A History of Religion and Archaeology in the Modern World

What is literalism? Where did it come from? What is at stake for those who read the Bible literally? Join Dr. Kristofer Zimmitti to dig into the history of literalism from his new book, Shadows & Solid Things: A History of Religion and Archaeology in the Modern World (University of North Carolina Press, 2026). Archaeology began in an era when people read ancient texts literally, believing that what was described on the page corresponded to a material reality that existed beneath the earth. With a shovel in one hand and a sacred text in the other, early archaeologists sought confirmation in concrete evidence. As archaeology grew more popular, excavations from Herculaneum to Babylon and discoveries such as the Moabite Stone transformed the modern understanding of the ancient past. When the dust of excavation had settled, today’s religious world had been forged. The book-talk will be followed by a Q & A session. Copies of the book will be available.