Archaeologist Lidia G. Merenciano to Discuss Modern Relevance of Classical Studies in La Laguna
Archaeologist and digital communicator Lidia G. Merenciano will discuss the modern relevance of classical studies this Friday at the 13th Classical Gatherings in La Laguna.
Modern archaeology is evolving. Moving beyond the traditional image of dusty excavations, the field is now becoming a vital part of today’s public conversations. As highlighted by the Spanish Society of Classical Studies (SEEC-Canarias), archaeology is no longer just about cataloging the past; it is a tool for critically analyzing the world we live in today.
This Friday at 6:30 p.m., the Glass Hall of the former Convent of Santo Domingo in La Laguna will host the second session of the 13th Classical Gatherings. The guest speaker is archaeologist and physical anthropologist Lidia G. Merenciano, who will discuss the ongoing relevance of classical studies. Her talk will explore how new technology and research methods—such as recent discoveries involving the Herculaneum papyri and the submerged ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria—prove that our knowledge of the ancient world is far from complete.
Merenciano is a leading figure in digital science communication. With over 470,000 followers on TikTok and 280,000 on Instagram, she has successfully brought academic rigor to social media. She is a regular contributor to outlets like elDiario.es and National Geographic History, and has also created content for Clan TV. Her work extends to literature as well; her novel Penélope, published this year by Penguin Random House, uses archaeology to explore the past through a modern lens.
The event series, coordinated by Jorge García Hernández, Alejandro Martín Bolaños, Julieta Valentina Bertoldi, and Víctor G. Hernández with support from the La Laguna City Council’s Department of Culture, will continue throughout the spring. On May 8, Alejandro Martín Bolaños and Juan José Batista Rodríguez will discuss irony in the works of the Roman historian Tacitus. The series concludes on May 22 at the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country of Tenerife, where Óscar Hernández Abreu will present a historical look at the life of Emperor Caligula.