We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Levitan has been awarded the inaugural Simon Keay Award in Mediterranean Archaeology. Rebecca will join the BSR next year, splitting her time between researching in Rome and in the field.

Rebecca’s project will consider the grotto at Sperlonga and its sculptural program, a site that has yielded interesting finds since initial excavations but has still not seen systematic study or publication. The three-month award will be spent researching the site’s history, revisiting the results of previous excavations (including thousands of sculptural fragments) and using cutting-edge methods of digital documentation. The results will then be utilised to engage the local community with this unique piece of heritage.

Rebecca studies the art and architecture of the ancient Mediterranean world. Her research centres around Greek sculpture, as well as the reception of classical antiquity in Europe and the United States. She has excavated and surveyed in Greece (American excavations at the Athenian Agora, Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Samothrace, Small Cycladic Islands Project) and Italy (Gabii Project, Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia). She received her BA in Art History from Emory University and her M.Litt in Ancient History from the University of St. Andrews. She is currently finishing her PhD in the History of Art Department at the University of California, Berkeley.

Stephen Kay, Archaeology Manager, said about the appointment:

‘I am incredibly grateful to Simon’s family, friends and colleagues, as well as supporters of the BSR, for making this idea of an award in Simon’s memory a reality. The generosity shown means it will be a regular fixture in the BSR’s awards scheme and will assist scholars for many years to come. The number and quality of the applications was extremely impressive, and I’m delighted for Rebecca Levitan to become the first recipient.’