) and at Tel Aphek (see photo to the right above).
C. Meyers, A. Vaughn, E. Meyers, N. Kershaw
The first reference to Norma in the minutes of the 17吃瓜Board () was in 1979, when she was elected as a trustee. The minutes and everyone’s memories reflect that Norma played a critical role in the governance and support of 17吃瓜for the next 40 years. In 1983, she was instrumental in starting 17吃瓜Tours, and she included a fundraising component in those trips (see the photo above from one of those trips to Syria). As recently as February of 2020, she counseled me on ways to reactivate and re-enliven 17吃瓜Tours鈥攗nfortunately those plans are now on hold because of COVID-19.
Norma and U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering at the Albright in Jerusalem
Later in the 80s, Norma became head of ASOR’s lecture series, and she yearned for 17吃瓜to have a broader outreach program. More recently, she was an important adviser for the Friends of 17吃瓜initiative. As 17吃瓜was envisioning virtual outreach this past spring, Norma offered sage advice and asked excellent (but hard) questions. Her physical strength may have been slipping over the last year, but her mind and wit were as sharp as ever. Bill Schniedewind shared that even during a phone call the week before she passed, Norma was eager to participate in the discussion of ASOR’s name. She wanted to help us tell the story of “What is an ASOR?”
Concurrent with exhausting and important board service in many societies, Norma became an stimulating and motivating teacher in the Great Neck and New York areas. She was meticulous in her research, and she inspired countless other adults. She became something of an archaeological evangelist who converted many of the students in her classes into participants and supporters of archaeology and archaeological societies. Her love for the ancient world was magnetic.
It is rare to found one organization that continues beyond a person’s life, and yet Norma helped organize and establish three鈥擟AARI, AIA Long Island Chapter, and AIA Orange County Chapter. All three organizations continue to thrive today. It is impressive just how many organizations Norma impacted. As you can see in the photos to the left and below, her name is found in organizations from Cairo, to Jerusalem, to California.
Norma’s philanthropic support extended even further. Norma knew that member communication was critical, and so she gave funds to support the newsletters of AIA and of ASOR. She also endowed a lecture series with the AIA. The support for News@ASOR was annual, and she indicated that she had made a legacy gift so that this vital membership communication tool would receive support in perpetuity. It is fitting that Norma’s legacy and support of archaeology will continue. Norma is certainly someone who advanced tikun olam with her life, wisdom, and wealth.
As stated in my beginning paragraph, I appreciated Norma’s friendship, encouragement, and sage counsel more than any type of financial support. She was an astute businesswoman and an accomplished scholar of the ancient world. We had numerous multi-day strategy sessions when I was a house guest in her home in Mission Viejo. She helped write development and outreach materials, and she continued to provide feedback and strategy through May of this year.
Norma Kershaw and Susan Ackerman
I will miss our frequent phone calls and the notes / letters that congratulated and encouraged. I knew that whenever a major announcement of a success went out electronically that I would receive a hand-written card or letter within 10-12 days. Even though only one of my children was able to meet Norma, she knew my children’s and parents’ names鈥攕he was truly interested to hear how they were doing.
I know that my experiences are shared by many. Norma was the same loyal friend to countless colleagues that she met during her involvement with AIA and ARCE chapters in New York and Orange County, or during her board service at the Bowers, AIA, and ASOR. She continued life-long relationships with students and colleagues from her teaching days. Her life was and will continue to be a blessing.
Janet, Barbara, and the entire Kershaw family: we offer our heartfelt condolences. In the (slightly adapted) words of Ruth (3:11), 讻讬 讬讜讚注 讻诇鈥撟┳⒆� 注诪讬 讻讬 讗砖转 讞讬诇 讛讬讗 “All the gate of my people know that she is a woman of worth.”[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Congratulations to 17吃瓜member Rita Lucarelli听on being awarded a听听for research leading to the publication of her book听Agents of Punishment and Protection. Assessing the Demonic in First Millennium BCE Egypt.听NEH鈥檚 summer stipends are designed to support scholars in preparation of a book, article, translation, archaeological report, or digital publication.
Norma enjoyed being at the center of cutting-edge archaeology in the United States. In 1968, she helped establish the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Long Island Society, where she served as president from 1977 to 1981. In 1976, she became a life-member of the AIA and received their distinguished Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award in 1989. From 1980 to 1985 Norma served as the travel editor of the AIA鈥檚 ARCHAEOLOGY magazine. She also served as a founding editorial board member of Biblical Archaeology Review until she passed away. Shortly after moving to southern California, Norma founded the AIA鈥檚 Orange County Society in 1991, serving as its first president, and in 1992 joined the AIA Governing Board. In 1996, she was named the first female (and up until now, the only) Trustee Emerita of the AIA. It was her desire to share the significance of archaeology for world culture that infused Norma鈥檚 drive to play a role in so many of these scholarly institutions and museums.
I received my first letter from Norma in December 2006, a few weeks before I officially started my position as 17吃瓜Executive Director. Of course I had heard of Norma and her involvement in 17吃瓜and other institutions, but I had never had a conversation with her. Her warm, yet direct letter would be the first of several dozen notes and cards, countless phone calls, and many visits in her home and elsewhere in southern California. Within a few weeks, Norma volunteered to be a counselor and adviser. She was talented scholar, gifted teacher, and one of ASOR’s most generous supporters. I am truly thankful for all of those things, but I will remember her most as a loyal, dear friend and encouraging mentor.
It is rare to found one organization that continues beyond a person’s life, and yet Norma helped organize and establish three鈥擟AARI, AIA Long Island Chapter, and AIA Orange County Chapter. All three organizations continue to thrive today. It is impressive just how many organizations Norma impacted. As you can see in the photos to the left and below, her name is found in organizations from Cairo, to Jerusalem, to California.
The support for News@ASOR was annual, and she indicated that she had made a legacy gift so that this vital membership communication tool would receive support in perpetuity. It is fitting that Norma’s legacy and support of archaeology will continue. Norma is certainly someone who advanced tikun olam with her life, wisdom, and wealth.