Holly Pittman, University of Pennsylvania
Wolf Humanities Center's Forum on Afterlives and Penn Museum, University of Pennsvylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
Penn Museum’s Middle East galleries contain some of the world’s most important artifacts from the Royal Cemetery in the ancient city of Ur. In particular, the intact burial ground of Queen Pu-abi, which dates back more than 4,000 years, and a lavish mass burial which was described by its excavator as the "Great Death Pit," provide a uniquely illuminating view into the beliefs of ancient Sumerians. In this talk, Professor Pittman will describe the Queen’s tomb, the elaborate and expensive rituals associated with the passing of members of elite society from this world to the next, and what this tells us about notions of life after death in early Mesopotamia.
This talk is part of the Wolf Humanities Center's Forum on Afterlives. The event is FREE and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested.
Talk atendees may also registrer separately for a FREE tour of Penn Museum's new Middle East Galleries by clicking here.