The Archaeological Institute of America promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity. The AIA supports archaeologists, their research and its dissemination, and the ethical practice of archaeology. The AIA educates people of all ages about the significance of archaeological discovery and advocates for the preservation of the world’s archaeological heritage. The AIA was founded in 1879 and now boasts over 200,000 members and over 100 Local Societies in the United States, Canada, and Europe. As part of the AIA, a number of interest groups exist that aim to bring together AIA members with shared interests in specific topics, usually regional or scholarly areas of study.
In January 2023, the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Numismatics Interest Group elected a new chair: Dr. Benjamin Hellings, of the Yale University Art Gallery. The AIA Numismatics Interest Group meets yearly at the AIA Annual Meeting, held every January in a variety of different cities across North America. The group consists of AIA members with an interest in numismatics and how it relates to archaeology and the members work to organize panels on numismatics for the annual conference (the next meeting is Chicago, January 2024 for which there is an open Call for Papers on “Ancient Coins and Sculpture”). The AIA Numismatics Interest Group also makes recommendations for the William E. Metcalf Lectures In Numismatics approximately 1-2 years in advance.
The Metcalf Lectureship is an endowed program that was established in 1999 and are on the subject of numismatics and their role in archaeological research as well as in art and historical research. The donors, Robert D. Taggart and his wife Anna Marguerite McCann, believed that coins, with their images and legends, are an essential source for any archaeologist dating a site or studying portraiture, architecture, religion or history and desire that numismatics be a part of the lecture program being provided by the AIA. Although much of numismatics is related to the ancient world, the lectures need not be limited to the ancient world as coins are relevant for other areas and times as well.
The 2023 Metcalf Lecturer is Dr. Frédérique Duyrat who will be giving two lectures in March.
Numismatics Panel “Ancient Coins and Sculpture”
For the 2024 AIA Annual Meeting, 4th to 7th January, 2024, in Chicago IL there is an open Call for Papers for the numismatics panel on “Ancient Coins and Sculpture”.
There is a close relationship between ancient coins and sculpture. To begin with, coins themselves can be understood as sculptures in miniature. As such they may reflect and interact with current trends in iconography and style. This is especially true when coins bear portraits, making these objects a rich source of iconography that can not only be compared to portraits in the round, but also studied as a phenomenon in itself. Such numismatic portraits also often function to lend authority to the coin as a piece of money and to any message conveyed by the images on the reverse. These reverse images in turn are sometimes drawn from the repertoire of sculpture, whether copying a famous artwork by a master sculptor or an unknown model lost to history. The Numismatics Interest Group of the AIA invites abstracts on any aspect of the relationship between ancient coins and sculpture, including but not limited to portraiture, from any time period.
Papers will be 15 or 20 minutes (please specify requested time) and all presenters must be AIA members in good standing at the time of the meeting.
Read more about the Numismatic Interest Group.
For further information, visit the Archeological Institute of America website.
Read the Who’s Who entry of Frédérique Duyrat.