Edith Porada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edith Porada
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 22 August 1912 Vienna |
| Died | 24 March 1994 (aged 81) Honolulu |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Art historian |
| Employer |
|
| Awards |
|
Edith Porada (born August 22, 1912, in Vienna; died March 24, 1994, in Honolulu) was an amazing art historian and archaeologist. She was born in Austria and became a top expert on ancient cylinder seals. She also taught art history and archaeology at Columbia University.
Who Was Edith Porada?
Edith Porada grew up in Vienna, Austria, in a well-off family. She finished high school in 1930. Then, in 1935, she earned her Ph.D. (a very high university degree) from the University of Vienna. Her special study was about "glyptic art." This means the art of carving tiny, detailed designs, especially on gems and cylinder seals from ancient times, like the Old Akkadian period.
After her studies, she moved to Paris, France. There, she continued her research at the famous Louvre Museum.
Moving to the United States
In 1938, Edith Porada moved to the United States. She started working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. At the museum, she focused on studying ancient seals, including those from a king named Ashurnasirpal II.
Teaching and Awards
Edith Porada loved to share her knowledge. She taught at Queens College and later at Columbia University, starting in 1958. By 1964, she became a full professor, which is a very high teaching rank.
She received many honors for her important work:
- In 1969, she was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- In 1974, she was named the Arthur Lehman Professor.
- Even after she retired in 1984, she kept the title of professor emeritus.
- In 1976, she won the Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement from the Archaeological Institute of America. This is a huge award for archaeologists!
Columbia University recognized her contributions by creating an "Edith Porada professorship" in 1983. This special teaching position focuses on ancient Near Eastern art history and archaeology. In 1989, Columbia University gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. They praised her for showing "profound connections between the human experience and the interpretation of the cylinder seals." This means she helped people understand how ancient art connects to human life.
