Ancient Material Religion The Open University UK

Overview

About the programme

Ancient Material Religion is an interdisciplinary research area which draws on material and approaches from archaeology, art history, ancient literature and reception studies, as well as digital humanities and religious studies.

The Department of Classical Studies at The Open University UK is the home of The Baron Thyssen Centre for the Study of Ancient Material Religion, which supports activities and research projects in the areas of Greek, Etruscan and Roman material religion, often working in collaboration with the Department of Religious Studies.

The expertise of current staff spans a wide range of ancient material religion topics, including votive offerings, sensory approaches to ritual, the material culture of death and burial, the archaeology of Etruscan sacred spaces, and the impact of classical antiquity on later religions.