“Mythic Creatures: Origin Stories” with Dr. Marie Nicole Pareja

Elise R. Donahue Lectures – American West In Memory of Walter Rosenberry presents the Mythic Creatures Folklore Speaker Series: “Mythic Creatures: Origin Stories” with Dr. Marie Nicole Pareja

For thousands of years, humans around the world have brought mythic creatures to life in stories, music, and works of art. Uncover the origins and significance of legendary creatures of the air, land, and water, such as dragons, mermaids, and Bigfoot, through the lenses of distinguished speakers in their fields. A meet-and-greet and light reception will follow the talks in the museum’s main lobby.
Join Dr. Pareja to explore the ancient origins and enduring significance of mythical creatures such as dragons, unicorns, and mermaids. These beings appear in Bronze Age art, suggesting they were part of early oral traditions even before written records. As civilizations like Mesopotamia, Greece, and the Indus Valley developed, these creatures were incorporated into their mythologies, reflecting societal values and ideals. Through archaeology, art history, and anthropology, we uncover the earliest depictions and understand how these creatures symbolized concepts of power, heroism, and the supernatural. Importantly, the lecture examines how these mythical beings continue to influence contemporary culture, evolving in their symbolism and narratives over millennia, offering insights into human values, identities, and connections across time.

Marie Nicole Pareja is a Consulting Scholar for the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and Assistant Professor at Salisbury University. She serves as plasters specialist for the archaeological sites of Sissi, Mochlos, and Gournia, on Crete, and for Stelida, a peak sanctuary site on Naxos. She is the founder and director of the Plasters Analysis Project at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a founder and a director of Indus-Aegean Bronze Age Research Network at the University of Oxford in the UK. Her most recent research projects include Bronze Age mythologies (particularly goddesses and magic), Afro-Eurasian exchange, iconography, and medicines. Outside of academia proper, she founded and directs a non-profit, the Aegean Bronze Age Study Initiative (ABASI), to support the much-needed diversification of Bronze Age archaeology by funding overseas fieldwork and research experiences for undergraduates. When she isn’t conducting fieldwork or teaching university classes, she is engaged in outreach with various public libraries, museums, and grade schools.

Hager Auditorium
Free for members, $5/non-member
Registration is required.