What are the challenges facing ancient studies in view of transdisciplinary projects and developments such as the increasing digitalization of research and teaching? The Egyptologist and president of All European Academies, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Antonio Loprieno, will talk about this on November 27, at 8 p.m., in the James-Simon-Galerie of Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. The lecture is part of an event run by the Berliner College of Antiquity (Berliner Antike-Kolleg, BAK), titled “Berliner Antike in der James-Simon-Galerie – Personen und Objekte.” So far, the annual event has taken place in various rooms of Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. For the first time this year, the BAK will be a guest in the newly opened James-Simon-Galerie. Other items on the agenda include the formal handover of official business to the newly elected Board of Directors of BAK and the awarding of doctoral certificates to graduates of the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS).

The new Board of Directors of BAK is composed of Prof. Dr. Michael Meyer (Freie Universität Berlin), a prehistorian and spokesperson for the Topoi Cluster of Excellence, which came to an end in October, the philologist and historian Prof. Dr. Philip van der Eijk (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), and the classical archaeologist and Secretary General of the German Archaeological Institute Dr. Philipp von Rummel. They succeed the ancient orientalist Prof. Dr. Eva Cancik-Kirschbaum (Freie Universität Berlin), the theologian Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christoph Markschies (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), and the prehistorian and president of Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Hermann Parzinger.

The Berliner College of Antiquity emerged in 2011 from the Topoi Cluster of Excellence and is funded by all the institutions that deal with the Ancient World in Berlin: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, German Archaeological Institute, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, and Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz are all involved. The Berliner College of Antiquity consists of an international research center, a department for digital resources, and the Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies (BerGSAS). With currently five doctoral programs, BerGSAS takes into account the respective disciplinary conditions and the increasing demands on interdisciplinarity.

Time and place

• Wednesday, November 27, starting at 8 p.m. (admission from 7.30 p.m.)
• James-Simon-Galerie of Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Auditorium, Bodestrasse, D-10178 Berlin