Holly Pittman

Holly Pittman is the Bok Family Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the Department of Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World and the School of Arts and Sciences. She also serves as Curator of the Near East Section at the Penn Museum. Her research focuses on the Ancient Near East, with expertise in archaeology, art history, and glyptic art. Pittman has conducted excavations in Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and currently studies sites like Konar Sandal South and North in Iran's Jiroft region. She has contributed to publications on artifacts from Malyan, Tell Brak, and Hacienbi Tepe. Additionally, she co-curated the exhibition 'Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur.' Her work bridges field archaeology with museum curation, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to ancient art and civilizations.

Research Interests: Pittman’s research spans Mesopotamian and Iranian archaeology, glyptic art analysis, and the cultural dynamics of ancient trade and exchange. Her recent projects in Iran’s Jiroft region explore early urbanization and artistic developments in the region. She integrates excavation data with artifact studies to reconstruct socio-cultural contexts of ancient societies.

Affiliations & Roles: Beyond her professorship, she holds standing faculty roles in Anthropology, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and Visual Studies. Her contributions to the Penn Museum’s Near East Section highlight her dual role as an academic and curator, fostering public engagement with ancient Near Eastern cultures through exhibitions and scholarly outreach.