Themes of the Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting themes, as defined by the Scientific Committee, incorporate the diversity of EAA and the multidimensionality of archaeological practice, including archaeological interpretation, heritage management and politics of the past and present.

1. Archaeological theory and methods beyond paradigms
2. Interpreting the archaeological record: artefacts, humans, and landscapes
3. Archaeology of mountainous landscapes
4. Digital archaeology, science and multidisciplinarity: new methods, new challenges
5. Archaeological heritage and museum management: future chances, future risks
6. Global change and archaeology


1. Archaeological theory and methods beyond paradigms

This theme will include sessions on all aspects of archaeological theories and methods. It will embrace debates on the theoretical reflection of archaeological interpretations and the evolution of archaeological narratives, such as population or artefact mobility, technological revolutions or evolutions, adaptations to climate change, and cultural diversity. In this regard, the history of archaeology and its position between humanities, social and natural sciences will be reconsidered to improve its standing within academia and its value for the society. In addition, discussions about the role of archaeology within the humanities and social sciences as well as the relationship to the historical sciences within the framework of historical and contemporary archaeology are welcome in this theme. The topic is also devoted to innovative methods lent from other disciplines that lead to new insights and question existing paradigms in archaeology.


2. Interpreting the archaeological record: artefacts, humans, and landscapes

This theme includes sessions and papers focusing on the interpretation of material culture from all available archaeological sources with the aim of explaining the lives of people in the past. Here, research is positioned that investigates how people used objects and how they interacted with them throughout space and time. Debates should embrace the interpretation of people´s tangible and intangible worlds, either supported by theoretical concepts or by historical sources. Broad perspectives are invited on how humans changed their environment and how communities used landscapes for economic, social and ritual purposes, as well as for communication and trade networks. Considerations on social and spatial aspects of specific archaeological sites and landscapes as well as on topics of subsistence and economy will play an important role within this theme. However, the topic is not limited to case studies but particularly encourages systematical approaches and surveys on the interpretations of human behaviour, artefacts, and landscapes.


3. Archaeology of mountainous landscapes

Massifs and mountains shape landscapes in a special way. More than a third of the European continent is covered by mountains and 118 million people live here. While they are boundaries between regions, they also function as crossings at the same time, and offer unique environments for humans and animals. This theme has been chosen to pay tribute to the venue of this year´s Annual Meeting which is located in close distance to the Alps. The Alps in particular have been historically a mountain chain separating and connecting the Mediterranean and the Northern world. The theme will cover archaeological research in European and non-European mountainous landscapes including high-altitude mountains, intermontane valleys and forelands. It should embrace contributions about peopling, land use, resource management, mobility, paleoecology, and the symbolic role of mountains. Papers are welcome which discuss the influence of the specific landscape on the subsistence, daily life, and society; which also reflect in which ways alpine communities have interacted with each other and with the outside world.


4. Digital archaeology, science and multidisciplinarity: new methods, new challenges

Current debates in archaeological research are determined by the challenges provided by the 3rd science revolution, the application of digital techniques, and big data. Digital techniques, paleogenetics, advanced dating methods and non-destructive methods for documentation, recording and analyses of artefacts and archaeological sites provide today more accuracy and details than previous approaches. Although, there is an urgent need for reflections on how archaeologists integrate this new data in their interpretations and narratives. This theme is a panel for scientific-political observations and discussions on how new forms of data and improved analytical tools have shaped archaeology within the last decades and how a critical evaluation of those data may be handled in the future. It is tremendously important to critically evaluate the new methods (resulted from the digital turn) in order to cope with the chances, risks, and challenges of the resulting data and interpretations. Sessions and papers on multidisciplinary research are also welcome which highlight the additional value of cooperation between different sciences.


5. Archaeological heritage and museum management: future chances, future risks

Having its 25th jubilee in 2019, the EAA is inviting sessions and papers which define the future of archaeological heritage and museum management for the decade 2020-2030. Which challenges will occur during the new decade? Which strategies can be recommended for preventive archaeology while coping with a financial shortage? Who will be responsible for the scientific analysis of archaeological sites and artefacts? Are digital solutions or virtual reality going to replace standard mediation methods in archaeology? Which strategies can be recommended for artefact storage and presentation? What are best practices for dealing with looted archaeological artefacts? Sessions are also invited which present examples of "sharing heritage" or "citizen science" projects and discuss the values and risks of such approaches. We invite contributions which discuss how to valorize sites, monuments, and artefacts as well as the importance of cultural heritage for society (Faro Convention, UNESCO World Heritage in archaeology). Other topics on archaeological heritage and museum management are welcome: solutions for heritage management, social and economic impact of heritage conservation, preventive conservation, heritage legislation, provenance research, archaeological tourism, and sustainability.


6. Global change and archaeology

This theme is devoted to all sessions and papers dealing with the impact of global change on humans in the past. It encourages contributions on paleoclimate, human-environment interactions, land use, land cover, as well as on collapse and resilience of societies due to catastrophic events. The archaeological record functions in manifold ways as a paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental archive which can be used to discuss the potential causal role of climate and environment in culture change. The topic therefore embraces methodological and applied approaches on paleoclimate, environmental reconstruction, genetics, diet, and paleopathology to understand human behaviour and deduce reasons for economic, subsistence, and social change. In addition, contributions are welcome which discuss human action as causative element for global change, e.g. global warming, animal breeding, spread of infectious diseases. New issues on what might be learnt from the past and on solutions applied to modern ecological problems are highly welcome, especially when they cover a long-time perspective.

The following main principles for sessions apply:

  • The maximum modular length of sessions and round tables is limited to full-day (4 blocks of 2 hours each, containing up to 28 oral presentations).
  • The time allowed for the presentation of individual papers is 15 minutes. However, flexibility may be given to individual session organisers to reduce the length of time allowed for each paper in order to include more papers, depending also on the format of the particular session.
  • Only EAA members are allowed to organise a session. Non-members must become EAA members by the deadline set.
  • One person may organise no more than one session or round table as the first organiser, but may be co-organiser (2nd-5th author) of one other session or round table.
  • Session co-organisers should be from more than one country.
  • Maximum number of session organisers is 5, including the main organiser.
  • A maximum of two contributions is normally allowed per delegate.

For detailed guidelines for organisers of sessions and round tables, notes for speakers and poster presentations please check the Guidelines tab in General Info.

Session formats

Regular session
Regular session  consists of 1, 2, 3 or 4  2-hours blocks and contains up to 28 15-minute presentations (although flexibility may be given to individual session organisers to reduce the length of time allowed for each paper in order to include more papers), including discussion, introductory and closing comments. While session organisers are welcome to invite submissions into their session, the session needs to be open for submissions by any presenter.

Sessions with pre-circulated papers

Session with presentations of 6 slides in 6 minutes

Session with keynote presentation and discussion

Discussion session
Discussion session is an interactive event organised around a specific theme, formal presentations are required. 

Round table
Round table is an interactive event organised around a specific and tightly focused theme. Formal presentations are kept to a minimum and normally consist only of opening and closing remarks so that an open discussion is encouraged. Round tables are to be held in small rooms. List of confirmed discussants is required.

Workship

Other

Filming and photographing

It is forbidden to film at sessions, the Annual Membership Business Meeting and other official occasions without the permission of the EAA. The EAA and/or the Organising Committee may secure filming facilities for selected sessions and the Opening Ceremony to be broadcast / streamed. Session organisers will be approached by EAA staff and offered this facility when available and informed about the selection criteria.

Photographing is allowed without any restrictions unless the author of presentation explicitly dissaproves photographing by introducing a disclaimer at the beginning of his/her presentation.

Registration

Online registration has been already closed but you can still register onsite in Bern.

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