Awards Presented at the 114th Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America

See all awards and past winners on the Archaeological Institute of America’s website.

The 114th Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America was held in conjunction with the 144th Annual Meeting of the American Philological Association in Seattle, Washington, on 3–6 January 2013.

On 4 January, Elizabeth Bartman, President, presented the Institute’s 48th Annual Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement to Jeremy B. Rutter, and the Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award to Claire Lyons.

Andrew Moore, First Vice President, presented the 32nd Annual Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology to Stephen Weiner, and the 17th Annual Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award to Elise Friedland of George Washington University.

John Younger, Vice President of Publications, presented the 24th Annual James R. Wiseman Book Award to Kathleen Lynch for The Symposium in Context: Pottery from a Late Archaic House near the Athenian Agora (Princeton 2011), and the 3rd Annual Felicia A. Holton Book Award to Andrew Wallace-Hadrill for Herculaneum: Past and Future (London 2011). Jane Buikstra presented the first Felicia A. Holton Lifetime Achievement Book Award to Brian M. Fagan.

Laetitia LaFollette, Vice President for Professional Responsibilities, presented the AIA’s Outstanding Public Service Award to David Woodley Packard, the Conservation and Heritage Management Award to Sudharshan Seneviratne, and the Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation to George Bey and to Cristina Vidal Lorenzo and Gaspar Muñoz Cosme. The texts of these award citations are printed below.

Andrew Moore also announced Ambra Spinelli (University of Southern California) and Aimee Francesca Scorziello (Pompeii Archaeological Research Project, Porta Stabia) as the recipients of the Poster Session Award for “Disinterring a Pompeian Middle-Class Neighborhood.” The Poster Session Runner-Up Award was presented to Amy M. Oechsner (United States Bureau of Land Management) for “An Exploration of Remote Sensing as a Tool for the Detection and Intensive Analysis of Historical Trail Features as Applied to the Old Spanish Trail in the Silurian Valley, California.” Chelsea Gardner (University of British Columbia) received the Best Poster Designed by a Student Award for “Revealing Domestic Religious Practice: A Study of the Distribution of Private Altars in Olynthus.” Elizabeth Bartman presented the Graduate Student Paper Award for 2012 to joint winners Allison Emmerson and Margaret Andrews.

On 5 January, at the 134th Meeting of Council, the following were elected to the Institute’s Governing Board: Deborah Lehr and Robert Rothberg, General Trustees; Derek Counts, Academic Trustee; and Becky Lao, Society Trustee.

On 4–6 January, 327 papers were delivered in 71 sessions. The 114th Annual Meeting Abstracts (Boston 2012), containing abstracts of these papers, the Poster Session, and the Colloquia and Workshops, is available online or in print (see the Annual Meeting section of the Archaeological Institute of America’s website or contact the Institute for information).

Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement

Jeremy B. Rutter

The Archaeological Institute of America is proud to award the 2013 Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement to Jeremy B. Rutter. Rutter is Sherman Fairchild Professor of the Humanities at Dartmouth College, where he has spent almost his entire professional career. His first published article may have been on Catullus 17, but his international reputation is founded in his unsurpassed, transformational work in the field of Aegean Bronze Age ceramics. His books are essential reference works, from his first study of the creation in southern Laconia of the Mycenaean style of vase painting to his monumental analysis of Early Bronze Age ceramics from the type-site of Lerna to, most recently, his extensive contributions to volume 5 of the Kommos series. His numerous journal articles ask and answer provocative questions, many of which transcend the specific period or region under study to generate new modes of thinking about the study and use of ceramic data.

Rutter’s scholarship is wide ranging and rock solid, a monumental body of work. Yet it might be argued that his human legacy is even richer. He is one of those great scholars who is genuinely motivated by his belief in, and love and enthusiasm for, his field. He conveys that with a generosity of spirit and of time that is both infectious and inspirational. His years at Dartmouth—from his freely shared, much-cribbed online course lectures and outlines to his involvement in the Hood Museum of Art to his now legendary term-long study tours in Greece—alone would merit praise.

Yet the extraordinary fact is that this individual, who has never had graduate students of his own (thanks to his institutional position), has shaped future generations of Aegean researchers more than most who have. His investment in teaching, at all levels, and his encouragement of high standards and even harder thinking is a model for those concerned—as Rutter has always been—for the future and the betterment of the discipline of archaeology. Every letter submitted in support of his nomination mentioned, with a touching mixture of admiration, warmth, and dismay, his famously detailed “Ruttergrams”—prompt, lengthy, often handwritten comments on work sent to him for review: all informed by encyclopedic knowledge, a gimlet eye for lapses in logic, and the kindest imaginable manner of suggesting numerous ways in which the manuscript might be improved.

His has been truly a selfless scholarship, concerned with assisting colleagues at whatever stage of their careers and with advancing the field as a whole, without the slightest concern for personal gain or kudos. Such quiet but effective contributions deserve, in these often clamorous times, the highest of recognitions. The Archaeological Institute of America is honored to present its 2013 Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement to Jeremy B. Rutter.

Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award

Claire Lyons

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award to Claire Lyons. Lyons distinguishes herself on so many levels in archaeology: as museum curator, educator, legal advisor, and editor. In terms of service to the AIA, it is clear that throughout the years Lyons has been selflessly dedicated to the organization. The number of committees on which she has served at both the local and national levels denotes a strong attachment. Most notably, besides lengthy tenure as an officer for the Los Angeles Society, Lyons served for 10 years (and as chair for seven years) on the Professional Responsibilities Committee. She has been on the Museums and Exhibitions Committee, Personnel Committee, Nominating Committee, UNIDROIT Subcommittee, Women in Archaeology Subcommittee, Archives Committee, Lecture Program Committee, and Societies and Membership Committee. Currently, she serves on the Gold Medal Committee and Museums and Exhibitions Committee. Since 2000, Lyons has also been a member of the American Journal of Archaeology editorial board.

Her work as AIA Vice President for Professional Activities from 1995 to 1998 was one of the hallmarks of her distinguished service to the AIA. During her tenure, she helped to bring to fruition the Code of Professional Standards and to prepare two AIA amicus curiae briefs that dealt with the illicit antiquities trade. Both resulted in landmark decisions that influenced museum acquisition policies and practices, collectors, and the art market.

Claire Lyons’ numerous contributions to the AIA are impressive, and they speak to her tireless and diligent efforts in a variety of areas on both the local and national levels. She is an outstanding recipient of the 2013 Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award.

Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology

Stephen Weiner

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology to Stephen Weiner in recognition of his distinguished record of contributions to the advancement of archaeological science. His interdisciplinary approach and pioneering work on biomineralization and geochemistry have had a profound impact on the advancement of archaeological methodology.

Weiner is the director of the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science at the Weizmann Institute, where he is a professor of structural biology. He is a world-renowned expert in archaeological science and biomineralization, with three books on the subject, including Microarchaeology: Beyond the Visible Archaeological Record (New York 2010), and more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles to his credit. His outstanding research has been recognized by many associations and societies. His recent accolades include the 2011 Gregori Aminoff Prize of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the 2009 Israel Chemical Society Prize of Excellence.

Early in his career, Weiner began to collaborate with archaeologists as the “expert” who could decipher the intricacies of the archaeological record. His first work along these lines, published in Nature in 1980, was on the process of degeneration and the rate of collagen transformation in the Dead Sea Scroll parchments. To many AIA members, he is known for his work on bone-diagenesis and biomineralization applications for stable isotope analysis, the refinement of dating techniques, and studies of ancient fire traces at prehistoric sites. Among the latter are his contributions to our understanding of the complex and controversial ash deposits in Zhoukoudian, the famous Peking Man site near Beijing, and the earliest known clay hearths, those from Klisoura Cave 1 in Greece. Weiner pioneered the use of on-site Fourier transform infrared spectrometry—the key technology for understanding anthropogenic aspects of complex deposits.

Unquestionably, Weiner’s major contribution to archaeology has been in the development of research facilities at the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science, where many scholars have learned to apply the different analytical techniques he has championed. It is a place where people are encouraged to find creative solutions to archaeological questions, and the diversity of activities in the Kimmel reflect Weiner’s broad intellectual curiosity and commitment to path-breaking research. Along these same lines, Weiner is partnering in the establishment of the new Max Planck-Weizmann Center for the study of bone and tooth tissues. With these initiatives, he is not only redefining and shaping the future of archaeology but also affecting the direction that chemistry is headed. The techniques he has developed to solve archaeological questions are finding greater application in that field. For all these reasons, the Archaeological Institute of America has selected Stephen Weiner as a most worthy recipient of the 2013 Pomerance Award for Scientific Contributions to Archaeology.

Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award

Elise Friedland

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award to Elise Friedland of George Washington University. A charismatic teacher, curricular innovator, inspiring role model, and devoted mentor, Friedland represents the very best of educators in the field of classical archaeology today. As a consummate scholar, experienced field archaeologist, and passionate defender of cultural heritage preservation, Friedland has inspired a new generation of students to engage with the field in the fullest possible way and on the highest possible level.

Friedland’s students, colleagues, university administrators, and collaborators join in expressing praise for her commitment to excellence. Her unique teaching style blends innovation and energy, in-depth analysis and careful critical reading, as well as consideration of the very latest methodological frameworks. Her classes are especially challenging, rigorous, and vibrant arenas for student-led discussion and exchange.

One former Latin student observes: “During every class she found ways to weave aspects of Roman history, ethnology, archaeology, art history, and literary analysis into the discussion to create a truly interdisciplinary tone that permeated the year-long course.” Another individual comments that Friedland encouraged “students to remove their own 21st-century perspectives and to look at art and artifacts with the values and ideals of an ancient individual.” Friedland’s students unanimously express lasting gratitude for their abilities to think critically, a virtue forged under her careful watch.

Friedland is known for her efforts to fully involve students in activities far beyond the classroom, alerting them to every opportunity to continue their education on excavations, at AIA meetings, in study-abroad programs, and even at the State Department. When the Cultural Property Advisory Committee met to deliberate on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding with Greece in 2010, Friedland spoke before the committee, encouraged her students to write letters, and brought students along to the public hearing, fully engaging them in the civic experience of watching policy being made.

Many students have been inspired by Friedland to continue their studies in classical archaeology and pursue academic careers. They speak of her as a constant source of encouragement, a devoted mentor who stays in touch every step of the way. They point to her “humor and zest” in supporting both their professional development and personal fulfillment. “It was in her classes,” writes one appreciative student, now a professor, “that I learned to stand confidently in front of my peers and communicate ideas in an interesting and rigorous way.”

For all these reasons, the Archaeological Institute of America presents Elise Friedland with the 2013 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

James R. Wiseman Book Award

Kathleen Lynch

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 James R. Wiseman Book Award to Kathleen Lynch for The Symposium in Context: Pottery from a Late Archaic House near the Athenian Agora (Princeton 2011).

The Symposium in Context concerns a reasonably complete deposit of domestic pottery in use in an Athenian household at the time of the Persian Wars. This assemblage provides a unique opportunity for a full analysis of its context—something that is rarely possible, let alone undertaken, in studies of either Greek households or Greek pottery.

Lynch’s study also provides a major contribution to an important current topic in archaeological scholarship: feasting. Here, it takes the form of the Greek drinking party, or symposium, the archaeological evidence for which is discussed in detail. This volume’s full consideration of the sympotic pottery actually found in an Athenian house takes us far beyond typical discussions of architectural spaces and representations of drinking and parties.

Lynch’s clear exposition of the different kinds of “context” also makes an important contribution to the broader field of archaeological practice: a more theoretical approach that will prove greatly valuable not just to students of classical domesticity but also to the wider community of archaeologists. For all these reasons, The Symposium in Context is a most worthy recipient of the 2013 James R. Wiseman Book Award.

Felicia A. Holton Book Award

Andrew Wallace-Hadrill

The Archaeological Institute of America and the Center for American Archaeology present the 2013 Felicia A. Holton Book Award for a major work of nonfiction written for the general public to Andrew Wallace-Hadrill for Herculaneum: Past and Future (London 2011).

In 79 C.E., Mount Vesuvius buried Herculaneum, a modest Roman city, under meters of pyroclastic material that quickly hardened to a soft tuff. By the early 17th century, tunnelers had rediscovered the city, and since the 18th century, the site has been subject to near-constant archaeological pilfering and exploration.

Wallace-Hadrill has been an active member of the Herculaneum Conservation Project since its inception in 2001, and his thorough knowledge of the site gives this book great authority and appeal. In his presentation of the physical city, Wallace-Hadrill details the many decisions that have been made concerning restoration and site presentation and how they have shaped the archaeological site. His analysis of the work of past luminaries, such as Amedeo Maiuri, is fair and clear-eyed, while his accessible account of the recent work by the Herculaneum Conservation Project makes for an engaging contrast.

Through its lucid text and lavish images, this volume presents a vivid portrait of the ancient city and its checkered archaeological history. Herculaneum: Past and Future is a most worthy recipient of the 2013 Felicia A. Holton Book Award.

Felicia A. Holton Lifetime Achievement Book Award

Brian M. Fagan

The Archaeological Institute of America and the Center for American Archaeology present this first Felicia A. Holton Lifetime Achievement Book Award to Brian M. Fagan, whose productive career epitomizes the award’s spirit, conveying the significance and excitement of archaeology through nonfiction.

A native of England, Fagan has written or edited more than 45 books, often as many as one a year. They range from his early Southern Africa During the Iron Age (New York 1965) to his newest volume, Beyond the Blue Horizon: How the Earliest Mariners Unlocked the Secrets of the Oceans (New York 2012). A recent work, Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind (New York 2011), was a finalist for this year’s individual Holton book award. Other recent works include Cro-Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave Birth to the First Modern Humans (New York 2010) and The Great Warming: Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations (New York 2008), which became a New York Times bestseller. Fagan’s books have been well received by the public and by professional archaeologists alike. Their very number and popularity attests to his ability to connect with broad audiences, and both the Society of Professional Archaeologists and the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) have honored him with awards, including the SAA’s first Award for Excellence in Public Education.

If you have ever heard anyone exclaim, “Oh, I’ve always wanted to be an archaeologist!” that may have been because of Brian Fagan, a most appropriate recipient for this first Felicia A. Holton Lifetime Achievement Book Award.

Outstanding Public Service Award

David Woodley Packard

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 Outstanding Public Service Award to David Woodley Packard for his unprecedented contributions to archaeology in all its facets and the creation of model partnerships in public-private archaeological conservancy.

For 25 years, the Packard Humanities Institute has quietly and steadily furthered our understanding of the past through generous, long-term support of archaeology in its myriad forms, from field survey, excavation, and conservation to research and publication to training and education.

Founded in 1987, the Packard Humanities Institute has developed a new model of multiyear collaborative partnerships with local archaeological authorities in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. The geographic breadth and wide spectrum of archaeological activities supported by the foundation are extraordinary. They include, in Italy, a major conservation and site-maintenance program at Herculaneum, as well as a series of publications on the ancient countryside, or chora, of the Greek colony at Metaponto; in Albania, the cofounding of key archaeological centers and foundations to support research and public interest in archaeology through education and outreach at Butrint; in Greece, a series of initiatives including the use of new computer technologies and opportunities for students at the Agora in Athens; in Turkey, rescue excavations and conservation at Zeugma, a Hellenistic and Roman settlement on the Euphrates frontier; and in the Ukraine, excavation, conservation, and publication of material from the Black Sea colony of Chersonesos that has trained a generation of young Ukrainian archaeologists and helped them create a digital archive covering two centuries of this important classical and Byzantine site.

On behalf of the Archaeological Institute of America, it is an honor to present the 2013 Outstanding Public Service Award to David Woodley Packard.

Conservation and Heritage Management Award

Sudharshan Seneviratne

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present the 2013 Conservation and Heritage Management Award for excellence in the conservation of archaeological sites and collections to Sudharshan Seneviratne in recognition of his tireless efforts to protect and preserve the archaeological heritage of Sri Lanka.

Seneviratne’s efforts include archaeological conservation, advocacy, education and training, and cultural-awareness raising. As archaeological director of the Jetavana Project at Anuradhapura, Seneviratne worked on the conservation of the Jetavana stupa, the largest masonry structure in Sri Lanka. Under his direction, the displays in the site museum were reorganized to emphasize the multicultural, multireligious, and commercial aspects of the site rather than simply its role as a Buddhist “monastic city.”

His other projects include the Kandy Heritage City Cultural Mapping Project; the creation of the Ethnographic Museum for Plantation Workers of Indian Origin; and the conservation of the Dutch Warehouse in the Galle Fort, which now serves as the National Maritime Archaeological Museum. Among its displays are reproductions of archaeological objects made in the recently established Antiquities Replica Centre of the Central Cultural Fund, where young artisans are trained in traditional Sri Lankan arts and crafts.

As head of the department of archaeology at the University of Peradeniya for nearly 10 years, Seneviratne has been instrumental in training the next generation of south Asian archaeologists. In recent years, Seneviratne has served as senior cultural advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as director general of the Central Cultural Fund. In that role, he spearheaded the creation of new museums to showcase the shared cultural heritage of the Sri Lankan people, as well as the production of heritage publications in all three national languages (Sinhala, Tamil, and English).

On behalf of the Archaeological Institute of America, it is an honor to present the 2013 Conservation and Heritage Management Award to Sudharshan Seneviratne.

Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation

Cristina Vidal Lorenzo and Gaspar Muñoz Cosme

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present its 2013 Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation to Cristina Vidal Lorenzo, professor of art history at the University of Valencia and codirector of the La Blanca Project, and Gaspar Muñoz Cosme, professor of architecture at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and codirector of the La Blanca Project, for their exemplary work at the ancient Maya site of La Blanca in Guatemala.

Vidal and Muñoz take a holistic approach to site preservation by combining scientific research and conservation of cultural heritage with economic development and educational opportunities for local communities. The conservation program they have developed is integrated at all stages of research, ensuring the protection and stabilization of archaeological structures and resources before, during, and after excavation. In addition to engaging in archaeological conservation efforts, Vidal and Muñoz work to maintain the integrity of the natural landscape surrounding La Blanca by preventing deforestation and conducting research on the paleoenvironment.

Additionally, Vidal and Muñoz demonstrate a remarkable dedication to local communities by including them in the research, excavations, and development at La Blanca. The project’s outreach programs provide in situ conservation training, educational workshops to promote natural and cultural heritage, and a tour-guide training course to help secure the long-term preservation of this archaeological site while also improving the area’s economic opportunities. An interpretive center with signage informs visitors about this important site and the project’s conservation efforts.

The Archaeological Institute of America honors Cristina Vidal Lorenzo and Gaspar Muñoz Cosme with the 2013 Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation and hopes Vidal and Muñoz’s excellent initiatives will inspire other professionals in the field.

Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation

George Bey

The Archaeological Institute of America is pleased to present its 2013 Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation to George Bey, professor of Anthropology at Millsaps College and codirector of the project at Kaxil Kiuic, for his exemplary work at this Maya site in Mexico.

Bey’s comprehensive conservation efforts at Kaxil Kiuic demonstrate that archaeology can be used not only to preserve cultural resources but also to protect endangered environments. In 1999, Bey spearheaded efforts to purchase and develop 4,500 acres of land, which included the archaeological remains at Kaxil Kiuic, into a biocultural reserve. While maintaining the integrity of the natural environment around the site, Bey has developed a method of archaeological conservation that focuses on preserving standing architecture. Any damage that occurs to buildings through natural processes is monitored and mitigated. In keeping with the conservation ethos of the project, all archaeological materials uncovered at the reserve are processed in an environmentally friendly laboratory facility. By keeping archaeological development as low impact as possible, Bey and his colleagues are ensuring the long-term preservation of the pre-Columbian resources at the site.

In addition to his impressive direct conservation efforts, Bey has organized and implemented numerous educational and outreach activities for the benefit of the local communities around Kaxil Kiuic. He encourages site visits, supports a scholarship program that allows local students to continue their education, and works with local communities and landowners to inform them of the importance of conserving archaeological resources.

The Archaeological Institute of America honors George Bey with the 2013 Award for Best Practices in Site Preservation and hopes that Bey’s colleagues will strive to emulate this dedication to preservation.