We are pleased to announce the three winners of the 2021–2022 Kelsey Prize for Excellence in Archaeological Research and Interpretation.
About the Winners
Jason Leaym
Jason is a third-year student majoring in classical civilization with minors in history and Latin language and literature. He has a passion for learning about ancient adornment. He expanded upon his interest through Professor Anna Freidin’s class on women in the ancient Mediterranean and through a Latin course on Ovid with Professor Ruth Caston. Jason plans to pursue higher education in classical studies after graduation.
Read Jason’s prize-winning essay, “The Crown Jewel: Female Agency through Jewelry.”
Anna Luurtsema
Anna is a third-year student in the LSA Honors Program majoring in anthropology and planning to minor in Middle East studies. She enjoyed this opportunity to learn more about ancient Mesopotamia through its material culture as she hopes to study Middle Eastern archaeology in graduate school. In her free time, Anna likes to swim, bake cookies, and play with her dog, Louie. She learned about the Kelsey Prize in Dr. Raven Garvey's class, “Doing Archaeology: Essential Theory and Methods.”
Read Anna’s prize-winning essay, “Two Sides of the Same Tablet: The Timelessness of Teaching, Writing, and Creativity.”
Araceli Rizzo
Araceli is a third-year student studying classical archaeology, with a particular interest in Hellenistic Greece. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her dog.
Read Araceli’s prize-winning essay, “A Change in Change: An Examination of the Imagery of Ptolemy I Soter’s Coinage from the Early Years of His Reign.”
Dani Tutak
Dani is a third-year student pursuing dual degrees in art and design as well as anthropology with a focus on archaeology. For her, understanding the intersections of modern-day artists and craftspeople with historical methods and motivations of making is a driving force for both her creative practice as an artist and her interest in archaeology.
Read about Dani’s prize-winning project, a collection of acid-etched copper coins inspired by ancient numismatic examples.
