Lessons from Studying the Resilience and Collapse of Ancient Civilizations at WC

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Nothing lasts forever, and civilizations rise and fall. Their collapse, whether in ancient Rome, Mesopotamia, or the world of the Maya, evokes both mystery and drama. But often overlooked is the amazing longevity and resilience of human communities, even in places that push the limits of technology and capacity. Join archaeologist John Seidel in exploring examples of both resilience and collapse across time and around the world, asking what lessons we can learn from the past and how they might be applied today, in a time of rapid change and shifting climate.

The free and public presentation on February 10, 2020 will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Litrenta Lecture Hall in Washington College’s Toll Science Center.

Seidel is the Director for the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College and the Lammot du Pont Copeland Associate Professor of Anthropology and Environmental Studies. His areas of interest include environmental archaeology, maritime archaeology, historic preservation, natural and cultural resource management, remote sensing, GIS and computer applications in resource management, benthic habitat and coastal zone assessment, and long-term climate change.

For more information on these events or the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College, visit the website at www.washcoll.edu/centers/ces, or visit our Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CenterforEnvironmentandSociety/.

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~ Washington College
Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. It enrolls approximately 1,450 undergraduates from more than 39 states and territories and 25 nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.