Artifact JI1736, Glass and stone beads, and game counters. These artifacts are beads, pieces of jewelry, etc. They are stored in a small metal tin in the Institute’s Vault. They were found on a site in Carthage, an ancient deserted settlement, in North Africa. Carthage was known for its trading and for being the most…
Rhode Island Hall was constructed in 1840, making it the fourth oldest building on Brown University’s Main Green. The Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World was founded in 2004. The Rhode Island Hall was assigned as the Institute’s new home. But first, the building needed to be gutted and renovated. The goal was…
Ever wished that you could fly? So did ancient humans! Across many civilizations, humans have had a fascination with birds. Whether it be depicting birds prepared to take flight or marveling at their beautiful feathers, birds have been well documented as both domestic and ceremonial iconography. Sometimes the distinction between the two is less definitive…
Even ancient artisans agree: art is hard! Making your artwork look realistic is not always easy, and it can be difficult to accurately translate what you imagine in your head into a sculpture or painting. This is true especially in the ancient world, where artists often had to depict animals, objects, and places they had…
A building is more than just its bones. Places are imbued with meaning by the people who inhabit them, whether that be places of worship, a house, or a government building. Throughout history, humans have modified and decorated these architectural materials to convey beliefs about power, religion, and aesthetic beauty. Come explore the Vault’s variety…
This summer, the Joukowsky Institute was excited to host two high school student interns from Skills Rhode Island’s PrepareRI program, Alex Gomez and Nicole Susana. As a part of their summer internship, they had the opportunity to see and discuss Valeria Luongo’s exhibition “When Women Fly.” Luongo is an Italian documentary photographer and filmmaker based…
I wanted to talk about one of the exhibits in Rhode Island Hall that’s in the room I work in everyday, Room 109 (the “Common Room”) on the first floor. This exhibit was set up by Jacob Davidson, a student at Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI (RISD), pursuing a degree in illustration…
The Joukowsky Institute recognizes the invaluable contribution that Black and African American archaeologist have made to the field, and the world at large. This February, we highlighted the work of six Black anthropologists, archaeologists, and explorers that have revolutionized how we study and practice archaeology. The display can be found in the alcove nearest to…
March 14, 2022-April 14, 2022 The Stories Objects Tell was an exhibit curated by Kristen Marchetti, with assistance from Erynn Bentley, for Brown University’s Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World. Works included in the show were a response to archaeology in general or to objects in the Institute’s Collection. The map below displays…
On March 14th, 2022, the Joukowsky Institute hosted an exhibit opening for The Stories Objects Tell. We invited the artists who submitted work to the show as well as all members of the Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design communities. The event began at 4 PM, and it was a pleasure to see…