Thursday, October 15
Dartmouth 105
4:30pm
Reception to Follow
Free & Open to All

Elizabeth Greene, University of Western Ontario

Talk title: Archaeological Leather and the Precarious Future of Organic Material Evidence

Abstract: The Roman site of Vindolanda on the northern frontier of Britain has provided one of the best assemblages of organic material from anywhere in the empire. Over eight thousand leather finds, including nearly five thousand shoes, and countless wood and bone objects, have provided a more complete picture of life in the past than is typical of most sites. However, this invaluable resource is also under threat from environmental shifts, and Vindolanda is leading the way on several initiatives to understand how climate change is affecting archaeological remains. This talk will first present current work on archaeological leather and then focus on its role in assessing the impact of climate change on archaeology and organic artifacts.

Generously funded by Gino Franco Luigi Zarbin, MD Memorial Fund in Classics.