Faculty Fellowship Research Grant

Dr. Mary Bachvarova (Associate Professor of Classics)

~Towards an Understanding of the Gendered Hittite Landscape: What Does It Mean When Mountains Give Birth

Awarded $1,000

Professor Bachvarova researched the gendered representation of the Anatolian landscape in Hittite texts, looking at the Hittite instantion(s) of the goddess of sexuality, because Hittite springs are gendered female and are frequently paired with male storm gods or mountain gods. She also explored Hurro-Hittite myths in which mountains are featured, including one in which a mountain attempts to rape the goddess of sexuality while she sleeps, then tries to extricate himself from being punished by promising to tell an otherwise lost episode of the Hurro-Hittite theogonic story; and one, in which a mountain is impregnated by a passing stranger and then finds himself in the agonizing throes of labor, to the astonishment of the other mountains. The results of this research were presented at the 9th International Conference of Hittitology in Çorum, Turkey (Sept. 2014) and will result in a peer-reviewed publication.

Dr. Andries Fourie (Associate Professor of Art)

~The Rock Art of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province as a Record of the Region's Flora, Fauna and Ecology

Awarded $2,500

Dr. Fourie traveled to South Africa to visit, study, and photograph pre-historic rock art sites in the Eastern Cape Province. This research assisted Dr. Fourie in creating sculptures and paintings that investigate the way in which San rock art expresses an understanding of the flora, fauna, and ecology of the Eastern Cape. His work resulted in two exhibitions, one at the Gretchen Schuette Art Gallery at Chemeketa Community College in October 2014, the other at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art in April 2015.

Dr. Stephen J. Patterson (George H. Atkinson Professor of Religious and Ethical Studies)

~Participation in the 2014 Colloquium on Material Culture and Ancient Religion (COMCAR) as a Preparation for Leading Student Groups in Post-Session and Study Abroad Courses

Awarded $1,000

Dr. Patterson traveled to Turkey for the 2014 Colloquium on Material Culture and Ancient Religion (COMCAR): Urban Spaces of Early Christianity: Ephesos, Pergamum, Aphrodisias, and Cities of Southwest Asia Minor. As part of this colloquium, he gave a presentation. Participation in the colloquium prepared him to lead student groups in post-session and study abroad experiences that could usefully augment course work in ancient studies at Willamette University.

Dr. Ivan Welty (Associate Professor of Philosophy)

~Augustine's Account of Moral Agency in De Libero Arbitrio I and After

Awarded $500

Dr. Welty's paper attempts to lay bare Augustine's evolving account of post-lapsarian human moral agency. Book 1 of Augustine's early work, De libero arbitrio, is examined first, followed by his later writings, including especially the anti-Pelagian polemics. A framework is advanced that consistently accommodates Augustine's various commitments, both early and late. Consideration is given to Augustine's Stoic antecedents and to certain resemblances and contrasts with aspects of Kant's moral philosophy.

Willamette University

Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology

Address
Gatke Hall
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6920

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