Backdirt Summer/Spring 2000

Scholars Discuss “Archaeology in the Mediterranean” at Workshop
by Brendan Burke and Cynthia Skvorec

From left to right,Steve Rosen, Arlene Miller Rosen, Lloyd Cotsen, and Chip Stanish>>

Inaugural Cotsen Research Seminar brings archaeologists together to discuss theoretical and culture historical issues in an informal yet intellectually stimulating way

On March 23rd and 24th The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology
at UCLA held its first Cotsen Research Seminar: “Archaeology in the Mediterranean: The Present State and Future Scope of a Discipline, A Workshop in Honor of Lloyd E. Cotsen,” initially formulated by John Papadopoulos and Sarah Morris and organized in cooperation with Richard M. Leventhal. The focus of this workshop was broad. It sought to review the past and present state of the archaeological discipline with particular reference to the Mediterranean. In addition, the discussions form the basis for examination and assessment of the future scope of archaeology. Key themes were identified, and archaeologists who have worked within the Mediterranean were invited for the two–day workshop.

The event was a productive, scholarly endeavor that focused on future directions in the study of Mediterranean prehistory. Bronze Age Aegean scholars presented papers on specific themes. Scholars working in other parts of the world, many of them faculty members at UCLA or Research Associates of the Cotsen Institute, provided responses to the Mediterranean papers, creating a dialogue between researchers in both the Old and New Worlds. Richard M. Leventhal, Chip Stanish, Lynn Gamble, Jerry Moore, Richard Lesure, Sarah Morris, Lothar von Falkenhausen, and James Sackett all participated as respondents and moderators. Much of the workshop was focused upon discussions of key points raised in the presentations and responses.

The theme for the first section on Thursday was “The Study and Analysis of Complex Societies—Text and Excavation,” with papers given by Thomas Palaima (University of Texas at Austin) and Ruth Tringham (University of California, Berkeley). For the second section, the theme was “Architecture and Landscape: Interpretation and Preservation of Ancient Sites,” with presentations by Clairy Palyvou and Nicholas Stanley Price (University College, London). On Friday the first theme was “Archaeology Beyond and Below the Site,” with John Cherry (University of Michigan) and Curtis Runnels (Boston University) presenting. The final theme was “The Present and the Future of Archaeology in the Mediterranean,” with a presentation by Colin Renfrew (University of Cambridge).

The workshop honored Lloyd E. Cotsen for his generosity and his important contributions to Aegean prehistory and to the future of archaeology at UCLA. Cotsen also participated in the workshop, giving insightful comments on the state of the field and where archaeology is headed. As Leventhal stressed at the start, the workshop was designed to address theoretical and culture historical issues in an informal yet intellectually stimulating way. Not meant to be introspective or conclusive, the workshop attempted to look beyond the current state of archaeology to discern future directions.

The two–day workshop was followed by a well–attended public lecture given by Colin Renfrew on Saturday, March 25. Renfrew addressed the archaeological problems associated with studying the Indo–European language groups, particularly with regard to the origin of Greek speakers. After the lecture, Leventhal and Papadopoulos summarized the workshop’s discussions.

Brendan Burke is a Research Associate at The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA; Cynthia Skvorec is a graduate student at UCLA. Skvorec took the photographs for this article.