Ancient ethnicities the focus of University public lecture

Ancient ethnicities the focus of University public lecture

Visiting scholars Professor Vincent Megaw and his wife Dr Ruth Megaw will discuss the existence of the ancient Celts at a free illustrated public lecture at the University of Queensland on Friday, May 2.

Their lecture, The Ancient Celts: Myth or Reality?, will be held at the University's Mayne Hall at 8pm.

The Megaws will examine the history of Celtic art and Celtic art studies, discuss the value of identifying ancient ethnicities through archaeological remains, and address the question: "Did in fact the ancient Celts exist?".

Professor Megaw and Dr Megaw will consider evidence of the prehistoric communities conventionally termed the ancient Celts.

Dr Megaw said ethnicity was defined by a complex combination of factors including language, descent and socialisation.

"As recent events in Europe have shown, over-simplifying the issue is a mistake," she said.

The concept of any individual ethnicity depended on its current definition, as the criteria for a particular group could often change over time, she said.

Dr Megaw is a part-time lecturer and visiting scholar in the School of Cultural Studies at Flinders University where she and her husband teach topics in early Celtic art and archaeology and contemporary Aboriginal art. She has taught at the Universities of New South Wales and Sydney and was formerly head of American Studies at the Nene college, Northampton.

Professor Megaw teaches Visual Art and Archaeology at Flinders University. He has also taught European archaeology and prehistoric art at the University of Leicester and the University of Sydney where he was head of Department and Professor of Archaeology.

The lecture is sponsored by the Classics and Ancient History Department and the Friends of Antiquity. The Irish Association of Brisbane provided financial support for Professor Megaw and Dr Megaw's visit.

The lecture will be followed by Ancient History Day on Saturday, May 3, held at the Abel Smith Lecture Theatre.

Hosted by the Classics and Ancient History Department and its support group Friends of Antiquity, this year's theme for Ancient History Day is The Celts in the Classical World. It will feature five speakers on different Celtic topics.

For more information, contact the Classics and Ancient History Department (telephone 3365 2643, fax 3365 1399, email qaclasic@uqadm.cc.uq.edu.au).

23/04/97
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