In an effort to renew its commitment to in-depth research and educational collaboration with Mexico, Harvard University established the Eduardo Matos Moctezuma Lecture Series in 2017. This series celebrates the excellence of Mexican archaeology and history, represented by Professor Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, Mexico’s preeminent archaeologist, who delivered the inaugural addresses in both Cambridge and Mexico City. The Spring 2021 Lecture will be delivered by archaeologist Ann Cyphers. The lecture, “The Dawn of Olmec Civilization" will be held remotely on Wednesday, April 21st, at 6 pm EDT (5 pm central Mexico time) via the YouTube channel of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. The event is free and open to those who register here, and will be subtitled in English and Spanish.
Ann Cyphers is a senior researcher at the Institute of Anthropological Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences. Her principal research interest is the development of the early cultures of Mesoamerica, particularly the Olmec civilization. Her interdisciplinary research has changed the face of Olmec archaeology with its integrated and long-term perspective that has emphasized themes such as the origins of civilization and urban life, ancient productive strategies, and trade and transport systems.