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Free and open to the public

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

7:30 pm

McClung Museum Auditorium

The East Tennessee Society of the Archaeological Institute of America and the McClung Museum present Dr. Erin Darby of the University of TN, Religious Studies department lecturing on, "Digging the Divine? Female Figurines and the Archaeology of Israelite Religion."

Dr. Darby's research and teaching interests include topics in Biblical Studies, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Archaeology, Anthropology, Art History, Judaic Studies, Ritual Studies, and Gender Studies. In her dissertation she focuses on small female figurines from southern Israel, using these various modes of inquiry to ascertain the function of the figurines and their role in Judean ritual life. Erin is also the co-director of the 'Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Project in southern Jordan, where she and her husband run an archaeological field school during the summer months. Upcoming projects include further work on figurines from Israel, Jordan, and Syria and the publication of the excavations at 'En Hatsevah, Israel. When she is not teaching in the States, Erin spends much of her time at archaeological sites in the Middle East, such as Cave 1 at Qumran, where the first Dead Scrolls were found.