Upcoming events.
Upcoming events.
We work with scholars and educators around the world to create original content for you spanning time and circling the globe. “Tiny Lectures,” Video Mini-Series, and Zoom Events are digital presentations keep you in touch and engaged. Talks, cemetery preservation, culinary adventures, and children’s activities all take place in neighborhoods around Houston.
Join us for adventure!
FAMILY EVENT Ancient Encounters - Maya
Discover what life was like for a Maya boy or girl.
Free presentation for children ages 6 through 10 at Harris County Public Libraries. The event includes an excavation, hands-on crafts and games, all focused on the culture of the Maya
FREE ADMISSION
Octavia Fields Branch Library
Sat Feb 10, 2024, 2pm – 4pm
Harris County Public Library, Octavia Fields Branch
1503 S Houston Ave, Humble, TX 77338
CULINARY ADVENTURE Culinary Heritage In Baba’s Kitchen
PART OF THE UKRAINIAN PROJECT
In Baba’s Kitchen
Be part of preserving a culinary tradition! Participate in a cooking class and demonstration lead by chefs Irina Mamataliyev & Monica Pope that teaches how to make borscht and pierogi and the proper way to drink vodka. Then feast on the results! Borscht has been listed as an Endangered Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Foreign Grill at the Conservatory
606 Dennis St, Houston, Texas 77006
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 3pm-6pm
YOUTUBE LIVE TALKS Talking Walls: Graffiti from the War
PART OF THE UKRAINIAN PROJECT
Talking Walls: Graffiti from the War
Join us for a compelling online event where we explore graffiti left behind by Russians during the Ukrainian war that is often threatening or boastful about their own brutality. In April 2022, Ukrainian researchers formed the Wall Evidence project to document Russia's actions and to achieve accountability. As the archive’s content lead, Roksolana Makar works to uncover patterns, symbols, and narratives of intimidation. Her talk will focus on the influence of popular culture, literature, and propaganda found in Russian messages to Ukrainians and the transformation of public and private space during the occupation. It’s an age-old story that is tragically being repeated today.
Roksolana Makar, Content Lead. Wall Evidence Team, Ukraine
Sunday, April 28, 2024, 2pm-3:30pm
FREE ADMISSION with Reservation
YOUTUBE LIVE TALKS Scythians: Golden Horses & Swift Arrows
THE UKRAINIAN PROJECT
Scythians: Golden Horses & Swift Arrows
Join us on a cultural journey from the comfort of your own home to meet a legendary culture.
It was on the world’s first “superhighway”—the vast grasslands of the Eurasian steppe which stretch from modern-day Ukraine to the edges of China—that horses were probably domesticated around 5,000 years ago. The cultures that emerged from this sea of grass developed an essential partnership that has endured thousands of years. The Scythians are one of the most fascinating and enigmatic of these groups, celebrated as an arrow-shooting, nomadic culture of horse people known for their extravagant tombs and astonishingly beautiful goldwork. Discover how they exerted such a powerful influence on steppe history and why horses and nomads played such a significant role in the region.
The Ukrainian Consul General will deliver opening remarks.
Dr. Carolyn Willekes, Asst. Prof. Mount Royal University
FREE YOUTUBE LIVE EVENT
Sunday, April 14, 2024
2pm - 3:30 pm
FAMILY EVENT Ancient Encounters - Maya
Discover what life was like for a Maya boy or girl.
Free presentation for children ages 6 through 10 at Harris County Public Libraries. The event includes an excavation, hands-on crafts and games, all focused on the culture of the Maya
FREE ADMISSION
Katherine Tyra Branch Library
Sat Apr 13, 2024, 2pm – 4pm
Harris County Public Library, Katherine Tyra Branch Library
16719 Clay Rd, Houston, TX 77084
CULTURAL TOUR Sacred & Artistic Heritage
PART OF THE UKRAINIAN PROJECT
Preserving the Homeland in a Sacred Space
Embark on a tour of Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church to learn how sacred spaces are pivotal to the preservation of Ukrainian culture in a diaspora community. Discover the meaning behind the stunning icons in the space and the methods of creating of their creation, view heavily embroidered and beaded vestments used in worship as well as folk embroidery that was part of everyday life, and see a demonstration of the creation of pysanky eggs, a joyous symbol of Easter
Limited to 50 participants
FREE ADMISSION with reservation
9102 Meadowshire St.
Houston, TX 77037
Olha Seniw Photography
CULTURAL FORUM History and Heritage
PART OF THE UKRAINIAN PROJECT
Ukraine has an ancient, unique history with movements of people sweeping from east to west that were pivotal to the formation of Europe. Known as the “Gateway to Europe,” Ukraine’s stories are placed in context with a talk focused an early beginnings and then a panel discussion that details more recent events that helped form contemporary Ukrainian identity.
TALK - Ukraine: An Ancient Gateway to Europe
7:00 pm
Dr. Adam Rabinowitz, UT Austin
PANEL DISCUSSION - Foreign Policy & Diplomacy
8:00 pm
Moderated by Eric Botts, University of St. Thomas
Reception - 6pm - 7pm
FREE ADMISSION
University of St. Thomas,
Jones Hall
3910 Yoakumb Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
CEMETERY PRESERVATION Stones, Stories, & Suds
Preserve and restore a historic cemetery in Pearland. Descendants will be on hand to tell the stories of their families buried at the site. We will end the day with a self-pay lunch and a history roundtable at Vallensons’ Brewing Company, a microbrewery conveniently located next to the cemetery!
Limited to 50 participants
FREE ADMISSION with reservation
Old Settlers Cemetery
4499 Halik St, Pearland, TX 7758
Pioneering Texans: Black Texans in Freedom Colonies
Join us at Bayou Bend for the Children’s Texas Art Festival for activities that forge a connection to Texas and American heritage. Learn about the life of a boy and girl who lived in a Freedom Colony, African-American settlements formed throughout Texas in the 1800s after the Civil War.
EXCAVATE like an archaeologist
DISCOVER plant dyes and make a crazy quilt sample
MAKE a certificate by using quill pens and ink
LEARN about culinary traditions: grind corn & identify seeds
Sunday, January 21, 2024, 1pm – 5pm
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, 6003 Memorial Drive
POETRY & MUSIC Gilgamesh, An Ancient Voice
POETRY & MUSIC Gilgamesh, an Ancient Voice
Discover the world’s first story and learn about a hero who searched for the secret of immortality at a mini-marathon reading of Gilgamesh. Copies of the book will be available for sale for you to follow along as people from all walks of life in Houston participate in relating a story as relevant to humanity today as when it emerged from the Marshes over 5,000 years ago.
Then, join us as we bid goodbye to the mudhif. On its last night in Houston, we will sing a lament and extinguish the lights that have illuminated it since we opened it to the public in September.
FREE ADMISSION
Glasscock School Auditorium, Rice University
Paid Parking, Lot #4
Follow the signs
FAMILY DAY Meet Me at the Mudhif
FAMILY DAY Meet Me at the Mudhif
Free hands-on activities introduce your family to the ancient culture of the Marshes.
The Mudhif, hosted at Rice University
Entrance #8 off of Stockton at University
CULINARY ADVENTURE An Ancient Meal
CULINARY ADVENTURE An Ancient Meal
Feast like an ancient Sumerian! Chefs from Bite of Hope and the Iraqi community, as well as the archaeologist Dr. Zaid Alrawi, replicate a meal from a 5,000-year-old tavern discovered at excavations in Iraq last summer.
$65 per person. Limited to 60 diners.
CULTURAL EVENT Traditional Music Concert
CULTURAL EVENT Traditional Music Concerts
The concert has been rescheduled for Nov. 19, 2023, 1pm - 3:30 pm
FREE
The Mudhif, hosted on the campus of Rice University
Entrance #8 at Stockton and University Blvd.
FAMILY DAY International Archaeology Day
FAMILY DAY Meet Me at the Mudhif
International Archaeology Day
Join us to celebrate International Archaeology Day with activities focused on the Iraqi Marshes in a series of free hands-on activities that introduce your family to the ancient culture of the Marshes.
The Mudhif, hosted at Rice University
Entrance #8 off of Stockton and University Blvd.
Paid Parking, Lot #4 Follow the Signs
OPEN HOUSE Visit the Mudhif
OPEN HOUSE Visit the Mudhif
If you’ve been wondering about the arched building you’ve seen at Rice University, now is your opportunity to tour the place and enjoy some traditional Iraqi hospitality! Meet us at an open house, learn about the ancient culture that helped create Western Civilization and admire the skill of builders who managed to create a mudhif from the Marshes of Iraq and transplant it to Houston to be assembled here!
The Mudhif
Entrance #18 at Stockton and University
Rice University Campus.
FREE ADMISSION
Paid Parking at Lot #4
Follow signs
TALK An Oasis of Biodiversity in the Marshes
TALK An Oasis of Biodiversity in the Marshes
Dr. Azzam Alwash
Wetlands are going to be crucial in a changing world. Biodiversity in the Marshes of Iraq as well as the marshes of the Gulf Coast of America is threatened. Discover some of the solutions being proposed to help both regions of the world at a talk by two experts.
FREE ADMISSION
Glasscock School Auditorium, Rice University
Entrance #8, University & Stockton
Paid Parking, Lot #4 (follow signs)
TALK The World's Oldest Tavern
TALK The World’s Oldest Tavern
Dr. Zaid Al Rawi, Landscape Archaeologist Southern Mesopotamia Projects Manager, University of Pennsylvania
Eating out seems to have been as popular 5,000 years ago as it is today! Archaeologists working in the fall of 2022 in the ancient city of Lagash, in what was once the marshes of Iraq, discovered one of the world’s first taverns! Everything for a delightful meal was available: a room containing benches for comfort, an industrial-size oven which certainly churned out delicious delicacies, a large grill still holding a fish, and even a 5,000-year-old fridge!
Hear the story and learn more about what was on the menu from Dr. Zaid Alrawi, Mesopotamian archaeologist and the Lagash archaeological project’s manager.
Lynn Wyatt Theater, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
FREE ADMISION with reserved tickets
FREE PARKING after 5pm. Take ticket to enter and use the same ticket to exit at no charge.
FILM Miracle in the Marshes of Iraq
FILM SCREENING Miracle in the Marshes of Iraq
Azzam Alwash, Founder of Nature Iraq and star of “Miracle in the Marshes”
It's the largest and most ambitious habitat re-creation project ever known: to bring back to life one of the world's greatest marshlands. In the 1990s, Saddam Hussein drained the gigantic wetlands of Iraq and turned them into a desert, destroying a home to thousands of people and millions of birds. The BBC follows the work of Azzam Alwash, the visionary Iraqi engineer and CEO of Nature Iraq who will be present to introduce the film and give an update on current efforts of marsh preservation.
Lynn Wyatt Theater, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
FREE ADMISION with reserved tickets.
Grand Opening of Mudhif
GRAND OPENING OF MUDHIF
Join Archaeology Now and the Arab-American Educational Foundation to celebrate 5,000 years of history—from the Iraqi Marshes to the marshes of the Gulf Coast of America—as we formally open our newly completed mudhif, a copy of an ancient reed guest house, used in the marshes of Iraq.
This structure was created in components by master builders in Iraq and shipped to Houston where we assembled the pieces on the campus of Rice University. It is the first time this has ever been done in the United States and it is having a pivotal impact on preserving traditional building techniques and knowledge in danger of disappearing forever!
We are proud to showcase the work of volunteers from many communities in Houston whose muscle and dedication helped to create this unique structure made from authentic materials using traditional methods.
TOUR a replica of an ancient structure.
SAMPLE traditional food.
CREATE art with your family.
JOIN in song and dance.
FREE ADMISSION
Saturday, September 9, 2023. 10am – 1pm
Rice University, Entrance #8 at University and Stockton Streets
Mudhif Construction
MUDHIF CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
After months of waiting and untold setbacks, we are finally beginning construction of the mudhif at Rice University!
We need volunteers! Join us to be part of the group that helps bring an innovative project to life and preserves cultural history.
Our structure is next to the Moody Museum at the intersection of Stockton and University Boulevard, Entrance #8.
Currently, we are finalizing dates but anticipate construction taking one to two weeks. We hope to begin on Monday, June 12 at 9am.
Click on the link below to register.
Zoom Talk | Deciphering the Secrets of Mesopotamian Divination
We all want a sneak peek at the future, but the Mesopotamians seemed to be obsessed with understanding and explaining the world. Divination was an important tool in their arsenal and its manifestations were seen as messages from the gods. Hints could be found by the sighting of omens in the night sky, sacrificing an animal to examine its liver, or many other phenomena in the natural world. Practitioners achieved a status comparable to priests. Join Dr. Irving Finkel as he delves into the extensive cuneiform coverage of this very curious and extraordinary range of activity.
Sunday, June 11, 2023, 3pm - 5pm
YouTube Event
FREE ADMISSION WITH RESERVATION
Ancient Encounters Family Event | Egypt
Ancient Encounters Egypt
In partnership with Harris County Public Library
Discover what life was like for a boy or girl in ancient Egypt. Participate in a story time and then excavate like an archaeologist! You will also get to write your name in hieroglyphs on a cartouche that you make to take home.
FREE Admission
Saturday, June 10, 2023
1pm - 3pm
Harris County Public Library,
Galena Park Location
1500 Keene St, Galena Park,
Pasadena, TX 77547
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Film Screening | Miracle on the Marshes of Iraq
In Partnership with the Arab American Educational Foundation
It's the largest and most ambitious habitat re-creation project ever known: to bring back to life one of the world's greatest marshlands. In the 1990s, Saddam Hussein drained the gigantic wetlands of Iraq and turned them into a desert, destroying a home to thousands of people and millions of birds. The BBC follows the work of Azzam Alwash, the visionary Iraqi engineer and CEO of Nature Iraq who will be present to introduce the film and give an update on current efforts of marsh preservation.
Azzam Alwash, Founder of Nature Iraq and star of “Miracle in the Marshes”
Lynn Wyatt Theater, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
FREE ADMISION with reserved tickets
Talk | The Marsh Arab Story: Ancient Cultures, Modern Lives
In partnership with the Arab American Educational Foundation
Two great rivers - the Tigres and the Euphrates - created the largest wetland ecosystem in Western Eurasia. In this vast fertile region, civilization was born 5,000 years ago, the first literate societies emerged, cities developed, and trade and complex state bureaucracies evolved. The Marsh Arabs are descendants of the ancient Sumerians and Akkadians and are groups of tribal people who make their home in this lush environment. This group of people developed a unique culture in antiquity centered on the natural resources of the marshes. All of this changed in the 1990s due to warfare and environmental destruction. Today, this group is endangered. Cultural and environmental destruction threatens all of us, not only the Marsh Arabs. By working to preserve their culture, we are working to preserve a part of collective humanity and to discover lessons for solving future issues involving cultural and ecological destruction.
This is their story.
Dr. Zaid Alrawi, The University of Pennsylvania
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Zoom Talk | Uncovering the Secrets of Mesopotamian Medicine
The Doctor is in and will see you now! Lacking human remains or plants for study, the knowledge we have gained about medicine in Mesopotamia has been obtained from cuneiform tablets which have provided us with invaluable insights into the medical practices of this ancient civilization. Dr. Irving Finkel will take us on a journey through the cuneiform texts, explaining the treatments, diagnoses, and surgical procedures used by the Mesopotamians.
FREE with Registration
Sunday, April 23, 2023
3pm - 6pm
Time Travelers | Ancient Egypt
After-school enrichment program for children of Alief Independent School District
Culinary Adventure | Mughlai Royal Palate
Discover an intense flowering of cuisine that developed in Mughal India featuring an array of new spices, courtesy of the silk route accompanied by a talk by Dr. Namita Sugandhi, archaeologist.
Tickets: $65.00
Bombay Brasserie
3005 W Look South