In 2012 the Institute of Archaeology will celebrate its 75th Anniversary and we intend to mark it with a series of events. A range of lectures, panel discussions and exhibitions on the history of the Institute and the latest developments in archaeology are planned. The main event will be a weekend of celebrations in Gordon Square, beginning with a garden party for Alumni on 8th June and a public outreach day, to include experimental archaeology, on 9th June. No doubt those of you who were undergraduate students with us will remember this as one of the highlights or your time at the Institute!
We will also be using this year to launch a 75th Anniversary Fund, where we will be inviting former students and staff to support both existing activities and a raft of new initiatives (more details will be available in due course). For further details of all events, please make sure to check the Institute's web pages: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/about/75th_anniversary.
THE PROGRAMME OF LECTURES AND DEBATES
Thursday 19 January: UCL Darwin Lecture Theatre, 6pm:
The Institute of Archaeology 75th Anniversary Lecture
This year's special lecture will be given by Professor Daniel Lord Smail from Harvard University. Professor Smail is one of the most innovative cross-period and cross-disciplinary thinkers of recent times. The topic of his lecture is 'History and the Pre: Perspectives on the Structure of Deep Historical Arguments'.
Research Showcase
A number of Institute staff recently awarded personal chairs will be presenting their work in a series of five inaugural lectures. The lectures will take place from 6:15pm on Monday evenings, in the first five weeks of Term 2, in the Institute's G6 Lecture Theatre.
Monday 9 January: Professor Cyprian Broodbank
Monday 16 January: Professor Liz Pye
Monday 23 January: Professor Stephen Quirke
Monday 30 January: Professor Arlene Rosen
Monday 6 February: Professor Andrew Reynolds
The Institute of Archaeology 75th Anniversary Debates
This series of five Question Time-style debates will consider the relevance and impact of archaeology in the present and future. To be held in the Institute G6 Lecture Theatre, each debate will be chaired by a public figure, with a panel of four discussants. These events will serve to launch the Institute's new Heritage Policy Thinktank.
Monday 20 February: Archaeology and the Media
Monday 27 February: Archaeology and Politics
Monday 5 March: Presenting the Past
Monday 12 March: Archaeology and Contemporary Society
Monday 19 March: Archaeology into the Third Millennium
I very much hope that as many as possible of our alumni, staff and current students will join me in celebrating 75 years of the Institute – leading global archaeology.
Professor Stephen Shennan, Director