The Society of
Mediterranean Archaeology (SoMA)
The
University of Sydney Friends of the AAIA
President: Dr
Craig Barker
c.barker@usyd.edu.au
The Society of Mediterranean
Archaeology
(SoMA) is the University of Sydney Friends of the AAIA - a body
designed to promote the study of archaeology through lectures,
seminars, other educational events and social functions. As SoMA we
hold fund raising events to showcase the research undertaken at the
AAIA and the University of Sydney, to support their excavations, and to
help students in gaining practical archaeological experience in the
Mediterranean. SoMA was created in late 2000 from the dissolved Foundation
of Classical Archaeology. All funds generated by SoMA are dedicated
to financial assistance for Australian archaeological projects overseas
and for the SoMA Scholarship.
Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship
The Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship for Archaeological Fieldwork in the Mediterranean was offered by SoMA for the first time in 2001. In January 2002 the Council of SoMA voted to rename the scholarship in memory of Olwen Tudor Jones. Subsequently, after generous donations were received from Olwen's family and friends, a capital preserved trust was set up. It is this trust, augmented by funds raised from events hosted by SoMA (notably the annual Christmas Party) that finances the annual OTJ scholarship.
The OTJ Scholarship is offered annually to a University of Sydney student of archaeology, or associated field, of high academic achievement for the purpose of partially funding that student's travel costs to participate in fieldwork in the Mediterranean region. Preference is given to a student who will be working on a Sydney University project, and to a student who has not previously participated in an archaeological project in the Mediterranean before. Applications must include a cover letter, a provisional letter of acceptance from the director of the project you wish to attend, a CV, 2 letters of reference, and an academic record. The successful applicant will be chosen by the Selection Committee. More details can be obtained by contacting Craig Barker at c.barker@usyd.edu.au or by reading the Scholarship Guidelines.
OTJ Scholarship Recipients:
| 2001 | Cathy Hammond | Paphos
Theatre Excavations, Cyprus (The University of Sydney) |
| 2002* | Keryn Paul | Porta
Marina Project, Pompeii (The University of Geneva) |
| 2003 | Nicholas Vlachos | Paliochora-Kythera
Archaeological Survey, Greece (AAIA) |
| 2004 | Alexandra Vaughn | Despotiko
Excavations, Cyclades, Greece (Hellenic Ministry of Culture) |
| 2005 |
Lily Withycombe-Taperell ** |
Pompeii Archaeological Research Programme: Porta Stabia (the University of Sydney/Stanford University) |
| 2007 | Kristen Mann | Paphos Theatre
Excavations, Cyprus (The University of Sydney) Southern Euboia Exploration Project (The Canadian Institute in Greece) |
| Louisa di Bartolomeo | Pompeii Archaeological Research Programme: Porta Stabia (the University of Cincinnati/Stanford University) | |
| 2008 | Miriyan Kidson | Borders of
Arabia & Palestine Project (The University of Sydney) |
*The 2002 OTJ scholarship was
generously supported by the School of Philosophical and Historical
Inquiry.
** See the AAIA Bulletin 3, 2005, for a report by Lily on her activities.
For more information on SoMA or the
OTJ scholarship please contact:
Craig Barker (email: c.barker@usyd.edu.au)
or
Wayne Mullen (ph: 9351 4759, e-mail: aaia.sydney@usyd.edu.au)
Helen Jarvis (centre), daughter of Olwen Tudor Jones,
at the Christmas party and launch of the 2004 OTJ Scholarship
2008 Activities
SoMA has had an extraordinarily successful period over the last twelve months. The society has two main objectives. The first is to promote Mediterranean Archaeology generally, and the work of the AAIA more specifically, across the campus population. The second is to raise funds for our annual scholarship, the Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship, which is designed to contribute towards the financial costs of an undergraduate student participating in their first archaeological excavation in the Mediterranean region. The scholarship, named in honour of Olwen Tudor Jones (1916-2001) to mark her life-long support for younger students, has now been running successfully since 2001. Funds raised by SoMA events contribute towards this award, as does the ongoing generous support of Olwen's family and friends.
In 2007 the Olwen Tudor Jones was generously supported by Professor Cambitoglou, enabling us for the first time to award a scholarship to the value of $1500 to each of the two outstanding applicants who could not be split by the judging panel. As a result SoMA was able to assist the travels of Louisa di Bartolomeo who joined the Porta Stabia Project at Pompeii (Stanford University/University of Cincinnati) and of Kristen Mann who participated in the excavations at Paphos in Cyprus (University of Sydney) as well as the Southern Euboea Exploration Project (Canadian Archaeological Institute in Athens). In 2008 the scholarship was awarded to Miriyan Kidson who worked on the University of Sydney's Borders of Arabia & Palestine project in Jordan.
One of the most pleasing aspects of SoMA's operations in recent times has been the opportunity to develop close working relationships with other bodies. These arrangements have seen us working alongside Sydney University Museums and with the Sydney Friends of the AAIA, as well as collaborating with the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation. It is an exciting way to attract people and has also meant that we can link some of our talks with the Sydney Greek Festival and National Archaeology Week.
The annual "Alexander Cambitoglou Lecture" was presented in 2008 by Dr Monica Jackson, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. and a Governor of the AAIA. Monica spoke on "The Castellani Genius: The Lost Art of Italian Archaeological Jewellery". The event both honours Professor Cambitoglou and allows SoMA to host a talk focussing on areas of Classical art and archaeology. It is held in the Nicholson Museum, in conjunction with its academic public lecture programme.
The years as always ended and began with our traditional functions: our famous Christmas party to celebrate the completion of another academic year, and a wine & cheese evening under the Jacaranda tree in the Main Quadrangle to welcome in the new one. At both events the wine flowed freely, raffle prizes were awarded, and everyone had an enjoyable time.
Finally, mention must be made of the Centre for Continuing Education tours led by Helen Nicholson, that are co-sponsored by SoMA. The first of these tours took place in 2007, and visited Greece and Italy. In 2008 a second tour went to Crete, Cyprus, Rhodes and Alexandria. Helen plans more such ventures with CCE in the future. It is an exciting way for SoMA to be involved in teaching the general public about the wonders of the Mediterranean region, and for additional funds to be directed back to the Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship. To mark her role in these tours, a sole initiative, and her long-term support of our activities, Helen was awarded lifetime honorary membership of SoMA at our 2007 Christmas Party in a lovely ceremony.
SoMA could not continue to operate as actively and as energetically were it not for the hard work and dedication shown by our committee members. Their collective enthusiasm requires acknowledgment.
2007 Activities
April 2007 saw SoMA establish two new endeavours, both of which were massive successes. The first was to join forces with Sydney University Museums to host a number of events on the calendar of the annual Sydney Greek Festival of Sydney. This enabled SoMA to promote the work of the AAIA to a wider audience, and provide some ancient perspectives to the program of the 25th annual Greek festival.
The first event was a lecture by Dr Julia Kindt on "The Forgotten Oracles of Delphi", which attracted an audience of 70. A week later Dr Craig Barker, Dr Elizabeth Bollen and Renée Regal gave joint lecture titled "Food, Wine and Dining in Ancient Greece: the Symposium Experience". It was a light-hearted talk on the important role of food and wine in antiquity, and the crowd of 160 enjoyed the talks, and then celebrated with food and wine!
The second new initiative was an idea that SoMA has been pursuing for some years, and so we were very excited to see it come to fruition. On Tuesday 24 April, in the Nicholson Museum, SoMA presented the first Alexander Cambitoglou Lecture. We intend for this lecture to become an annual event; presenting a talk on some aspect of classical iconographic studies and recognising Professor Cambitoglou's contribution to Australian Classical studies. The inaugural lecture was given by Michael Turner, senior curator of the Nicholson Museum, and was titled "The Portland Vase: Adonis in the Underworld". 110 people attended the lecture and following reception.
As a result of the increased fundraising activities, and in part because of the generosity of Professor Cambitoglou, in 2007, for the first time ever, SoMA was able to offer two Olwen Tudor Jones scholarships to the value of $1500 each. The selection committee was unable to separate two of the applicants, so it was a pleasure to be able to offer both students assistance with their travels. Louisa di Bartolomeo used her Olwen Tudor Jones scholarship to join the Porta Stabia Project at Pompeii (Stanford University/University of Cincinnati), while Kristen Mann participated in the excavations at Paphos in Cyprus (University of Sydney) in July and the Southern Euboea Exploration Project (Canadian Archaeological Institute in Athens) in August.
One of the most exciting recent developments for SoMA has been the birth of a relationship with the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sydney, and the offering of tours co-sponsored by SoMA. Led by tour-leader, Helen Nicholson, these tours allow their participants to explore ancient cultures, plus raise donations for the Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship Trust. Helen has worked extremely hard to get the tour programme off the ground, and kicked it off with "Highlights of Antiquity: Greece and Italy" in April 2007, followed by "Classical and Ottoman Turkey" in September. Helen's next SoMA sponsored tour will take place in May to June of 2008, and will travel to Crete, Cyprus, Rhodes and Alexandria, with Sicily planned for 2009. Bookings can be made through the Centre for Continuing Education.
As usual the SoMA year was bookended by our Welcome Wine & Cheese in March and the Christmas Party in November, with students staff and supporters celebrating under the jacaranda tree in the Main Quadrangle.
The Delphic Oracle
John Collier, 1981
The Museum of South Australia
2006 Activities
Events began in 2006 with our annual wine and cheese welcome to the students held under the Jacaranda tree of the Quadrangle of the University of Sydney. This relaxed informal function is always a great way to meet lecturers and to welcome in the new academic year. A similar event was also held in the beginning of 2007.
Relationships with the wider student body were improved as SoMA joined forces with the student club known as The Archaeology Society in August 2006 to hold a trivia night - a chance for students of all branches of archaeology to come together and relax from their studies.
SoMA provided its usual support to the AAIA Visiting Professor lecture series, by contributing the catering and organising the second function following the public lecture by Professor Jacques Perreault in September. The lecture was well attended, and the function was a celebration of the works of this respected scholar.
In November 2006, SoMA hosted its annual Christmas Party. As in past years, the wine flowed freely, the raffle prizes were much sort-after, and all enjoyed themselves in the quiet afternoon in the grounds of the University of Sydney. The evening raised considerable funds for the OTJ scholarship.
2005 Activities
SoMA had a relatively quiet 2005, due largely to outside academic and work related pressure on many members of the organizational committee. Our first event, on March 15, was a Wine and Cheese under the jacaranda tree in the Main Quadrangle to welcome students and staff to the new academic year. On August 3rd SoMA hosted a well-attended supper in the Nicholson Museum for Professor Nota Kourou, the 2005 AAIA Visiting Professor, following her public lecture on "The Sacred Tree and its Symbolism in Ancient Greek Art". In November the Annual Christmas Party proved once again to be a popular event with students, staff and friends celebrating the close of another busy year. Keen interest in the raffle ensured the Christmas Party again raised substantial additional funds for the Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship.
The 2005 Olwen Tudor Jones Scholarship was awarded to Ms Lily Withycombe-Taperell who travelled to Italy participate in the Pompeii Archaeological Research Programme: Porta Stabia, co-directed by former SoMA committee member Dr Steven Ellis. A report of her experiences appears in the AAIA Bulletin 3.
Dr Ted Robinson with students Tanya
Douvaleras,
Amanda Reynolds, Amanda Dusting and Sanja Vucetic
at the 2005 SoMA Christmas Party.
Kristen Mann, an OTJ
scholarship recipient,
excavating in Paphos
