BC Archaeology Travel, PO Box 1236, Mittagong (2025)

08/04/2025

THE MUGHULS - EMPIRE OF INDIA
LECTURES ON ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANCIENT HISTORY

The Mughal Dynasty ruled much of northern India from 1526 until it was formally dissolved by the British in 1857. We'll explore the reigns of the first six Emperors, examining their military and cultural achievements, with emphasis on their grand architectural accomplishments. In the last lecture we will briefly look at the decline of the empire after the death of Aurangzeb.
Wed 6th Aug - Babur and Humayun
Wed 13th Aug - Akbar
Wed 20th Aug - Jehangir and Shah Jahan
Wed 27th Aug - Aurangzeb and Mughal decline

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 over 15 years. I've been teaching courses and giving lectures on archaeology and history since 1992.

I am going to teach this Zoom course coming up in August. 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.

Email me on [email protected] with your name, address, phone number, and email address, and statement of which series you are interested in.

I will be leading a tour of Mughal India in October this year - why not come with me:
NORTHERN INDIA: RAJASTHAN AND THE MUGHALS
A 3-week tour exploring the archaeology and history of Rajput and Mughal India led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Ranakpur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer
15th November - 5th December 2025 (arrive Delhi 15th Nov - depart Delhi 6th Dec)
$8100.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/northern_india.html

08/04/2025

KHIVA - CARAVAN CITY ON THE SILK ROAD

Khiva lies in western Uzbekistan, not far from the border with Turkmenistan. It was a wealthy trade centre which developed in the 16th Century. The Ichan Kala is the inner walled city of Khiva. The adobe clay wall, which extends more than 2.2 km long, is up to 10 m high and 5-6 m thick. It has four gates located near the centre of each long wall. The gates and flanking towers are of baked brick.

The Arab Muhammad-khan Madrasah in Khiva is one of the oldest madrasahs of Khiva. It is situated in the very heart of the Ichan-Kala (the inner walled city). The madrasah was built by order of the Khorezm ruler Shaybanid Arab-Muhamad khan in order to honour the move of the capital of Khorezm from Urgench to Khiva. Arab Muhammad-khan ruled from 1603 to 1621. He also ordered the construction of several madrasahs, mosques and civil facilities.

The khans of Khiva had several residence in the city but the main one, the Kunya Ark ‘The Old Fortress’, was the earliest and main one. According to historical sources, in 1686, Arang khan began the re-construction of the citadel of Khiva near the western gates of Ichan-kala. The ark presented a complex multi-courtyard composition, containing a residence for the ruling khan, the members of his family, and dignitaries. Several buildings of the 19th Century and early 20th Century are preserved. They were the official reception hall, a mosque, the mint, and the harem. Other structures included an arsenal, warehouses, a kitchen, guardhouses, a stable, and a parade area. Fortified gates guarded the way into the citadel.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading another tour of the Silk Road in October next year - these are some of the photos I took on a recent tour:
CENTRAL ASIA: CITIES OF THE SILK ROAD
A 3-week tour exploring the history of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Penjakent, Dushanbe, Ferghana
11th - 29th October 2026 (arrive Tashkent 11th Oct - depart Tashkent 30th Oct)
$7900.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/central_asia.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

06/04/2025

FES - ANCIENT CAPITAL OF MOROCCO

Fes is located in the central northern part of Morocco. The traditional story dealing with the foundation of Fes states that in AD 808 the ruler Idriss II (AD 804-28) declared that Volubilis, an earlier Roman centre, was too small to be the state capital. A new site was located nearby in a well-watered valley surrounded by hills. A walled settlement was built on the left bank of the river and a mosque (El Sheikh) was built.

In 818 some 8000 families were expelled form Andalusia and Idris installed them in the new city, creating a new district on the right bank of the river which became known as Fes al Andalus. These people brought with them skills in mosaic working, woodcarving and stucco work which would later be famous in Fes. Seven years later 2000 Arab families came to Fes from Kairouan in Tunisia seeking refuge from persecution. They were welcomed into the left bank settlement which subsequently became known as Fes el Kairouan. These people were educated and brought traditions of urban living. Idris II died in 828 and his tomb (and associated zaouia) became the principle shrine of the city which he had created.

The nearby Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin, near the Suq al-'Attarin, or Spice Market of Fez al-Bali, is one of the world's oldest universities, and the largest mosque in Africa. Traditionally founded as a private oratory in AD 857 by Fatima, the daughter of a wealthy Qayrawani immigrant, in the 10th Century it became the main congregational mosque of the city. The mosque was later surrounded by madrasas, and Fes developed as a major intellectual center in the medieval Mediterranean.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a tour of Morocco in April-May next year which includes a few days to explore the wonderful city of Fes:
ANCIENT MOROCCO: ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY
A 3-week tour exploring ancient and medieval Morocco led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Volubilis, Fes, Sahara dunes, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakesh
22nd April - 11th May 2026 (arrive Casablanca 22nd Apr - depart Casablanca 12th May)
$7800.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ancient_morocco.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

04/04/2025

ANCIENT LYCIA - THE RUINS OF SOUTHERN TURKEY
LECTURES ON ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANCIENT HISTORY

These four lectures explore the history and archaeology of Lycia, a less visited region between Fethiye and Antalya on the south coast of Turkey. Lycia preserves some splendid examples of ancient Greek and Roman cities, such as Xanthos, Myra and Patara, with a diverse range of buildings including theatres, temples, houses and churches.
Wed 18th June - Early days and the Classical world
Wed 25th June - Hellenistic period
Wed 2nd June - Roman Empire
Wed 9th July - Late Roman and Byzantine

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 over 15 years. I've been teaching courses and giving lectures on archaeology and history since 1992. I visited Lycia in September last year when I took these photos and am going to teach the following Zoom course coming up in June-July.

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.

Email me on [email protected] with your name, address, phone number, and email address, and statement of which series you are interested in.

I will be visiting this stunning region in October when I lead a tour following in the path of Alexander the Great - why not come with me:
WESTERN TURKEY: FOLLOWING ALEXANDER THE GREAT
A 3-week tour of western Turkey led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Miletus, Bodrum, Fethiye, Phaselis, Antalya, Perge, Termessos, Sagalassos, Cappadocia
1st - 19th October 2025 (arrive Istanbul 1st Oct - depart Istanbul 20th Oct)
$8200.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/turkey_alexander.html

03/04/2025

MEDINET HABU - MORTUARY TEMPLE OF RAMESSES III

Medinet Habu ‘City of Habu’ is the Arabic name given to a temple complex located on the west bank at Thebes, opposite modern Luxor. The site includes two significant temples; one founded in the early 18th Dynasty dedicated to Amun, and the other being a mortuary temple dating to the beginning of the 20th Dynasty.

In the 20th Dynasty, Ramesses III (1184-1153 BC) built a memorial temple at the site and enclosed the earlier 18th Dynasty temple within the massive mudbrick walls of his compound. The temple was called ‘the Mansion of Millions of Years in the Estate of Amun on the West of Thebes’. The precinct measures 210 by 315 m and had two main gates. The eastern entrance to the compound, originally fronted by a canal which enabled boats to approach from the Nile, was built like a Syrian fortified gate (migdol). It included a private harem and the king is shown at play with naked serving girls.

The temple is fronted by massive pylons, with two open courts giving access to a badly ruined hypostyle hall and sanctuary. The walls of the Second Court preserve remarkable coloured scenes of the Festivals of Min and Sokar – this is a result of the fact that the area was converted into a church in the early Christian Period and the walls were simply white washed, preserving the earlier reliefs. A number of shrines are located further within the temple including one dedicated to Osiris on the south and another to the sun god Re on the north.

The exterior northern and western walls of the main temple are decorated with important historical scenes of the campaigns of Ramesses III, including wars against the Libyans and the Sea Peoples. The southern wall contains a ritual calendar specifying the food offerings required for each feast day.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a 3-week tour of Egypt in February next year which explores the monuments of the Ramesside period, including Medinet Habu:
ANCIENT EGYPT: RAMESSES THE GREAT
A 3-week tour of Egypt led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: 3 night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan and a 4-night Lake Nasser Cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel
27th January - 13th February 2026 (arrive Cairo 27th Jan - depart Cairo 14th Feb)
$8300.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1500 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ramesses.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

02/04/2025

CHITTORGARH - FORTRESS IN NORTHERN INDIA

The Rajput fortress of Chittorgarh is an enormous fortified plateau located 100 km east of Udaipur in southern Rajasthan. It was founded in the 8th Century and was capital of the princely state of Mewar The fortress was captured three times, the first sack in 1303 was by the Sultan of Delhi, the second by the Sultan of Gujarat in 1535 and the third by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1568.

The fortress of Chittorgarh rises 180 m above the surrounding plain and is 5 km NS and 800 m EW. The main road leads through a series of seven gates to the summit. Near the main gate is the Rana Kumbh Palace which is still preserved to four storeys high. It was built in the mid 15th Century. Also on the summit are a series of temples including a 15th Century Jain temple. The spectacular nine storey Vijay Stambh, or tower of victory, was built in 1448 and dominates the skyline of the city.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. These are some of the photos I took when I was last in Chittorgarh. Come with me next November when I explore the rich cultural heritage of Delhi and Rajasthan:
NORTHERN INDIA: RAJASTHAN AND THE MUGHALS
A 3-week tour exploring the archaeology and history of Rajput and Mughal India led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Ranakpur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer
15th November - 5th December 2025 (arrive Delhi 15th Nov - depart Delhi 6th Dec)
$8100.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/northern_india.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

01/04/2025

EPHESUS

The ancient city of Ephesus lies near the west coast of Turkey. It is located on the northern slopes of Mt Koressos and was surrounded by a city wall 10 m high and 9 km in circumference. In the Hellenistic Period the city was controlled by the Seleucids of Syria, and after 190 BC became part of the Kingdom of Pergamon. Like other cities in the region, Ephesus became part of the Roman Empire in 133 BC.

The First and Second Centuries AD were a period of exceptional prosperity when the city flourished under the Pax Romana. Ephesus was one of the most prosperous commercial centres of the eastern Mediterranean and controlled the banking of western Anatolia. Its population may have reached 400,000 at its peak, attracting many pilgrims to the famous temple of Artemis nearby.

The Library of Celsus was erected by the Consul Gaius Julius Aquila in AD 110 as a memorial to his father Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, Governor of the Roman Province of Asia AD 105-7. The library contained 12,000 scrolls kept in niches in the inner chamber which measured 11 m by 17 m.

The Lower City lay around both sides of so-called Marble Street, a grand artery which formed part of the Sacred Way around Mt Pion and linked the nearby Temple of Artemis to the city. Adjoining Marble Street on the west was the Commercial Agora, originally constructed in the Hellenistic Period and altered in Romans times under the reigns of Augustus, Nero and Caracalla. The open space was surrounded by stoas and measured 110 m square.

At the north end of Marble Street is the theatre of Ephesus. Constructed originally in the Hellenistic period, the theatre was enlarged and lavishly decorated during the reign of Claudius and Trajan. The elaborately decorated scenae was started in AD 54 by Nero and completed in the 2nd Century AD. The theatre is 145 m wide and 30 m high and had an estimated capacity of about 24,000 people.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a tour of western Turkey this coming October which explores the ancient cities along the path of Alexander the Great including Ephesus. Why not come with me an see this beautiful place:
WESTERN TURKEY: FOLLOWING ALEXANDER THE GREAT
A 3-week tour of western Turkey led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Miletus, Bodrum, Fethiye, Phaselis, Antalya, Perge, Termessos, Sagalassos, Cappadocia
1st - 19th October 2025 (arrive Istanbul 1st Oct - depart Istanbul 20th Oct)
$8200.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/turkey_alexander.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

31/03/2025

SUFETULA - ROMAN TOWN IN CENTRAL TUNISIA

The Roman settlement of Sufetula (modern Sbeitla) was open in plan without any defensive walls and laid out in grid fashion. The earliest inscriptions from the site indicate that the city was established in the reign of the Emperor Vespasian (AD 70) and it developed during the time of his sons Titus and Domitian. It appears to have been settled by veteran soldiers from the Legio III Augusta after their service in the army.

The best preserved part of the town is the colonnaded Forum. It is located at the intersection of the main streets and forms a complex of buildings. The approach to the Forum is lined with shops which communicated with living quarters supplied by water through lead pipes. The forum is dated by inscription on its three-bayed entrance arch to early in the reign of Antoninus Pius (AD 139) and his two adoptive sons.

The Forum measures 70 by 60m and is surrounded on all sides by shops which are fronted by a portico. There are numerous bases for statues which preserve detailed insciptions including a dedication to Caracalla the son of Septimius Severus, and one to Severus’s wife Julia Domna. There is also an inscription dedicated to Neptune

The western side of a Roman Forum is the site of the capitolium, dedicated to the worship of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, the main state triad of the Romans. In this case, Sufetula’s Forum is dominated by three separate temples which together formed the capitolium dedicated to Minerva, Jupiter and Juno (south to north). Each temple housed its own statue and must have been closed with massive doors. The central temple was more massive than the other two and had no stairs leading up to it – instead a rostrum overlooked the Forum and ritual activity could take place there.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a 2-week tour of Tunisia next month which includes a visit to the wonderful site of Sufetula:
ANCIENT TUNISIA: ARCHAEOLOGY & THE DESERT
A 2-week tour exploring the archaeology of Tunisia led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Tunis, Carthage, Dougga, Sufetula, Tozeur, Douz, El Jem, Kairouan, Sousse
8th - 22nd May 2025 (arrive Tunis 8th May - depart Tunis 23rd May)
$5700.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $900 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ancient_tunisia.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

26/03/2025

SAMARKAND - the Shah-i Zinda necropolis

The holiest site in Samarkand, a grand city located in eastern Uzbekistan, is the Shah-i Zinda, a necropolis of mausoleums located on the NE edge of the city. Under the Timurids, in the 14th and 15th Centuries, it developed into a celebration of ceramic art which remains largely unrivalled in Central Asia.

The tomb of Shadi Mulk Aka, dating 1372, is the first Timurid structure in Samarkand. It takes pride of place in the necropolis. It was the tomb of Tamerlane’s niece, and was also used for the burial of his sister Turkhan Aka. The plain brickwork on its melon shaped dome and three external facades are highlights.

Opposite is the tomb of Shirin Bika Aka, another sister of Tamerlane (buried 1385) This is the first appearance of true mosaic tilework in Samarkand, as the conqueror abducted craftsmen from Iran and Azerbaijan. The entire portal is faced with incised majolica mosaic in calligraphic inscriptions and floral patterns. Other innovations include a 16-sided dome, tiled cupola and interior murals in gold paint.

Further along is the tomb of Ulug Sultan Begum (dated 1385) with stellar patterns in blue, red and gold. Next comes a large unfinished mausoleum dated 1390 and attributed to Tamerlane’s general Emir Burunduk. On the left is the mosque and mausoleum complex, built 1404-5 for Tamerlane’s favourite young wife Tuman Aka. It has a beautiful blue dome and the portal is lavishly decorated with violet blue designs. At the end of the street is the Khodja Akhmad mausoleum, built in 1350, the second oldest tomb in the complex and a prototype for the rest; it is a domed cube with elaborate façade. The adjoining tomb dates to 1361 and is popularly linked to Tamerlane’s wife Kutlug Aka.

HI - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading another tour of the Silk Road in October next year. We will explore the rich heritage of Uzbekistan - why not come with me:
CENTRAL ASIA: CITIES OF THE SILK ROAD
A 3-week tour exploring the history of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Penjakent, Dushanbe, Ferghana
11th - 29th October 2026 (arrive Tashkent 11th Oct - depart Tashkent 30th Oct)
$7900.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/central_asia.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

25/03/2025

VOLUBILIS

The site of Volubilis, in central Morocco near Fes, has been inhabited since Neolithic times. In the Iron Age the local Berber people had a settlement here which became prosperous due to the fertility of the region. The town was inhabited by Phoenicians in the 3rd and 2nd Century BC - about 600 funerary stelae of Punic or Phoenician type have been found. Native gods were worshipped in a number of temples; one of these (misnamed the Temple of Saturn) measured 54 by 36 m. The town was surrounded by a wall which enclosed about 15 hectares.

Volubilis was a major centre of the Berber Kingdom of Mauretania which included much of Morocco and Algeria and was ruled by a line of kings. Juba II died in AD 19 and was succeeded by his son Ptolemy who was later murdered on the orders of Caligula (AD 40), leaving no heir. The Kingdom then passed to direct Roman rule.

Emperor Claudius conferred Roman citizenship on the town and exemption from taxation for 10 years. From this time onwards, Volubilis grew and prospered. The region became one of the granaries of Rome and a major producer of olive oil as well as copper which was found in the local hills. An early phase of the Forum dates to the time of Nero (mid1st Century AD). The town would later see the construction of a basilica and a ceremonial arch.

There are numerous house mosaics at Volubilis, many dating to the 3rd Century. This includes the House of Orpheus showing a scene of the musician, and the House of Hercules. The House of the Nereids has a wonderful mosaic showing these sea nymphs. Not far away is the House of Venus. The house has many courtyards and rooms decorated with mosaics with woodland nymphs and other mythological scenes. One of the mosaics shows ducks pulling a chariot in a hippodrome. Mosaics in the public rooms include a stunning example of Diana bathing with her nymphs and being surprised by Actaeon, and another shows Hylas (lover of Hercules) being captured and dragged away by water nymphs.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I've been to Morocco many times and I'm leading a tour of this fascinating country again in May next year which includes the Roman site of Volubilis - come with me:
ANCIENT MOROCCO: ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY
A 3-week tour exploring ancient and medieval Morocco led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Volubilis, Fes, Sahara dunes, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakesh
22nd April - 11th May 2026 (arrive Casablanca 22nd Apr - depart Casablanca 12th May)
$7800.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ancient_morocco.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

23/03/2025

WADI ES-SEBUA

The temple of Wadi es-Sebua, located about 50 km south of Aswan in southern Egypt, dates to the reign of Ramesses II. It was called ‘The Temple of Ramesses-Mery-Amun in the Estate of Amun’, and was dedicated to both Amun-Re and Re-Horakhty. The modern Arabic name of the temple means ‘Valley of the Lions’ and is derived from the avenue of sphinxes which give access to the temple proper.

Wadi Es-Sebua was constructed by Libyan captives under the direction of the ‘Viceroy of Kush’ Setau between Regnal Years 35-50 of Ramesses II (1279-1212 BC). Wadi es-Sebua is partly free-standing and partly rock-cut. In the early Christian Period it was converted into a church and the reliefs were covered with plaster to obscure the images – this had the advantageous benefit of preserving the scenes. The temple was moved 4 km from its original location by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation between 1961 and 1965.

HI - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a tour of Egypt next February that concentrates on the monuments of Ramesses II. We take a cruise on Lake Nasser, from Aswan to Abu Simbel, which enables us to explore infrequently visited sites like Wadi es-Sebua:
ANCIENT EGYPT: RAMESSES THE GREAT
A 3-week tour of Egypt led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum which will be fully open in July, a 3 night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan and a 4-night Lake Nasser Cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel
27th January - 13th February 2026 (arrive Cairo 27th Jan - depart Cairo 14th Feb)
$8300.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1500 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ramesses.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

20/03/2025

JAISALMER

The great fort city of Jaisalmer, built of yellow sandstone, lies on the edge of the great Thar Desert in western India. The city was founded in the 12th Century by the Rawal Jaisal of the Batti Dynasty which traces its origins to the Hindu god Krishna. In the 13th Century the fortress was taken by the Muslim rulers of Delhi but it was recaptured a few years later. Jaisalmer became an important trading town, attracting a large number of Jain followers who built the temples found in the fortress today.

In the 16th Century the rulers of Jaisalmer acknowledged the overlordship of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. In the 18th Century the city greatly expanded outside the walls where several rich merchants built spectacular havelis, courtyard houses. In the 19th Century the British increasingly took control of the region, and the overland caravan routes into Pakistan were gradually replaced by maritime routes from Bombay (modern Mumbai) and Gujarat seaports. After the partition of India, the overland routes were closed, leaving Jaisalmer as a memory of a distant age.

Hi - this is Michael Birrell. I'm leading a tour of Northern India this coming November which includes a visit to this wonderful place. These are some of the photos I took last January:
NORTHERN INDIA: RAJASTHAN AND THE MUGHALS
A 3-week tour exploring the archaeology and history of Rajput and Mughal India led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Ranakpur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer
15th November - 5th December 2025 (arrive Delhi 15th Nov - depart Delhi 6th Dec)
$8100.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/northern_india.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

19/03/2025

TERMESSOS

Termesos lies 30 km to the north-west of Antalya, near the south coast of Turkey. It was founded on a natural platform near the top of Gulluk Dag, which rises to a height of 1,665 m. Concealed by a multitude of wild plants and bounded by dense pine forests, the site has a peaceful and untouched appearance.

The city was founded by an Anatolian people rather than Greeks. It first appears in history in connection with the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Arrian, one of the ancient historians who dealt with this event and recorded the strategic importance of Termessos, notes that even a small force could easily defend it due to the insurmountable natural barriers surrounding the city. Probably because he knew he could not capture the city, Alexander did not undertake an assault, but instead marched north and vented his fury on Sagalassos.

I'm leading a tour of western Turkey which explores the route of Alexander the Great. We'll visit the beautiful site of Termessos:
WESTERN TURKEY: FOLLOWING ALEXANDER THE GREAT
A 3-week tour of western Turkey led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Miletus, Bodrum, Fethiye, Phaselis, Antalya, Perge, Termessos, Sagalassos, Cappadocia
1st - 19th October 2025 (arrive Istanbul 1st Oct - depart Istanbul 20th Oct)
$8200.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $1200 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/turkey_alexander.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

19/03/2025

ZOOM LECTURES
Hi everyone, this is Michael Birrell. I'm giving some zoom lectures coming up over the next two years. I have changed the time of the lectures to be early evening Sydney time:

ZOOM LECTURES FOR 2025

ANCIENT LYCIA
Wed 18th, 25th June, 2nd, 9th July
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

THE MOGHULS
Wed 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th August
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

ZOOM LECTURES FOR 2026

TAMERLANE
Wed 11th, 18th, 25th March, 1st April
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

DEIR EL MEDINA
Wed 10th, 17th , 24th June, 1st July
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

TROY
Wed 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th August
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

HADRIAN’S TRAVELS
Wed 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th Sept
6 to 8pm $110 for 4 lectures

BC Archaeology Tours
P.O. Box 1236, Mittagong, NSW, 2575, Australia.
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Mobile. 0405 492946

16/03/2025

DOUGGA - ROMAN CITY IN WESTERN TUNISIA

The spectactular site of Dougga lies 106 km west of Tunis. It was originally a Numidian settlement called Thugga. The site had been occupied from the late Second Millennium BC. The history of Roman construction at Dougga goes back to the time of Tiberius (as indicated by an inscription dated to AD 36) when the site received a pagus, or settlement, of Roman citizens. They supplemented the existing Punic and Numidian population.

Under the Emperor Claudius another inscription from Dougga makes it clear that Punic institutions still survived at the city. It refers to the portae, the Latin name for the local town council, which honours a distinguished native who is married to a Roman lady. Dougga was slowly transformed into a Roman city but because of the uneven rocky topography of the site, Dougga did not receive the usual orthogonal Roman street plan – in many cases the roads follow the contours.

Dougga went through a period of major urban development during the Antonine Period due to the remarkable wealth of its agriculture. The city lies near the rich and well watered Medjerjda River valley. The surrounding fields were particularly famous for their grain.

The remarkably well preserved Capitolium of Dougga, the main temple of the city, was dedicated to the state triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva It dates to the reign of Marcus Aurelius (AD 166-9) and was the gift of a wealthy local citizen called Lucius Marcius Simplex Regillianus. It is tetra-style (4 columns) in the Roman form, with Corinthian capitals.

Constructed on a high podium at the top of the city, it dominates the entire landscape and can be seen far away. There are three statue niches at the rear for the Capitoline triad: Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Juno Regina and Minerva Augusta. The tympanum of the temple, the triangular pediment, has a relief showing the apotheosis of the Emperor Antoninus Pius (AD 138-61) – he is shown being carried to heaven on an eagle.

Hi - this is Miichael Birrell. I'm leading a tour of Tunisia in May which visits the site of Dougga. Why not come with me:
ANCIENT TUNISIA: ARCHAEOLOGY & THE DESERT
A 2-week tour exploring the archaeology of Tunisia led by Dr Michael Birrell
Includes: Tunis, Carthage, Dougga, Sufetula, Tozeur, Douz, El Jem, Kairouan, Sousse
8th - 22nd May 2025 (arrive Tunis 8th May - depart Tunis 23rd May)
$5700.00 per person twin share (airfares not included), single supplement $900 extra
Itinerary: www.bcarchaeology.com.au/ancient_tunisia.html
Contact me: [email protected] or 0405 492 946

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