{"id":153414,"date":"2021-12-17T15:36:27","date_gmt":"2021-12-18T01:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=153414"},"modified":"2021-12-17T15:36:27","modified_gmt":"2021-12-18T01:36:27","slug":"robert-littman-50-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/12\/17\/robert-littman-50-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Professor who helped recreate Cleopatra\u2019s perfume marks 50 years at UH<\/abbr>"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Littman in Egypt in 2009.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

World renowned scholar in Greek history and literature, ancient medicine and archaeology Robert Littman<\/strong> celebrated 50 years at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Mānoa in September. Littman was recruited by UH<\/abbr> in 1971 and is a professor in the College of Languages, Linguistics & Literature<\/a> (CALL<\/abbr>). He is known for, among other things, helping recreate Cleopatra\u2019s perfume<\/a> and a project based in Egypt where UH<\/abbr> students participate in the excavation of an ancient city.<\/p>\n

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Littman in 1971.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UH<\/abbr> Mānoa pursued Littman when he was at Brandeis University in Boston. Littman\u2019s wife suggested that they go to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> for what they thought would be one year, and it turned into more than five decades. Littman earned a BA<\/abbr> in classical languages from Columbia University, a masters in ancient history from the University of Oxford and a PhD<\/abbr> in classical philology from Columbia University.<\/p>\n

“One of the things I\u2019ve appreciated about being out in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> is, since I teach in a small program that is not very specialized, I have not been pigeonholed,” said Littman. “I\u2019ve had the opportunity to diversify my academic work here. I started out as a classicist and historian with a little bit of archaeology. And in Â鶹´«Ã½,<\/span> I\u2019ve gradually shifted into biblical studies in both Hebrew bible and Greek bible and biblical history. And then I expanded my work in Egyptology in both teaching and researching in the ancient Egyptian language and moving into Egyptian archaeology.”<\/p>\n

Littman\u2019s achievements<\/h2>\n

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Littman has amassed a myriad of accomplishments over his time at UH<\/abbr> including: being selected as the 2018 recipient of the Archaeological Institute of America<\/a> Martha and Artemis Joukowsky Distinguished Service Award; he was part of a team who recreated Cleopatra\u2019s ancient perfume, which was showcased in a National Geographic exhibit; he was involved in producing the digital edition of the Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest New Testament and Greek version of the Old Testament dating from the 4th century A.D.; and he co-published the illustrated children\u2019s history book, The Story of Ancient Timai<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Littman continues to direct the UH<\/abbr> Tell Timai Project<\/a>, the excavation of the ancient city of Thmouis in Timai El Amdid, Egypt in the Nile Delta that started in 2007. To date, more than 200 UH<\/abbr> Mānoa students as well as students from other universities, have traveled to Egypt to participate in the excavation of Thmouis, a flourishing city from 500 B.C. to about 600 A.D. for the Egyptians followed by Greeks and then the Romans.<\/p>\n

While on excavations students are exposed to ancient Egyptian culture, they learn about archaeological techniques, and they help with pottery washing on site.<\/p>\n

“My first job was in a commercial kitchen washing dishes, and I guess I\u2019m still doing it, only it\u2019s [ancient Egyptian] pottery, and I usually get the students to wash it now,” Littman said.<\/p>\n

Related UH<\/abbr> News<\/em> stories:<\/p>\n