Archaeological Institute of America

Have you ever wondered why some ancient cultures do not seem as “skilled” as later societies in representing the natural world? If so, you are not alone. Many people assume that early art history is a story of technical progress toward better reproductions of reality. But what if it is less a matter of skill than of interest? Celtic coins offer a perfect opportunity to explore this idea.

June 11, 2026 Preserving Albania, Nigeria, and Romania “Butrint (Buthrotum) – The Great Basilica,” © 2014 by Pudelek, used under CC BY-SA Your experience matters! Join our letter writing campaign to save a place you love. The Cultural Property Advisory Committee will meet to discuss new requests from Albania, Nigeria, and Romania to renew their bilateral agreements that protects their cultural resources from being illegally imported into the United States.

June 9, 2026 Team ROBOTECH of Barcelona Wins the 2026 FIRST® LEGO® League Champion’s Award Last summer, the AIA started getting a few questions about archaeology from youth robotics team around the world. What started as a trickle quickly developed into a deluge as robotics teams (and the AIA) found out about FIRST® LEGO® League’s archaeology theme for the 2025-2026 season.

June 4, 2026 In Memoriam: AIA President Stephen Dyson It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Stephen Dyson and extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. Stephen, Professor Emeritus of Classics at the University at Buffalo, served as President of the AIA from 1995 to 1998 and passed away on May 31, 2026, at the age of 88.

June 3, 2026 2026 Bartman Internship Scholarship Winners Announced Congraulations to the 3 recipients of the AIA’s Elizabeth Bartman Museum Internship Scholarship, meant to support undergraduates, graduate students, or those who have recently completed a master’s degree with the expenses associated with participating in a museum internship either in the United States or abroad.

June 3, 2026 2026 AIA Field School Scholarship Winners Announcement Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the AIA’s Field School Scholarships! These awards support undergraduate juniors, seniors, and first-year graduate students as they attend their first archaeological field school. The Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarships, established in 2007 in honor of AIA Honorary President Jane Waldbaum, continue to make this opportunity possible for many.

Screenshot AIA-Nashville Society is excited to invite you to Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology (CRITA) on September 12, 2026! Organized by the Tennessee Division of Archaeology, this special program will be held in person from 9:00-3:30 at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. See details below for free parking information.

May 21, 2026 2026 Site Preservation Spotlight: Preserving the Heritage of Axum, Ethiopia The recipient of the Nancy Wilkie Emergency Funds for Heritage Preservation is: The Axum Archaeological Site The Nancy Wilkie Emergency Funds for Heritage Preservation provides rapid support to safeguard endangered sites facing threatening conditions at some of the world’s most amazing archaeological sites. The fund is named in honor of past AIA president Nancy Wilkie.

May 21, 2026 2026 Site Preservation Grant Spotlight: Conserving Kenya’s Kanjera Heritage The recipient of this year’s Site Preservation Grant is: The Kanjera Archaeological Site Preservation Project The Site Preservation Grant provides $15,000 to fund innovative conservation projects that uphold the AIA’s mission to preserve and protect the world’s archaeological heritage for future generations.

To celebrate our 2026 Research Grant recipients, we connected with this year’s awardees to learn more about their projects and the unique paths that led them into the field of archaeology.