National institute honors UC archaeologist

He is the third UC professor to be recognized by the world’s oldest and largest archaeological association. The award is bestowed each year in recognition of a scholar who has made significant contributions to archaeology through research or fieldwork. The institute recognized Davis’ work on projects in Greece on the island of Keos, in the valley of the Sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea, at the Palace of Nestor at Pylos, and in Albania.

Most recently, Davis and UC archaeologist Sharon Stocker, his longtime research partner and wife, have been excavating at the Pylos site. Here they found the tomb of a man they called the Griffin Warrior, named for the mythological griffin adorning an ivory plaque found in his grave. 

The discovery was hailed as one of the most spectacular Greek finds in two generations. The tomb included armor, weapons and jewelry, including an exquisite agate sealstone depicting mortal combat in such fine detail that Archaeology magazine declared it “a Bronze Age masterpiece.”

The tomb contained more than 2,000 objects crafted by artisans: gold rings emblazoned with leaping bulls, an epic battle depicted on a tiny sealstone and a delicate gold necklace bearing polished agate and faience beads.

“This discovery is already rewriting our understanding of Early Mycenaean Greece,” the institute said in its commendation.

Blegen made a name for UC’s Classics Department, particularly in Greece. He was responsible for two of the 20th century’s most significant archaeological events in the study of prehistoric Greece: the discovery of the Palace of Nestor at Pylos in Greece and the resumption of excavations at Troy.

Blegen was the archaeological association’s first gold medal recipient. UC’s Carl Blegen Library, home to the Classics Department, was named in his honor.

The late Caskey, too, was a UC archaeologist and head of UC’s Classics who directed the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Caskey was both a student of Blegen's and a professor to Davis when he was a graduate student at UC.

“There’s an unbroken line of professor, student, professor, student to be honored,” said Davis, who like Caskey and Blegen also directed the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 

The late Bennett, according to his New York Times obituary, was an expert in reading inscribed clay tablets, dating to circa 1200 B.C., from the Mycenaean period of the Greek Bronze Age. A student of Blegen’s and a graduate of UC, Bennett published “The Pylos Tablets,” contributing to the deciphering of the ancient script known as Linear B.

Rose is a former UC professor who served as head of the Classics Department from 2002 to 2005 before joining the University of Pennsylvania where he works today. He was honored by the archaeological association in 2015 for his work with Roman art and archaeology.

New York Times: Grave of 'Griffin Warrior' at Pylos Could Be a Gateway to Civilizations

Washington Post: Archaeologists in Greece find 3,500-year-old royal tombs

BBC: Bronze Age royal tombs unearthed in Greece

Archaeology: A Bronze Age Masterpiece

China Daily: Archaeologists in Greece find 3,500-year-old royal tombs

National Geographic: Rare Unlooted Grave of Wealthy Warrior Uncovered in Greece

Smithsonian: This 3,500-Year-Old Greek Tomb Upended What We Thought We Knew About the Roots of Western Civilization

NPR: Archaeologists Discover Ancient Greek Royal Tombs Dating Back 3,500 Years

The Guardian: Archaeologists in Greece find 3,500-year-old royal tombs

Canberra Times: Dig uncovers 3,500-year-old tombs

New York Times: A Grecian Artifact Evokes Tales from 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey'