For 11-2

‘SCEPTERS OF POWER’ PROGRAM AT PENN MUSEUM NOV. 10

AVV 10-17 #716233

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. — Penn Museum, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, will present a symposium, “Scepters of Power in Ancient Worlds,” on November 10, from 10 am to 3 pm.

The cultures of ancient Egypt, Mesoamerica and Mesopotamia are rich sources for the comparative study of power and authority in early civilizations. Unlike modern Western societies, these civilizations conceptualized authority in terms of figures that both governed the land and mediated between the human and divine worlds.

Through lectures focusing on recent research in the cosmic, symbolic and coercive aspects of power and authority from philological, archaeological and art historical evidence, the day’s speakers explore kingship against wider political cultures of these societies.

Lectures and discussion, featuring Dr Manfred Bietak, Egyptologist from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna; Simon Martin, Maya specialist and research associate, Penn Museum; and Dr Bradley Parker, Assyriologist with the Department of History, University of Utah, are free with museum admission donation.

Penn Museum is at 3260 South Street (on the Penn campus across from Franklin Field). For general information, www.museum.upenn.edu or 215-898-4890.