ONLINE LECTURES

Hi - this is Michael Birrell, the owner/manager of BC Archaeology Travel. I'm an Australian archaeologist and historian who has travelled widely in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. I completed my PhD in 1999 and have excavated at many sites in Egypt and Israel. I've been teaching courses and giving lectures on archaeology and history since 1992.

I am going to teach the following Zoom courses in late 2026 and I hope you might find them of interest. I'm going to teach on Wednesdays and Thursdays and in the 6-8pm Sydney time slot. I will be recording the lectures, so if you can't actually attend certain lectures, I can always send you a link afterwards.

2026:

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE CAUCASUS - 6 to 8pm - $110 for 4 lectures
The region of the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia) has a rich history and some splendid archaeological remains. This course examines the physical remains from Homo georgicus (1.8 million years ago) down to the early medieval period.
Thurs 30th July - Palaeolithic to Neolithic
Thurs 6th Aug - Bronze and Iron Age
Thurs 13th Aug - late antiquity
Thurs 20th Aug - early medieval times

TROY - FROM MYTH TO REALITY - 6 to 8pm - $110 for 4 lectures
The settlement mound of Hissarlik was famously excavated by Heinrich Schleimann who cut a deep trench through the town to explore the history of the site and help identify it with Homer's Troy from the Iliad. More recent excavations have discovered a rich array of artefacts from a much larger city than originally proposed.
Wed 5th Aug - Poem and Poet
Wed 12th Aug - Early Troy
Wed 19th Aug - Later Troy
Wed 26th Aug - Myth to reality?

HADRIAN'S TRAVELS - THE RESTLESS EMPEROR - 6 to 8pm - $110 for 4 lectures
Hadrian ruled the Roman Empire from AD 117 until 138. He spent much of his rule moving around the provinces, initiating civic projects and securing the frontier. This course examines the travels of Hadrian, exploring the cities he visited and the changes he made to the civic landscapes.
Wed 14th Oct - AD 117-8 Hadrian returns to Rome
Wed 21st Oct - AD 121-3 Hadrian in the west
Wed 28th Oct - AD 123-7 Hadrian in the east
Wed 4th Nov - AD 128-34 Hadrian's last voyage

The lectures will be held online using ZOOM. Lectures will start at 6pm and finish around 8pm (AEDT and AEST - Sydney time), with a short break in the middle. The cost of each series (4 lectures) is A$110 - this includes A$10 GST. Ideally you would send me an email (to info@bcarchaeology.com.au) with your name, address, phone number, and email address, and statement of which series you are interested in.

Payment (with name clearly stated) can be made either by direct deposit into our account: B.C. Archaeology, Westpac BSB 032082, account number 285359 or by cheque sent to 'B.C. Archaeology', PO Box 1236, Mittagong, NSW, 2575 (please include your name, address, phone number and email address with the cheque). After payment, a receipt will be mailed out, with meeting ID and password emailed to participants one day before each class.

CONTACT ME:
Phone: (+61) 0405 492946
Email: info@bcarchaeology.com.au or mbirrell77@tpg.com.au