EAA 17th ANNUAL MEETING IN OSLO, NORWAY
The 17th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists took place in Oslo, Norway, 14-18 September 2011.

The 17th EAA Annual Meeting was held in Oslo, Norway, 14 – 18 September 2011. The meeting was organized by the Museum of Cultural History and the Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo, the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, the Cultural Heritage Management Office of the City of Oslo and the Norwegian Maritime Museum. The Museum and the University celebrated their 200 year anniversary in 2011 and the EAA meeting was part of these celebrations. A broad National Advisory board and a Scientific committee, with representatives from all sectors of Norwegian archaeology, ensured participation and broad support from Norwegian archaeology. The meeting was located in the centre of Oslo, with the venues near each other at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel conference centre, the Museum of Cultural History and the University of Oslo. The 835 registered participants to the conference came from 38 different countries.

The conference was inaugurated officially on Wednesday 14 September at the Opening Ceremony held at the Assembly Hall of the University of Oslo, housing the recently renovated Munch’s paining. Approximately 400 attendees to the Opening Ceremony were welcomed at the meeting by Egil Mikkelsen, chair of the Organising Committee, Erik Solheim, Minister of Environment and Development, professor Ole Petter Ottersen, Rector of the University of Oslo, Friedrich Lüth, EAA President, and Jørn Holme, Director of the Directorate for Culture Heritage. Carsten Paludan-Müller presented the EAA Heritage Prize to Dr. Girolamo Ferdinando de Simone of St Johns College, University of Oxford, and Avvocato Francesco Pinto, Mayor of Pollena Trochia, in recognition of their combined efforts that have set an important example for the integration of scholarly and societal achievements with good heritage management under particularly demanding circumstances. After a musical performance by “Valkyrien Allstars”, two opening lectures were pronounced: the first one by prof. Kristian Kristiansen (Gothenburg): “Scandinavian Archaeology in a European perspective”, and the second one by prof. Nina Witoszek (Oslo): “The World after Thor Heyerdahl: Are Myths the Opium of the People?”. An Opening Reception followed in Fanehallen, Akershus Fortress. Major social events during the lecture days (Thursday to Saturday) included the Annual Party at Chateau Neuf on the Thursday, and the Annual Dinner at the Ekeberg Restaurant on the Saturday. Approximately 120 EAA members gathered at the Annual Business Meeting on the Friday afternoon to discuss the current situation of the Association. Pre- and post-conference excursions were organized to places of interest. During the Annual Meeting the delegates had free access to the two museums that are parts of the Museum of Cultural Heritage (The Historical Museum, The Viking Ship Museum at Bygdøy).

Academic sessions took place from Thursday morning (15 September) to Saturday afternoon (17 September). Altogether 490 papers were collected and presented in 59 sessions, along with 90 posters. Papers were timetabled for 20 minute speeches and the set order and times of presentations were observed so that delegates can plan attendance of selected papers in different sessions; poster session took place on Friday 16 September from 11 - 13.00, but posters were displayed in the foyer during the whole congress.   Sessions and round tables were divided into six thematic areas: Interpreting the archaeological record (24 sessions) Cultural heritage and the formation and articulation of identities (6 sessions) Landscape and the relationship between society and landscape (10 sessions) Harbour in prehistoric and historic times (1 session) Perspective on archaeology in the modern world (6 sessions) Archaeological heritage resource management (6 sessions).