From Troy to Ireland: an ancient object connecting worlds

In 2024, the Weingreen Museum of Biblical Antiquities at Trinity College Dublin was gifted a spindle whorl from the ancient city of Troy. Given by the early excavator of the site, Heinrich Schleimann, to Lady Augusta Gregory when she visited Athens in 1880, this decorated spindle whorl then made its journey to Ireland.
Lady Gregory mentions it in her diary and wrote an identifying note which remains attached to the back of the whorl. This small terracotta object, dating from the Bronze Age, connects us not just to the historical worlds of ancient Anatolia and Greece and the universal experiences of humanity reflected in the Homeric epic but also to the daily lives of women who would have used this object in their production of textiles, and, in more modern times, to the European excavators obsessed with these legendary tales and to the woman who brought it to Ireland.

We invite you to join us for two events (booking required for the Friday symposium, but not the public lecture on Thursday evening.

Organisers: Christine Morris and Zuleika Rodgers
Generously supported by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Trinity Room Hub.

Thursday 26th March, 18.30-20.00. Public Lecture (no booking needed)

A public lecture given by Professor Rustem Aslan, Director of Troy Excavations, on “Spinning the Past: Schliemann's Discovery of Spindle Whorls in Troy.” Synge Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin.

Friday 27th March, 9.30-18.00. Public Symposium (booking essential)

This event will explore the historical and cultural biographies of our Trojan spindle whorl through talks and readings, as well as presenting artistic works commissioned and co-created with the project. Full programme below.

Friday March 27th programme in detail
9-9.20 am. Arrive and register

9.20 am Welcome, by Patrick Geoghegan, Director, Trinity Long Room Hub

9.30 - 10 am. Christine Morris & Zuleika Rodgers
Introduction: Telling stories with objects

10.-10.30 .Martine Cuypers
Spinning in Homer: Following the Thread

10.30 - 10.50. Readings from ancient literature by Lir students
(Zoe Powell, Ali McKenna, Sarah Duffy, Lena Jorge)

10.50 - 11.20. Coffee break

11.20 -11.50. Honora Chapman
Weaving the Cosmos

11.50 - 12.20. Christina Haywood
Interweaving the ‘ages’ of the Homeric epics. The archaeology of ‘Ithaca(s)’ from Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age

12.30 -2.15

Lunch break (not provided for participants)

2.15 -2.45. Mnemosyne Rice
The racialisation of ancient scripts in the work of Schliemann and Evans

2.45 - 3.15. Chris Morash
Archaeology in the Drawing Room: Lady Gregory Before the Revival”

3.30 - 4.00. Lucy Robinson and Amy O'Keeffe
Fire and fleece: making and spinning with a replica Trojan whorl

4.00- 4.40. Gulfem Pamuk and Merve Sagit
Troy in Ireland: modern creative engagements

4.40-5.00 Readings from ancient literature by Lir students
(Zoe Powell, Ali McKenna, Sarah Duffy, Lena Jorge)

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Host or Publisher Department of Classics, Trinity College Dublin