AIA «Telestes» Award for Material Culture Research in Ancient Music and Dance
This award honors groundbreaking research that uses archaeological and material evidence to advance knowledge of ancient music and dance, encouraging interdisciplinary approaches.
Funder: Archaeological Institute of America
Due Dates: September 15, 2026: Nomination / full submission deadline
Funding Amounts: €1,500 (ca. $1,700 USD) book voucher + annual journal subscription; one-time prize
Summary: Recognizes outstanding research using material culture to advance understanding of ancient music and dance.
Key Information: Eligible only within two years of Ph.D. defense; thesis PDF required.
Description
This award supports and recognizes innovative scholarship that uses archaeological and material evidence to deepen our understanding of music and dance in antiquity. The focus is on how artifacts, iconography, and archaeological contexts illuminate the cultural and social roles of music and dance in ritual and everyday life, bridging traditional text-based studies with interdisciplinary approaches from archaeology, art history, performance studies, digital heritage, and sensory studies.
