Congratulations to Maggie Culuris-Harp (M.A., ‘24) and Sienna Weldon (M.A., ‘23) who will both present papers at the 19th Annual University of Oregon Graduate Symposium in the History of Art and Architecture.

Maggie’s paper — “Beth Alpha Zodiac Mosaic: A Jewish Diasporic Reaction to Roman Rule and Pagan Motifs”– explores the presence of Pagan religious iconography within the so-called Zodiac Mosaic at the sixth century CE Beth Alpha synagogue in present day Israel/Palestine. 

Sienna’s paper — “Corporeal Conclusions: Reframing the History of the Fijian ‘Cannibal’ Fork” — discusses several examples of Fijian bulutoko, once known as ʻcannibal forks’, and analyzes the role they play in museum collections around the world, as well as how the language used to classify these ritual utensils continues to propagate narratives of cultural difference between Fiji and the West. 

The symposium will take place on Saturday, Mar. 18th at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, located on the University of Oregon campus.