Archaeology, History, Art History - Keep Scrolling Down!


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Archaeology of Meso America


The Rise of Civilization in Meso America ~ the Olmecs and the Zapotecs
Before pyramids appeared in Egypt, they were being built in Mexico, by people who had no written language, and used only stone tools. One by one, civilizations in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize rose and fell. In this course, we will look at hunter gatherers, the beginning of agriculture and small farming communities, and how they morphed into the first cities of the Olmecs, and the empire of the Zapotecs. Instructor: Lynn-Marie Wieland.

3 Sessions $ 77 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 65)
Wed., 10/15, 22, 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Annex (66 prospect Street) + Zoom (hybrid)


The Rise of Civilization in Meso America ~ the Teotihuacan, Mayans, Toltecs, Aztecs
This course follows the people of Teotihuacan, the Mayans, the Toltec, and the Aztecs from their beginnings to the formation of their cities, states and empires. They spoke different languages, but produced the same wonderful art, played the same ballgame, established extensive trade routes, built monumental cultural centers, practiced human sacrifice, and had similar pantheons of gods. The builders of these civilizations were an artistic, passionate, fierce people, who will fire your imagination. Instructor: Lynn-Marie Wieland.

3 Sessions
Winter / Spring 2026. Contact us to be on a notification list or visit website.


European History


The Other Bonapartes
The dazzling achievements of Napoleon are well known, but what about the rest of his family? Did they live in their brother’s shadow, bask in his reflected glory, or soar in their own right? What became of his wife and long- awaited son? An exploration of this ambitious, spirited family reveals intrigue, secrets, loyalty and betrayal, and an American connection! Instructor: Nancy Maxwell. Scroll down for her bio.

1 Session $ 29 (Ridgefield Sr./Disab. $ 25)
Wed., 4/23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Zoom.


Nancy Maxwell - Instructor Bio:

As a student at Cornell, Ms. Maxwell was encouraged to major in Psychology, but her interest in the humanities was always paramount, and her reading of History has taken pride of place.

As a teacher and counselor in an international school in Switzerland for more than twenty years, she had the opportunity to familiarize herself with the palaces and cathedrals of European cities, to savor the extraordinary wealth of artistic treasure that they contain, and to walk in the very footsteps of historical figures.

Her understanding of European history has been enriched as much by exhausting days walking the corridors and grounds of the Palace of Versailles as by descending to the dismal, tragic halls of the Conciergerie. It has similarly been her privilege to tramp the Parisian streets from the site of the Bastille by way of the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens to the Place de la Concorde and thence along the Champs Elyses to Napoleon's Arc de Triomphe. These experiences have provided both a mental and physical context in which people who lived centuries ago regain their humanity and tell their stories. It is her delight to share those stories with students.