Sweet Honey in the Rocks: Honey, Bees, and Beekeeping in the Ancient Near East

The Oriental Institute Lecture Series organized by the University of Chicago brings notable scholars from around the country and abroad as they present on new breakthroughs, unique perspectives, and innovative research applications related to the Ancient Middle East.

Presented by Gil Stein, Director of the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago. Honey was used throughout the ancient Near East for sweetening, food, medicine, alcoholic beverages (mead), mummification, and as a metaphor for goodness, abundance, and love. But we know surprisingly little about how bees were first domesticated and the origins of beekeeping. This lecture explores what we can learn about ancient Near Eastern bees and honey from ethnography, archaeology, texts, and art ­in a journey that takes us from Egypt to the realm of King Midas in Anatolia, and ends in Canaan – the Land of Milk and Honey

Registration Recommended

Come early and take a docent-led tour of the museum galleries at 6:30 p.m. Lectures are free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of Oriental Institute Members and Volunteers. For the complete Oriental Institute lecture series schedule and details visit oi.uchicago.edu/events.

6:30-7:00 p.m. Pre Lecture Tour/Registration 7:00-8:00 p.m. Presentation and discussion 8:00-8:45 p.m. Reception

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