Virtual Summit Submission

Florida State University
Classical Archaeology

Biography

Reagan Gibson is pursuing a major in Classical Archaeology with a minor in Museum Studies & Cultural Heritage. Supported by her IDEA Grant, she studied abroad in Italy, where she visited Vesuvian sites and museums housing displaced statuary. Her dissertation examines statuary that was wrongfully exported into private collections and institutions, with particular attention to the cultural harm caused to the region and its people. Reagan hopes to continue this line of research in graduate school, with the goal of earning a PhD in Classics. She regards this experience as one of the most formative and rewarding opportunities of her academic career.

Project

The Secrecy of the Bourbons: How did the History of the Bourbon Excavations at Ancient Vesuvian Cities Impact Antiquarianism and Archaeological Practice
In AD 79, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius buried Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae beneath pumice, ash, and lava. The rediscovery of these sites continues to intrigue scholars, yet the early excavations of the 18th century raise critical questions. This research examines two key issues: the detrimental effects of early excavation practices on contemporary understandings of archaeology, and the damage and losses sustained by Vesuvian collections. It also considers the modern traveler’s experience of Italy, where statues once embedded in their original context have been dispersed to museums, private collections, and exhibitions worldwide. This displacement complicates how we view these ancient sites today, leading to gaps in context and cultural understanding. Despite extensive scholarship on the Vesuvian region, little attention has been paid to early collections and the circumstances of their recovery. This project seeks to address that gap.