Free Hybrid Lecture: One Woman’s Fight to Protect Ancient Maya Legacy

Name: Free Hybrid Lecture: One Woman’s Fight to Protect Ancient Maya Legacy
Start: 2025-10-16T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-10-16T19:00:00-04:00
Location: Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Schedule

Thu Oct 16 2025 at 06:00 pm to 07:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 | Cambridge, MA

When the looting and illicit trade of cultural artifacts surged In the 1960s, one voice rose in defense of archaeological sites in the Americas—Dr. Clemency Chase Coggins, Professor Emerita of Archaeology and Art History, Boston University; Research Associate, Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, Harvard University. A pioneering art historian and legendary figure in Maya archaeology, Dr. Coggins stood with Ian Graham in calling for ethical stewardship of cultural heritage.
Join us for an illuminating evening as Dr. Coggins recounts her groundbreaking advocacy that helped shape U.S. policy and UNESCO conventions on cultural property. With vivid stories and a special video presentation, she reflects on her collaborations with notable figures such as Tatiana Proskouriakoff and the role of the Peabody Museum in the protection of Maya heritage.
This conversation, moderated by Maya Corpus Director Barbara Fash and research associate Steven Quinchia, will bring to life the intersection of scholarship, activism, and international policy—and the extraordinary woman who helped change the course of cultural preservation.
A reception will follow in the galleries of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue. Advance registration is recommended: https://tinyurl.com/AncientMayaCoggins. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 4:00 pm.