Exploring Antiquity

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May 2007

N E W L Y A N N O U N C E D

Human Sacrifice: Myth, Reality, and Representation (scholary workshop)

Friday, May 18, 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms

The most fascinating and horrifying variety of sacrifice remains human sacrifice. This ritual, which started in the prehistory of Homo sapiens, is hardly practiced any longer, yet its occurrence in contemporary horror movies demonstrates the continuing fascination it holds over many people. Its religious significance may have disappeared, but its emotional power still grips us and makes us shiver.

As part of the 2006–2007 research theme, "Religion and Ritual," this one-day scholarly program explores the notion of sacrifice in the ancient Mediterranean cultures of Greece, Phoenicia, Etruria, and Rome; allegations made against the practices of Jews and peoples of Pre-Columbian Mexico; the persistence of the notion in 18th century France; and its representation in modern film.

Learn more, see the full schedule, and make reservations online.

The Sacrifice of Isaac, Giulio Romano (Giulio Pippi), Italian, about 1516–1518
Red chalk over stylus indentations, 11 1/8 x 7 1/2 in.
J. Paul Getty Museum 92.GB.37

Related Event

From Isaac to Iphigenia: Human Sacrifice in Antiquity (public lecture)
Thursday, May 17, 8:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Auditorium

Classical art and mythology are filled with images and stories of human sacrifice. Are these stories merely legends, or is there evidence that such episodes reflect actual ritual practices? Sarah Morris, a classicist and archaeologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, explores the visual, historical, and archaeological evidence for the offering of human victims in ancient Mediterranean cultures.

Free; a ticket is required. Call (310) 430-7300 or get tickets online.

The New Hellenistic and Roman Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (public lecture)

Saturday, June 9, 3:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Auditorium

View of the Leon Levy and Shelby White Court
© 2007 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The opening of the Met's new galleries concludes a 15-year project for the complete redesign and reinstallation of the Museum's superb collection of classical art, much of it unseen by the public for generations. Carlos A. Picón, curator in charge of the Department of Greek and Roman Art, discusses the realization of the four-phase master plan and the installation of some 5,300 works, which were previously in storage, over two levels of new gallery spaces.

Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 for reservations or get tickets online.

R E M I N D E R S

The Pergamon Altar: Sacrificial Site, Hero Tomb, or Victory Monument? (public lecture)

Monday, April 23, 3:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms

Andreas Scholl, director of antiquities for the Berlin State Museums, examines the history, function, and meaning of the Pergamon Altar against the background of Greek architecture and iconography, offering a new and surprising interpretation.

Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 for reservations and information or make reservations online.

Pergamon Altar, Greek, second century B.C., marble
The Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Conserving Mosaics of Tunisia (public lecture)

Thursday, April 26, 8:00 p.m.
Getty Villa, Auditorium

Hare with Grapes and Pomegranate / Roman

Hare with Grapes and a Pomegranate, Roman, A.D. 200–250, limestone, marble, and green glass, 30 1/8 x 41 15/16 in. El Jem Museum
Image courtesy of the République Tunisienne, Ministère de la Culture, Institut National du Patrimoine. Photography by Bruce M. White, 2005

Aïcha Ben Abed, director of monuments and sites at the Institut National du Patrimoine, Tunisia, speaks about the collections of mosaics in Tunisian museums and about the history of mosaic conservation in North Africa.

Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 for reservations or learn more and get tickets online.

Five Thousand Years of Festivals (scholarly seminar series)

March 2–June 8, 2007
Getty Center, Getty Research Institute Lecture Hall / Getty Villa, Meeting Rooms

This series exploring festivals across time and place continues on May 11 with Beate Pongratz-Leisten who speaks at the Getty Villa on ritual practices in ancient Mesopotamia.

Free; reservations required. Call (310) 440-7300 for reservations and information.

Learn more and see the full schedule.

Procession of the vintners in Vevey, Switzerland, with grape-pickers, a wine press on a wagon, and Noah's Ark with the Dove of Renewal (detail), Christian Gottlieb Steinlen

E X H I B I T I O N S

Looking Ahead
Greeks on the Black Sea: Ancient Art from the Hermitage (June 14–September 3, 2007)
The Herculaneum Women and the Origins of Archaeology (July 12–November 5, 2007)

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THE GETTY VILLA
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 440-7300

HOURS: Thurs–Mon: 10 am–5 pm. Closed Tuesdays and on January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, and December 25. Open Wednesdays as of October 14, 2009.

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. Public and scholarly programs at the Villa include lectures, seminars, workshops, and symposia, and complement the interdisciplinary activities of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation. The permanent collections of the Museum and the Research Institute, changing exhibitions, the annual scholar research theme, conservation issues, theater productions, and research projects inspire programs for scholars, students, specialized professionals, and general audiences.

Admission to the Getty Villa is always free. An advance, timed ticket is required. Each Villa ticket allows you to bring up to three children ages 15 and under with you in one car. This does not apply to tickets for events, such as lectures and performances. Tickets are available online or by calling (310) 440-7300. Ticket availability is updated weekly for a two-month period. Same-day tickets may also become available online without advance notice. Parking is $15, but FREE for evening events after 5:00 p.m.

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