ISAC Podcast

Oct 30 2024 50 ep. 44 mins 45
ISAC Podcast artwork

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures of the University of Chicago is a leading research center for the ancient Middle East. The museum houses some 350,000 artifacts — around 5,000 of which are on display — excavated mainly by ISAC archaeologists. Founded in 1919, at a time when the Middle East was called the Orient, ISAC has pioneered innovative excavations and comprehensive dictionary projects that chronicle ancient civilizations. The ISAC Museum aims to understand, reveal, and protect ancient Middle Eastern civilizations.

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The Epigraphic Survey and Chicago House by Emily Teeter

Oct 30 2024 63 mins  
The Epigraphic Survey and Chicago House Celebrating Emily Teeters new book, Chicago on the Nile: 100 Years of the Epigraphic Survey Emily Teeter, ISAC (Retired) In 1924, an Egyptologist, an artist, and a photographer—the staff of the University of Chicago’s new Epigraphic Survey—began the task of recording the scenes and inscriptions carved on the walls of the enormous, 3,00

OI Podcast Episode 16, Afrofuturism: Ancient Egypt in Speculative Fiction

Jun 24 2021 26 mins  
OI Podcast Episode 16 Afrofuturism: Ancient Egypt in Speculative Fiction Ytasha Womack Time as a web, weaved in storytelling to offer a remix of narratives exploring who we are and how we got here. Author Ytasha Womack, "Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture," joins us for a discussion that examines the Black Speculative Arts Movement in general and the roles

OI Podcast Episode 15, Egyptian Influences/Contemporary Music

Jun 23 2021 28 mins  
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OI Podcast Episode 14, The Lyre Ensemble, Part 2

Jun 22 2021 25 mins  
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OI Podcast Episode 13: The Lyre Ensemble, Part 1

Jun 22 2021 26 mins  
OI Podcast Episode 13 The Lyre Ensemble, Part 1 Recreating the Gold Lyre of Ur What might ancient Mesopotamian music sound like? Inspired by both this question and the 2003 looting at the Baghdad Museum, harpist Andy Lowings set out to recreate a playable replica of the iconic Gold Lyre of Ur. Andy, along with his friend Jennifer Sturdy, enlisted the help of academics, students, a

OI Podcast Episode 12: Demons In Ancient Egypt with Rita Lucarelli

Jun 22 2021 31 mins  
OI Podcast Episode 12 Demons in Ancient Egypt Rita Lucarelli From Pazuzu to Baphomet, demons in modern pop culture are figures of dark terror and fear. In the ancient world, the concepts of demons weren't always so simple. The OI's Steven Townshend sits down with Rita Lucarelli, University of California, Berkeley, for a podcast that explores the many different roles and natures o

In the Wake of the Phoenicians by David Schloen

Nov 20 2020 48 mins  
In the Wake of the Phoenicians: Makers of the Mediterranean Presented by David Schloen, OI From olive oil to the alphabet, the Phoenicians left a lasting mark on the Mediterranean. The OI's David Schloen guides us through exciting new research into this ancient civilization and anticipates future excavations of Phoenician colonies in coastal Spain. In the Wake of the Phoenicians:

OI Podcast Episode 11: Who Is Medjed?

Nov 20 2020 36 mins  
OI Podcast Episode 11 Who Is Medjed? Ilaria Cariddi An obscure Egyptian deity has exploded into Japan's popular culture. Who is this mysterious marshmallow? And why is it becoming more popular than Isis and Osiris? The OI's Steven Townshend sits down with Ilaria Cariddi, research fellow at the University of Florence, to try and make sense of this this enigmatic creature. A video

The Public Display of Things from the Holy Land by Morag Kersel

Oct 22 2020 35 mins  
Truth or Consequences: The Public Display of Things from the Holy Land Presented by Morag M. Kersel, DePaul University When museums place items on display they take on multiple roles as custodians of sacred relics, shapers of public interpretation, fiduciary institutions, and educational establishments. The public counts on the museum to tell the truth, to act ethically, and to b

OI Podcast Episode 10: Plague Prayers of the Ancient Hittites Part 2

Sep 13 2020 13 mins  
OI Podcast Episode 10 Plague Prayers of the Ancient Hittites Part 2 Theo van den Hout Early in the 14th Century BCE, the Hittites faced a twenty year plague. How did these ancient Anatolians deal with pandemics? While the methods may be different, not much has changed. Join Theo van den Hout, the Arthur and Joanne Rasmussen Professor of Anatolian Languages and Cultures, OI, for p