Dumbarton Oaks 2021 Byzantine Coins and Seals Summer Program, Dumbarton Oaks, June 28–July 23, 2021

Coins and seals offer priceless insight into the historical geography, prosopography, paleography, art history, theology, and economic, institutional, and administrative history of the Byzantine world. Dumbarton Oaks’ collections of twelve thousand coins and seventeen thousand lead seals form the finest, largest, and most comprehensive specialized assemblages in the world.

For nearly two decades, the Byzantine Coins and Seals Summer Program has provided students with access to these unparalleled collections. Dumbarton Oaks will offer the program again this summer, from June 28 to July 23, 2021, under the direction of Dr. Alan Stahl (Princeton University) and Dr. Jonathan Shea (Dumbarton Oaks).

Although Dumbarton Oaks hopes to offer on-site accommodation and instruction, due to the ongoing pandemic and the possibility of travel restrictions, the program may have to take a hybrid or virtual form. Successful applicants will be kept abreast of any developments.

Program Description
The program will include seminars, afternoon work on research reports, and opportunities to study items from the Dumbarton Oaks collections.

Seminars will introduce the basics of the disciplines of numismatics and sigillography, including bibliography and the use of coins and seals as evidence for Byzantine political, economic, and art history. Students will be instructed how to read and date Byzantine coins and seals and write a catalogue entry.

Participants will also work on and present an original piece of research based on numismatic and/or sigillographic material, which they will coordinate with the program instructors.

Admission Requirements
Applications from doctoral students in any area of Byzantine studies, junior faculty members teaching at least one course in Byzantine studies at a college or university, or junior curators with responsibility for Byzantine objects will be given highest priority. Other complete applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis if space is available.

Acceptance is contingent on verification of the applicant’s status as doctoral student, junior faculty, or junior curator. Two years of college-level Classical Greek (or its equivalent) is required for participation in the program and reading knowledge of French and German is highly desirable.

Accommodation and Expenses
There is no fee for participation in the program, but participants are responsible for their own transportation costs. If the program is held on the Dumbarton Oaks campus, successful applicants will receive free accommodation (except for participants living in the greater Washington area), lunch on weekdays, and access to the collections of the Dumbarton Oaks Library for the duration of the course.