Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

Classical archaeology is often integrated with art history in university and college departments across the world. Dr. Rachel Kousser, professor of Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology at the CUNY Graduate Center and Brooklyn College, explains to Dr. Schuldenrein and listeners how and why archaeology and art go hand in hand when studying the classical world of Greece and Rome. Instead of solely focusing on the creation and aesthetic of a piece of art, archaeology allows the materiality and biography of an object to be considered in its interpretation. In other words, the anthropological concept of context allows researchers to contemplate where the object was used, who was using it, and what it meant to the people consuming it. Classical Art can now be seen, much like today, to serve political purposes, reveal gender identities, and provide social commentaries. Enriching and revealing, the integration of archaeology and art history opens up ancient Greece and Rome like never before.