Parthenon Symposium: Book Talk with Glynnis Fawkes- Illustrator and Author of 1177 B.C. A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed
Monday, February 3 at 7 pm in-person--Naos
Join author and illustrator Glynnis Fawkes for an account of her illustrated adaptation of Eric Cline’s award-winning and popular history about the collapse of Bronze Age cultures in the ancient Mediterranean.
The book describes the end of the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean through the adventures of two friends, Pel (of the “Sea Peoples”) and Shesha, (an Egyptian scribe). Together, the friends visit the kingdoms of the eastern Mediterranean and learn about the battles, natural disasters and other catastrophes that changed their world in 1177 and after. The illustrations combine historically accurate details and explanations with a colorful and accessible style. Hear from Glynnis Fawkes about the challenges of combining archaeological research with vivid storytelling and illustration.
RSVP required. Show your Eventbrite RSVP at the Ticket Counter, receive free admission, then proceed to the Treasury on Level 2.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR:
Glynnis Fawkes began her career as an archaeological illustrator on excavations in Greece and around the eastern Mediterranean. She has published award-winning personal comics on archaeology and family life, and her cartoons have appeared on the website of The New Yorker. In addition to “1177,” she is the author-illustrator of Charlotte Bronte before Jane Eyre and Persephone’s Garden, a personal account that interweaves archaeology, Greek myth, and family memories. She received an BA from the University of Oregon, a BFA from Pacific NW College of Art and an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University. She teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
1177 B.C. A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed illustrated by Glynnis Fawkes
“1177 B.C. is a spectacular achievement—deftly adapted, beautifully drawn, and captivatingly colored by Glynnis Fawkes. . . . [She] doesn’t just bring history alive, she propels it across the page in an accessible, gripping way.” —Alison Bechdel, New York Times bestselling author of Fun Home
Eric Cline’s 1177 B.C. tells the story of one of history’s greatest mysteries: what caused the ancient civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean to collapse more than three thousand years ago, bringing the Late Bronze Age to an abrupt end? In this vivid and captivating full-color graphic adaptation of the landmark book, author-illustrator Glynnis Fawkes invites us to follow two young friends living in the aftermath of the cataclysm as they unravel why it happened—and reveal important lessons for today’s interconnected and vulnerable world.
Pel, a member of the marauding Sea Peoples, and Shesha, an Egyptian scribe, visit the kingdoms of the Minoans, Mycenaeans, Hittites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and Egyptians to explore the calamities that brought them down. This graphic history depicts the people, events, art, architecture, and lands that Pel and Shesha encounter. We witness the Sea Peoples’ battles on land and sea, earthquakes on the Greek mainland, droughts and famine in Anatolia, invasions in north Syria, and possible rebellions in Canaan. Along the way, we also learn about the assassination of a Hittite prince traveling to marry an Egyptian queen, the sinking of a merchant ship laden with international goods, and the return of a pair of sandals to Crete by the Babylonian king Hammurabi.
An entertaining adventure story, this dazzling comic is also historically accurate and enlightening, inviting readers of all ages to think about the surprising factors and theories that explain why societies, whether ancient or modern, die or survive when struck by catastrophes.