Priya Barchi received her BA in Anthropology, with a concentration in Archaeology, and in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2019. While there, she pursued the study of Sanskrit, South Asian ancient and contemporary history, and enriched her background in Classical studies by focusing on the Hellenistic East. Her thesis investigated the notion of Greco-Indian identity in Bactria and the Northern Indian Subcontinent during the Kushan period.
Priya has participated in several archaeological field projects: at Hadrian’s Villa in Italy, in Bolivia, and in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, she has also pursued her passion in museum education, working at Rubin Museum of Art and the Institute for Classical Architecture and Art in New York. Through such research, museum experience, and the study of anthropological and post-colonial theory, she has developed a keen interest in the political implications of constructing narratives of the past and in the ways that heritage is presented and shared within communities.
While at ISAW, Priya is committed to researching the artistic and linguistic intersections between the Greco-Roman world and South Asia. She is excited to explore new theoretical frameworks for investigating trade, identity, cultural hybridity, and imperial power in the ancient world. At ISAW she hopes to also further pursue her passion in curatorial work and museum education.