Preserving Assyria – exhibit at Penn Museum

In conflict zones like Syria and Ukraine, erasure is a part of systematic genocide and cultural cleansing, but a new exhibition shifts the focus to cultural heritage restoration through community-led excavation— Preserving Assyria showcases archaeology’s role in safeguarding cultural heritage from targeted destruction.

With 16 objects on display from the Penn Museum’s collection, touchable 3D replicas of monumental relief carvings, and interactive multimedia components, this exhibition will be on view in the Merle-Smith Galleries on the Lower Level starting Saturday, February 8, 2025.

Preserving Assyria will illuminate select artifacts from the Penn Museum’s Near East collections, such as a stamp-inscribed brick from Tell Yarah, Iraq (near Mosul) written in the Sumerian language (911-612 BCE); a Sumerian clay tablet that contains ancient spells to ward off witchcraft (1900-1600 BCE); a glazed terracotta wall tile from Hasanlu, Iran (1000–800 BCE), cylinder seals made of quartz and marble; and a protective amulet made of carnelian. Public programs related to the new exhibition include a special Curator’s Lecture on February 8 at 2:00 pm in Rainey Auditorium, as well as an engaging four-week online class, The Deep Dig: The Rise and Fall of Assyria, led by Dr. Michael Danti beginning March 6.