Upcoming Events in May
As the month of May fast approaches, we’re delighted to share a round‑up of the exciting events we’ve planned for the month:
Thursday 7 May – Collections Evening
Our annual Collections Evening returns on 7 May, bringing together three fascinating talks that open a window into the Society’s manuscript and art collections. The evening will welcome the following speakers:
- Dr Farouk Yahya will introduce the Malay manuscripts donated by Sir William Maxwell, tracing their journeys from private libraries in the Malay Peninsula to their place in our collections today
- Niyu Lin will reveal the hidden layers of painting and calligraphy beneath Buddhist drawings in an Edo‑period concertina album, donated by Scottish doctor and missionary Henry Fauld
- Professor Almut Hintze, Professor Peter Cornwell and Dr Myriadne Wang will present on an on-going project which has seen the digitisation of 55 notebooks relating to Zoroastrian studies from the Edward William West archive
To complement the talks, a small display of the material will be arranged in our Reading Room, giving attendees a chance to see selected items from the collections up close.
Tuesday 12 May – In Search of Phillipo: An Armenian Merchant Between Two Empires
On 12 May, we’ll host a joint event with the Levantine Heritage Foundation, featuring a talk by Theodore Mould on the life of Philip John Nigohrus – better known as Phillipo – an Armenian merchant active in 18th‑century London. For his talk Mould would trace the life of Phillipo in the within the wider context of Anglo‑Ottoman trade, shedding light on the network of Armenian activity in London and Britain during the Age of Enlightenment.
Thursday 14 May and Friday 22 May – Archaeology and the Asiatic Societies: 150 years of digging up Japan
And then on 14 May, we are pleased to welcome Professor Simon Kaner, Executive Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures and our Fellow, who will deliver the closing lecture in our Japanese Studies series. Entitled ‘150 years of European entanglements with Japanese archaeology’, his talk will explore the influential role Europeans played in the early development of archaeological research in Japan. This lecture is the first of two linked events dedicated to Japanese and European archaeology, and to the role played by the Asiatic Societies in sharing and shaping this emerging knowledge.
The second lecture will take place at the Asiatic Society of Japan (ASJ) on 22 May, shifting the focus to discussing the ASJ’s contributions and to the activities of Japanese archaeologists working in Europe. Each lecture stands on its own, but together they offer a rich, complementary perspective on the evolving study of archaeology in and about Japan.
Thursday 21 May – Imperial Rule in India: Paternal Governance and Conquest under the Lawrences and Montgomery
We round off the month on 21 May with the launch of Jonathan Orr’s new book, Imperial Rule in India: Paternal Governance and Conquest under the Lawrences and Montgomery. Orr, an avid traveller in India and Pakistan with a deep interest in Anglo‑Indian history, will discuss the careers of the Lawrence brothers and Robert Montgomery – four Irishmen who served in the East India Company during the first half of the 19th century.
So, there is much to look forward to in May, both at the Society and beyond – and, of course, the arrival of warmer weather and longer days! We hope to see many of you joining us the events either in-person or online. No registration is required for our regular events and if you would like to join us online, please write to emd@royalasiaticsociety.org and a link will be provided.