Royal Banqueting in Ancient Persia

Saturday, June 25, 10 am

Getty Villa - Auditorium

Free | Advance ticket required

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To watch on Zoom, register here.

Ritual banquets were a central practice among the kings and aristocrats of ancient Persia. At these events, wine flowed freely from ornate gold and silver vessels. These were not simply luxury utensils; they served as instruments of ritual and statecraft that signaled their owners' power, status, and social identity. Learn from a panel of experts about the cultural significance of elite Persian banqueting in antiquity and the sumptuous objects that adorned their tables.

This program complements the exhibition Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World, on view through August 8, 2022.

Speakers:
Elspeth Dusinberre, University of Colorado Boulder
Henry Colburn, Bard University
Layah Ziaii-Bigdeli, UC Irvine.