Gabii at "Archaeological Survey and the City"

The upcoming Laurence seminar organized by Prof. Martin Millett and the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge will feature two talks related to the work of the Gabii Project. The seminar, under the title "Archaeological survey and the city", brings together panels of archaeologists involved in archaeological survey in the ancient Mediterranean. The seminar runs from May 24th through the 27th 2010.

Both of the Gabii related papers will be offered on May 25th.

• Nicola Terrenato. "Survey and the Orthogonal city. At the intersection of scholarly traditions".

• Steven Kay (BSR/APSS). "Geophysical survey of the city of Gabii, Italy".

Fiat/Chrysler Scholars at Gabii

The Gabii Project is pleased to announce the creation of the "Fiat/Chrysler Scholars" program to support the participation of University of Michigan students in the fieldwork at Gabii. These "Fiat/Chrysler Scholars" will have the opportunity to participate firsthand in the exciting fieldwork at Gabii and take part in cutting-edge archaeological research. We are grateful to the Chrysler Foundation and Fiat SPA, who have each made a gift of $25,000 to The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) at the University of Michigan. The directors of the Gabii Project have selected the first group of "Fiat/Chrysler Scholars" and we look forward to updating you on their experiences at Gabii in 2010.

The 2010 Fiat/Chrysler Scholars from the University of Michigan are:

• Lauren Bennett (majoring in Latin)
• Bailey Benson (majoring in Anthropology and Classical archaeology)
• Ivan Cangemi (PhD student in Classical art and archaeology)
• Jason Farr (PhD student in Classical art and archaeology)
• Cynthia Kazanis (majoring in Anthropology and Classical archaeology)
• Melissa King (majoring in Communication Studies and History of art)
• Samantha Lash (majoring in Classical archaeology)
• Michael Pry (undeclared)
• Camille Reynolds (majoring in Classical civilization)
• Jessica Ryan (majoring in Classical archaeology and Classical civilization)

Gabii Project in Lazio e Sabina VI (2010)

The Gabii Project's article in Lazio e Sabina VI, edited by G. Ghini, (2010) appeared today from Edizioni Quasar.

N. Terrenato, A. Gallone, J. A. Becker, and S. Kay. 2010. “Urbanistica Ortogonale a Gabii: Risultati delle nuove prospezioni geofisiche e prospettive per il futuro.” In Lazio e Sabina VI: Atti del Convegno. Sesto Incontro di Studi sul Lazio e la Sabina. Roma 4-6 marzo 2009, edited by G. Ghini, 237-48. Rome: Edizioni Quasar.

In the news: Lead sarcophagus from Gabii

As has now been released to the press, an unusual Imperial Roman lead sarcophagus was excavated at Gabii in 2009 by the Gabii Project. This new story originated with a small feature by National Geographic News, along with a news release from the News Service of the University of Michigan. A sampling of the resulting press coverage can be found digested and linked here on our blog.

The sarcophagus, which weighs around 1000 lbs, is fashioned from sheets of lead folded so as to encase the deceased, thus the 'burrito' moniker that accompanied the news story and has become something of a popular tag on Twitter and other sites. The unusual nature of the sarcophagus comes from the fact that it does not follow the normal pattern for these objects - and indeed, only several hundred imperial lead sarcophagi are known. The sarcophagus in question here was formed by wrapping sheets of lead around the deceased, crimping the 'head' end and leaving the 'foot' end open and exposed. So, while the corpus of square lead sarcophagi with lids and lead sarcophagi liners is reasonably well defined, the lead-wrapped inhumant remains unusual. We are grateful for the offers of advice and help that are coming in from colleagues from all corners - thank you!

The next phase of study of the sarcophagus will begin shortly with non-invasive tests employed to ascertain something about the contents that are currently shielded by the lead wrapping, which in itself has important value as an artifact. The sarcophagus is heading for the American Academy in Rome in the next days where Mellon Professor T. Corey Brennan has been invaluable and incredibly supportive in facilitating this next phase of research. Prof. Brennan's blog entry is here.

This sarcophagus - about which we are still learning - prompts us to consider events at the far end of Gabii's life as an urban center and also raises interesting possibilities about studying a well-preserved (albeit unusual) status burial in Imperial Latium. While those in the blogosphere are hoping that we find a dangerous vampire, mummy or ancient demon inside, we're betting on a regular Roman, most likely of an elevated social rank.

The research at Gabii is supported by the University of Michigan and its Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, as well as by organizations that include the National Geographic Society. The kind support of the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma and, in particular, Dr. Angelo Bottini and Dr. Stefano Musco, is also gratefully acknowledged. We are also grateful to our friends at LAND srl who so carefully prepared the sarcophagus for removal from the tomb and transported it to safe storage.

THE SARCOPHAGUS 'IN THE NEWS'

U.S. media

• Free Republic. 29-March 2010
• e! Science News. 29-March 2010
  
• WDIV Detroit. 30-March 2010
• WWJ • 950 Detroit. 30-March 2010
• LiveScience.com. 30-March 2010
• Click on Detroit. 30-March 2010
• Yahoo! News. 31-March 2010
• Fox News. 31-March 2010
• Suite101.com. 31-March 2010
• Encyclopedia Britannica Kids. 2-April 2010
• American Academy in Rome's blog coverage. 2-April 2010
• Blog entry of the University of Michigan Press. 6-April 2010
• Archaeology magazine, July/August 2010 issue. 'From the trenches'
  

Canadian media

• National Post. 30-March 2010
• Montreal Gazette. 31-March 2010
• Calgary Herald. 31-March 2010
• The Vancouver Sun. 31-March 2010
• Edmonton Journal. 31-March 2010
• Ottawa Citizen. 31-March 2010
• Canada.com. 31-March 2010
• Global Toronto. 31-March 2010
• Hamilton Spectator. 7-April 2010

U.K. media

• Heritage Key Digest. 30-March 2010
• The Independent. 31-March 2010

Italian media

• Antikitera. 30-March 2010
• Il fatto storico. 31-March 2010
• corrispondenti.net. 1-April 2010
• Centro Ufologico Taranto Magazine. 1-April 2010
• La Stampa. 14-April 2010 interview with Anna Gallone
• Le Scienze. June 2010 issue - news digest item.

Asian media

• South Asian News. 30-March 2010
• National Geographic News - Japan. 31-March 2010
• newKereala.com. (India). 31-March 2010
• Bí ẩn chiếc quan tài gần 2.000 năm tuổi (Vietnam). 3-April 2010
• Nguoi Viet Online (Vietnam). 4-April 2010
• Vietnamnet.vn (Vietnam). 10-May 2010

Hungary and Romania

• Terra Magazin (Romania). 31-March 2010
• tudomany.ma.hu. (Hungary) 2-April 2010
• Hirado.hu. (Hungary) 2-April 2010
• hirszerzo (Hungary). 3-April 2010
• Ziare.com (Romania). 3-April 2010
• Realitatea.net (Romania). 3-April 2010
• MNO Magyar Nemzet Online (Hungary). 2-April 2010
  

Other world and web-based media

• SciTech Report. 29-March 2010
• LabSpaces. 29-March 2010
• RedOrbit. 29-March 2010
• Phenomica. 31-March 2010
  
• Softpedia. 31-March 2010
• Press Enterprise. 31-March 2010
• Ciência Hoje: Jornal de Ciência, Tecnologia e Empreendedorismo. (Portugal). 31-March 2010
• El Solitario de la Vega Real. (Spanish). 1-April 2010
• svt (Sweden). 3-April 2010
• Spektrum Direkt. 31-March 2010
• Avalon: revista digital gratuita (Spain). 3-April 2010
• ntvmsnbc (Turkey). 31-March 2010
• aktualne.cz (Czech). 3-April 2010
• Forte (Estonia). 9-April 2010
• Postimees (Estonia). 30-March 2010
  
• Milliyet.com (Turkey). 31-March 2010
• Historiek.net. 1-April 2010
  
• Poisk news (Russia). 18-April 2010
• El Reservado (Spain). 29-April 2010
  
• Autumn 2010.  A German radio interview with Anna Gallone about the process of scanning the lead sarcophagus with neutrons in Munich.  ("Bleisarg unter der Neutronenlupe: Im Forschungsreaktor untersuchten Archäologen eine antike Rarität").

Gabii Project at '7° Incontro di Studi sul Lazio e la Sabina'

The seventh Lazio e Sabina conference will take place at various academic venues in Rome from March 9th through March 11th 2010 and the Gabii Project will again be represented among the presentations. Field director Dott.ssa Anna Gallone will present a paper on March 10th entitled, "Gli scavi dell'University of Michigan a Gabii." The paper, co-authored with project director Nicola Terrenato and vice field director Marcello Mogetta will be part of the morning session, beginning at 09:30 am, at the American Academy in Rome.

The full conference program can be found here.

Two upcoming Gabii Project talks in Canada

Project directors Nicola Terrenato and Jeffrey Becker will present interim lectures on the work of the Gabii Project in the next two weeks.

- On March 3, 2010, at 2:30 PM, Nicola Terrenato will present a talk entitled, "The Gabii Project: a new excavation in a major Latin city" in the Department of Classics at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The lecture will be in Watson 517 and is open to the public.

- On March 11, 2010, at 4:30 PM, Jeffrey Becker will present a talk entitled, "The Gabii Project, 2007-2010: preliminary conclusions and future perspectives" in the Department of Classics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. The lecture will be held in Togo Salmon Hall 701.

Gabii Project: 2010 field program

The Gabii Project announces its 2010 field program!

The Gabii Project will again offer a field program for students and volunteers in 2010; the program will run from June 20 until July 31, 2010.  Applications will be accepted online via the project's website and the deadline for applying to the program is January 31, 2010; all qualified students are eligible to apply, not just those associated with the University of Michigan. Notifications of acceptance will be made by March 1, 2010, and accepted volunteers must submit their payment in full by March 25, 2010, in order to secure their spot.  The cost for the 6-week program, inclusive of room and board, insurance, equipment, and local transportation, will be $4,500 (USD).  Academic credit is not offered for participation in the field program.  The information below outlines some of the basic details of the field program; more complete information can be found on the project website.

• Accommodation:
• The Hotel Villa Mercede in Frascati, Italy, will serve as the Gabii Project's base of operations.  The team will be accommodated there and will take their meals during the week at the Balubino restaurant, while lunches will be provided on-site.
• Volunteers will be accommodated in shared rooms (2 to 4 people per room) with a private bathroom.
• Convenient local train service links Frascati to downtown Rome and regional buses provide other transportation options.
• Work on-site:
• Volunteers will work on site 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.  Applicants should note that this is a labor-intensive program and be aware that working in the hot sun is to be expected.  Applicants must be in good health, have passed a recent physical examination, and provide up-to-date records of current inoculations.
• Volunteers will work in small team supervised by experienced excavators.  Additionally, the field program will expose participants to all facets of fieldwork, including working with ceramics and other archaeological materials, environmental sampling, flotation, topography, conservation, and documentation.
• Regular site tours will help keep all team members up to speed on the progress of excavation work.
• Instruction:
• The above-mentioned rotation on-site will be accompanied by various instructional opportunities from 'hands on' instruction in excavation technique to small group instruction on archaeological materials and topography.
• The 2010 field program will include a lecture series (averaging 1 lecture per week) on topics related to the methodology field archaeology and to the archaeology of Central Italy.
• Several weekend outings will be arranged where guided tours will be offered.  In 2009 weekend trips included the Forum Romanum and Palatine Hill as well as Ostia Antica.
• Atmosphere and Experience:
• The Gabii Project is a large team (75-80 people) effort.  Teamwork is the key to our success, but the working conditions can be intense.  The successful applicant will be ready to work as part of a large team and welcome the opportunity to work and learn cooperatively.
• The combined experience of the Gabii Project’s multi-national staff offers volunteers the opportunities to learn and practice some of the latest and most cutting edge techniques of field archaeology.

For more information, please contact Prof. Jeffrey Becker, the Managing Director (gabiiproject (@) umich.edu)